Crossing the Indian Ocean - Mauritius to Durban Days 3-5

madagascar

Day 3 Miles to go:  1369 nm

We had originally planned to stop at the French overseas territory of Reunion Island only 120 nm from Mauritius. We'd heard good and bad about it. The marina in Le Port was in an industrial area and a rental car was necessary to get anywhere. The marina at St. Pierre was in a great downtown location, but the entrance could be difficult and the port was closed in bad weather, making a speedy departure a challenge. In the end, Neptune made the decision for us. We were delayed in Mauritius long enough to make a reasonable stay in Reunion imprudent, given the imminent onset of cyclone season. A day for check-in and getting settled, a day to check-out and no time to see the island in between.

We weren't feeling all that good as we sailed past Reunion,  so changing our plans wasn't in the cards. La Reunion is a high, volcanic, mountainous island and yet from only four miles out, all we could see was the hazy outline of a land mass shrouded in heavy, grey clouds and mist ... not much more than a blurry smudge on the horizon. It looked as of the French were deliberately trying to hide it from us. No matter, we gave it short shrift and passed on by. When darkness approached, the island was more prominent, its ghostly loom illuminating the night sky for miles and miles behind us.

We're seeing lots of ships during our watches ... several heading to Durban , just like us. So far, none have come all that close and for that we are thankful. Also, thankful to be among the living again.

Day 4 Miles to go: 1226 nm

We rigged the pole yesterday afternoon when the wind backed to the east. By nightfall, it had clocked south/southeast again and we were beam-reaching again. Errant clouds have been sprinkling on us, but for the most part, we're enjoying sunny weather by day and clear skies at night. We're in the midst of a huge high pressure area at the moment, but the GRIBs are showing a low pressure making its way east. We're giving the south coast of Madagascar a wide berth, nearly 150 miles. Its southern coast is known for huge freak waves which we'd prefer to avoid.

We had been doing fairly well distance-wise each day, but we've slowed down a bit. Otherwise, all is well and we're pretty much in the watch groove now.

Day 5 Miles to go:  1129 nm

Though it felt like we were making reasonable speed with the 12 knots of wind we had at our disposal, the GPS showed us going slower and slower as the night progressed. We switched the pole to the port side again around dusk, preparing for the winds to switch to the north. By 0300, we were limping along under 3 knots and by the 10am log, we'd sailed under 100 miles for the 24-hour period. What's up?

It could only be a couple of things. There was enough wind and we had all the sails out and trimmed, so that wasn't it. We could be dragging something ... part of a jetliner, or a whale, or maybe a container, or a longline net with a fishing boat attached? Without actually checking the hull and rudder, the best we could do was hang over the side and stern to see if we could see something. There was nothing apparent.

We thought initially it might be current, but in checking the Indian Ocean pilot for currents in the area in November and December, if there was any current at all, it should have been helping us. David had removed the speed transducer when we got to Port Louis because the marina was so foul and had forgotten to replace it when we left. Since it was the only thing we could think to do short of heaving-to and going overboard to check Cups' bottom, he re-installed it and ..mystery solved. An adverse current of  nearly  2 knots had been impeding our progress for over 15 hours.

We switched the pole once again and headed due west with hopes of evading the current. Sure enough, within a couple of hours the GPS speed and the speed through the water were in sync. There's still a good chance we'll make it to Durban by Thanksgiving. No more delays, please!

Continue on our Indian Ocean crossing here.

Un Promenade in Port Louis, Mauritius

Our first day in any port is usually spent getting our bearings and walking around. Port Louis, the capital city of Mauritius, is vibrant, high energy and offers lots to see and do. There's eye candy everywhere you turn. After small, laid-back places like the Cocos and Rodrigues, mooring in the heart of the city is a fun, pleasant change. They say the best view of the city is from the sea and we'd have to admit, it was a lovely first view.  

We set out on foot mid-morning, walking down the Caudan Waterfront, a huge, modern esplanade lined with upscale eateries and boutiques. A rainbow of parasols hung above the walkway, providing both shade from the sun and a riot of color to pedestrians.

The days have been warm and sunny and walking was a pleasure after being captive aboard Cups for a few days. The pace in the city is frenetic. Heavy, fast-moving cars, motorbikes, trucks and bicycles whiz along streets crowded with pedestrian traffic that overflows the narrow sidewalks. Wherever there is a bit of space, a vendor has spread his wares or offers street food or hawks his services.

We walked through the Central Market … it's absolutely huge. Fresh veggies and fruits galore, spices and teas, are all artfully displayed inside the market building, originally built in 1844. Upstairs on a mezzanine level, there are “crafts” vendors (souvenirs) and outside the perimeter of the market building, there are vendors set up under tents and tarps with narrow paths between them selling everything from hubcaps to clothing to pots and pans to batteries. It's crazy and frenzied. Everyone is shouting their prices and promotions. People are darting in and out and around. A good place for a pickpocket and we were very mindful of our valuables. Saturday is the “big” market and we can't imagine how it could be bigger or more crowded, but we're game to find out.

We stopped in the Natural History Museum. The entry is free and though small, it does provide a pretty good overview of the flora and fauna of the island with an emphasis on extinct animals, especially the dodo bird.

We wandered through the Company Gardens, a park originally established by the French East India Company for growing produce for the colony. Huge ficus trees shade the area. There are fountains and lots of benches and statues spread around for visitors to enjoy. We caught a fine view of Le Pouce, the thumb-shaped mountain that sits high above the city and a beautiful flamboyant tree blooming in the foreground and a shadowed statue of Leoville L'Homme, a premiere 19th century Mauritian poet .

There's an old wind mill that sits on a hill above the port that was originally used to mill flour for the dockworkers. Built in 1736, it has survived all the more modern construction around it (unlike the dodo bird) and now houses a small museum which, we were told, never seems to be open during its posted hours.

Just across the street, we noticed the main post office which had a postal museum attached. We were here, we thought, why not? I love it when we discover some new pieces of trivia. The first postal services in Mauritius date back to 1772 when the island was a major sugar-producer for Great Britain. Mauritius was the first British colony in the world to issue a stamp, thus establishing a prepaid postal delivery service. The famous Penny Black is on display, the world's first adhesive stamp.

China Town was easy to find. We spotted the paifang, the traditional Chinese gateway, and headed that way. Business was brisk in the myriad of little shops that lined the narrow streets. We noted the Chinese signs and tiny grocery stores offering unidentifiable foods. Street vendors sold everything from artificial flowers to lychees to flip-flops. We made a note to return for lunch at one of the tiny 4-table restaurants before we leave.

We spotted a beautifully ornate green and white building and tried to figure out what it was. After further investigation, we determined it was a mosque. We weren't sure if it was permissible for us to go inside, but a man on his way in beckoned us to follow him. “Is it okay for us to go inside?”, we queried. “Yes, yes … come.” We'd never been inside a mosque before. It was beautiful and peaceful. We watched silently as men entered, put down their prayer rugs and began to worship. The Jummah-Masjid mosque dates from the 1850s and covers nearly a block. We are reminded of our visit now, each time we hear the muezzin's call to prayer, especially in the quiet of the morning just before dawn.

We walked for hours checking out nooks and crannies of the city and planning our upcoming days for other places to visit on the island. Today was only a tiny taste of what Mauritius holds in store for us and we can't wait to see more.

Arrival in Mauritius

As of 0600 this morning, we still had 15 nm to go. Compare this passage to continental drift! Arrival is imminent, however. A very unusual night for winds. Yes, the winds finally returned, but they came from the north and the west and the southwest and the south which made for never-ending sail adjustments, choppy seas, frequent squalls, heavy showers and very little sleep. During the night, we could see the glowing loom of Mauritius off to port. With the dawn came views of the island, all rugged and high.

first view of mauritius

We motor-sailed down the west coast and entered the channel at Port Louis, the country's only customs entry port. We received permission to enter from Port Control and proceeded past all the large container vessels and bulk carriers to a small Customs dock for yachts. We've talked about how each tie up is different. Well, this one was really different. No bollards or cleats to tie to. We tied instead to lamp posts and balustrades against a cement wall.

approaching port louis

The wait for officials was long. After two hours, we called Port Control again and finally someone showed up and asked David to accompany him to the Customs office right around the corner. I waited aboard for a Health/Quarantine officer who was supposed to come first actually, before we left the boat. He finally showed up and asked if I was sick. I said no and he said "okay, take down your Q flag" and that was it. David returned shortly thereafter, having completed Customs, Immigration and Coast Guard formalities.

tied to customs dock

We walked ten minutes along the waterfront to the Caudan Marina to see if any space was available. Nothing along the wall was vacant, but rafting up was acceptable and we ended up rafted to Kittiwake, a British boat. So far, Port Louis looks absolutely wonderful. Vibrant and exciting with lots to see and do. Tonight, however, a glass of champers, a quiet dinner and a good night's sleep.

rafted to kittiwake

Passage stats:

Miles planned: 350 Miles sailed: 372

Total passage time: 3 days, 13 hours

Average speed: 4.4 (ouch!)

Explore Mauritius here.

Continue on the final legs of our passage across the Indian Ocean.