🇹🇿️ Mafia Island to 🇲🇬️ Nosy Be

After 3 colourfull days in Mafia Island (pitty we did not see the walesharks) we leave for Mtwara, another upwind passage.

Halfway we anchor at Mzungu Beach for the night after making contact with those at home to inform them where we are. The passage itself is boring, most time motoring as there is no wind.

But finally the fishing pays off! Too bad, a strange unknown fish so we will not eat it.

The following night we arrive in Mtwara. Decided to anchor near the port office, but there is a fresh breeze and the shore is very near. Ohooo, almost aground, Pffff, disaster avoided in the last minute…

The next day a very kind guy helps us refuelling which requires a trip into town with a car he borrows from his friend as the fuel pump in Mtwara port does not work. We provision at the same time and check out in the afternoon: immigration, port authority and customs who want to inspect our vessel. I bring them on board and it seems they like very much our Ferrero Rocher sweets on the table. All is good.

We leave the next day because we want to stay ahead of the southwest low that is coming in a few days. The first 2 days no wind so motoring with a speed of 7 knots, a bit noisy but it works. The next day I discover that that was too fast as it consumed a third of the tank in 24 hours.. So slow down and try to sail more. The third day in the evening we are approaching the north of Grand Comore and the wind picks up: 15, 20, 30, 35 knots, we are flying! It is clear that the front catched up with us and we decide to anchor in the lee of Grand Commore.

A good place you would say but did you ever heard about katabatic winds? Well they have them there as Grand Comore has mountains. One minute there is no wind, the next minute you are in a force 8 as if somebody flipped the switch of a fan. Still we decide to let the low pass and stay in this uncomfortable anchorage for 3 days. The anchor chain got seized under a rock which broke the snubber line. We are very luckly there is no problem recovering the anchor and chain….

We motorsail past Mayotte until we reach the port of Hell-Ville, Nosy Be. Back in Madagascar!

We get ourselves new simcards, relax and enjoy the few remaining days at Nosy Be.My friend has to go home from here as her work is waiting and I will make a new plan.