News

Sunday August 29, 2004
Position at 0200 hrs UTC or 0600 local time
21-04 S
61- 29 E
Cog 255
Sog 6 kt
Wind 15 kt
Wind from the EAST

Must have become confused about the dates as the immigration officer stamped my passport with Friday's date and I told him I was leaving on Saturday morning.
Anyway I am back on track.
Went to the fresh market early yesterday morning, bought some apples, oranges, bananas and naartjies. Walked over to the bakery and bought some fresh French bread rolls then went to customs to clear out.
Cleared docklines 0900 after wishing everybody Godspeed. I sailed out of the channel with a school of dolphins leading. The seas were pretty rough and I kept a northerly course for an hour then took a jibe and set a new bearing. Once clear of the reefs, I lied down comfortably on the starboard bunk reading Michael Connely's book "The Poet"
IT was happily galloping along on a beam reach, port tack with just the # 3 jib and triple reefed main in the 25 knot wind.
At 1500 hrs Rodriguez vanished on the rear horizon and it was just us and the big blue seas again.
Wind veered a little and I trimmed the sails and set Willie in combination.
At midnight I went forward on the deck and under the almost full moon checked all the shrouds and stays, trimmed the sails for more speed and after setting the radar's alarm and the bedshaker tucked under my pillow went to sleep.

To the people of Rodriguez----Thank you for all your kindness and help. Bless you all.

Total run 140 miles ( 21 hrs ) from 9 to 6

Saturday August 28, 2004
Up early again, walked through town, bought some cookies and a Fanta for breakfast.
Back on IT I did a final inspection.
Tried to relax by reading all morning.
Checked out at the immigration office.
Went to the school for the deaf and bid goodbye. Paul was not there but he came by late afternoon.
Had some Chinese soup for supper. No grog this time!
Called it a day and went to sleep very early.
Will check out at customs this morning and do last minute shopping at the fresh market.
Plan to leave at 0900 hrs.

I thank everybody who signed my guestbook and for the e-mails. Will reply as soon as I am in open waters again.

Friday August 27, 2004
At first light I went up the mast, drilled new holes and tapped them. I installed the new fabricated tang and connected the forward and after lower shrouds. The turnbuckles were tightened and I got the mast as straight as an arrow again.
Paul and Susan, together with all the junior deaf students, came over and four at a time, toured IT. I showed them how my alarm systems work, took pictures and video footage at the same time. Demonstrated to them my mast climbing technique.
Presented them with my solo odyssey T -shirt. Lots of fun had by all.
Removed the genoa from the furling system and installed the # 3 jib.
Very relieved that I got the mast back in order again, I slept all afternoon.
Frenchman, Guy Capon on board UTOPIE (rafted onto IT), joined me for a cold frostie. Sailing with him is Dominique Chatain and Jean- Jaques Guyon. Only Guy speaks English. Guy was a superb rugby scrumhalf in his heyday. They have been sailing for two years, visiting almost every country so far. They had to move their yacht briefly as the MAURITIUS PRIDE , a 400 ft freighter, came into port. After it had docked, they rafted onto IT again.
Joined Dirk at the Chinese bar for a shot of grog then went over to the only restaurant where I joined Bill and Gilles. Had some red wine and fish.
Called it a day and went to sleep.
Will check out with immigration and customs today and leave tomorrow(Saturday).

Thursday August 26, 2004
It is 04:30 in the morning, slept well after I had seafood entry at one of the local restaurants.
A French yacht has since sailed in and is rafted onto IT. Have not gotten their names yet. Only one speaks English.
It is raining lightly at present time.

Visited the cybercafé, but the internet is very slow and I cannot even remember my own passwords!! Bev, please send them to me again !

Paul Draper came by and we walked to the school for the deaf. I then gave a speech to the 15 or so kids, ages ranging from 6 to 12, while Mrs. Susan Auguste (also British Honorary Consul) translated it into French. I showed them my charts and the route I have sailed so far. Even showed them some video footage of my entry to Port Mathurin. Took pictures and so forth. Paul then gave me a tour of the workshop where the older deaf and blind students cut up coconuts and make souvenirs out of them. Very interesting. Paul has also opened workshops in Mauritius and other countries as well.
Had to cut my visit rather a little short as IT needs repairs.

Went up the mast again and tried the "tool". No go !
Plan "B"---Using my grinder I cut the heads off the stainless screws and popped the tang plates loose.
Soudin then took me over to the other side of the island, hitching a ride on a friend's pickup truck. I took a piece of stainless plate with us. It was quite a scenic drive up the mountain and what a breathtaking view I had overlooking the Indian Ocean on every point of the compass !
There he introduced me to Nicolas Finniss, assistant to mechanics at the training center.
Explained to Nicholas, by showing him the broken tang, how to fabricate a new one.
He was very kind and told me he would have it done today and would even bring it to me after working hours.
So, back Soudin and I went, taking the bus this time.
Up the mast again, with borrowed vice grips, and I tried to get the salt corroded headless screws out, but alas all 6 of them broke clean off flush on the mast ! Dang !
Will have to drill new holes and tap them. Luckily I have tap onboard and just the correct size too.

Spent some time onboard Privateer with 67 year old Bill Wilson talking about South Africa. He is very interested in visiting the country. He took the Suez canal on his first circumnavigation. His next stop is Port Louis in Mauritius then it is Durban.

Late afternoon, Nicholas came over, as promised, with the new fabricated tangs, he made 2 pieces, wow ! Now I have a spare onboard too !
He refused payment, so I presented him with a Houston Texans football team jacket.
Will go up the mast early morning to drill and tap the new holes.

The kids from the school for the deaf are paying IT a visit at 0900 hrs, so I have get IT clean and organized too !

Wednesday August 25, 2004
It is 0215 hrs in the morning and here I sit typing my log. I cannot sleep, even after a few shots of lethal rum and coke, which almost have no effect on me. Oh, what the heck, I am having another one right now !
'
My head is still spinning from trying to find a way to get those 6 machined screws, that hold the tang to the mast, off. I have been up the mast 8 times this morning, borrowing various sets of screwdrivers, but to no avail. The problem is, I am hanging onto the main halyard without any foothold, trying to put force behind the screwdrivers, which makes the job more sophisticated and absolutely hopeless.
I have tried various tactics, even hanging upside down, (with the curious locals staring at me as though I was one of Jane Goodall's gorillas or chimpanzees) with one arm draped around the mast, which frees only one hand and arm. No go! The stainless screws have been holding the tang for more than 25 years and the salt corrosion has done its job over all these years. Believe it or not, the stainless steel tang sheared off right at the fabricated "bend". It looks like someone cut it with scissors !!!

I received a visit from Paul Draper, ex-Honorary British Consul, who now runs the school and training center for the deaf here in Rodriguez.
Who would believe that here in the middle of the Indian Ocean on a tiny island somebody would be doing something so rare !
Paul will pick me up in the morning to visit the school and he wants me to give a speech to the kids. I am flattered.

I still have not had time to do any sightseeing on the island, but by reading Don Pinnock's book (a naturalist in his own right, read his book !!),columnist for the South African magazine, GETAWAY, Rodriguez is famous for its bat cave and the climate. People should try to visit this island and its very friendly inhabitants, who are a mix of Africans, Creols, Europeans and even Chinese.
Just do not try, if you are first timers, (like Jimmy Cornell clearly explains in his book "World Cruising Routes and World Cruising Handbook"), to attempt any entrance to Port Mathurin at night !!!!!. Period !!!!!

Earlier today, some machine shop technicians heard about my problem and came over and lent me a "tool". It is a combined screwdriver connected to a homemade adaptor to a socket set wrench or "spanner". Before I could go up and try out this "tool" it started to pour, a rarity here, and it kept up all afternoon.

I decided to call it a day and went to buy some grog, that's rum and coke for you, and there I was with German, Dirk Krehl, owner of SEALINE on which IT is rafted, sipping on this grog and talking about anything and everything. His girlfriend Birgit Rudolph came over too and we traded some books to read, thank heavens, as I had run out of reading material a long time ago!

Will try out this "tool" first thing in the morning and if it does not work, I will go to plan "B". This later.

My sincere thanks to Ronnie Shea who has done so much getting information and contacts over the internet, as well as my introduction to Paul Draper! Incredible information about this faraway place in the middle of nowhere, in the Indian Ocean, who even knew the place existed ???? Thanks a million Ronnie.

Tuesday August 24, 2004
Got into Port Mathurin at 1830 hrs yesterday afternoon after dodging two strong squalls that threatened us at the entrance to the port.
Very tricky navigation, I used my laptop and the electronic charts to navigate through the reefs towards the entrance and the channel. Saw some big whales leaping, then crashing back into the water close by. Was too busy navigating, so I could not catch it on video. Bummer !!!
The red and green markers are the opposite way which would have resulted in me wrecking IT if I had tried to enter at night!
Big game fisherman, Soudine, on board SEALINE waved and directed me to his boat where I rafted IT.
He was very nice and as I could not leave IT to go to the store he went over and bought me some ice cold beer.
Quarantine and police officers soon showed up and I filled out the necessary paper work (drinking beer in between)and so forth. Still have to go through immigration this morning.
There is only one cruising yacht rafted onto another fishing boat. Bill from Alaska on PRIVATEER and crew member Gilles from France came over and we introduced ourselves.
We then walked to a small restaurant where I decided on rice and prawns, my first fresh food in 31 days, and we had a good chat. They are on their way to Maurituis and it is Bill's 2nd circumnavigation.
We walked back in the rain and visited a primitive bar where we had some nightcaps and we called it a night.
Slept like a baby! Have a headache this morning!!! Probably the home brewed rum ???
The locals very friendly and helpful and curious!!!
Will tackle the shrouds as soon as I get through all the necessary clearance procedures. There is an internet cafe close by too.
Soudine just come aboard and he brought me two fresh bread rolls !!

Total run yesterday was 73 miles.

Monday - Arrived at Rodrigues!
I received a message from Charl to say that he has arrived safely!
Thank you for all your prayers. God is good.
Bev

Monday August 23, 2004
Position at 0800
19-45 S
64-39 E
Cog 300
Sog 5 kt
Wind 12 kt
Wind from the East

Squalls bothered us all day, pushing us in a southerly direction. As I do not want to put stress on the starboard side of the mast, I had to stick to sailing on a port tack, sometimes on a dead run where the rolling motion causes havoc on the mind.
Anyway the jury shrouds are holding well and I only have 70 miles to go.
Looks like I am in for another nightfall entry. Thank goodness I have clear detailed electronic charts of the island.

Total daily run---153 miles

Sunday - Message received from Charl early this morning
Dealing with squalls again.
Pushing us too far south.
Trying to stay safe.
Mast is bending when we are rolling.
Seas rough.Laptop is packing up .Everything wet and damp.

Please keep him and Island Time in your prayers today

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