We are members of two WhatsApp groups with people sailing the east and south coast Africa, and over the last two week these chat groups have pinged continuously with people either preparing to go and crying out for advice; people in the middle of the channel, crying out for sympathy and ideas for safe ports; and people who are sighing with relief as they have just reach the safe haven of Richard’s Bay, South Africa. If we weren’t nervous enough already, all this noise on the chat group is most certainly causing slight indigestion and a noticeable shortening of finger nails.
Very few make it all the way from Mayotte to Richards Bay in on go. Most often the weather does its thing and send sailors scurrying to safety behind the nearest island. For this reason, sailors don’t take a straight line down the channel, but head first towards Madagascar and follow the coast down to Cape St. Andre. Then, if/when the weather shows a glimmer of hope – quickly dash across to Ilha de Fogo in Mozambique, making sure to catch all the right currents along the way. From Ihle de Fogo one need to balance between staying in the south-going current, whilst not getting too close to land to risk being blown on shore. There are a few potential stops down the coast including Bazaruto, Barra Point and Inhaca, before reaching Richards Bay.
In regard to seeking shelter in foul weather, there is a delicate matter at play. Normally stopping in a new country (Madagascar and/or Mozambique in this case) requires you to check-in through customs, immigration, etc. As we would only stop to wait for good weather, the time and cost to go through such procedure is not desirable. Now, according to article 18 of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) one is allowed to make an emergency stop by dropping anchor, hoisting the yellow flag and NOT go ashore. This is exactly what we plan to do if needed. However, poor and poorly regulated countries do not always have officials who are well versed in the international laws of the sea. What they have instead are officials with AK47’s and a keen interest in increasing their personal cash flow. Therefore, it is important to find a safe anchorage that is remote and unlikely visited by money thirsty officials, whilst also providing shelter.
So in summary, as long as we stay in south going current, catch moderately tempered westerlies and avoid AK47’s we should be sweet! Then we’ll celebrate with a wee tipple at the RB yacht club – before heading off towards the even more notorious coast of South Africa and Cape of Good Hope!!!
