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Location: 7° 21.0 S, 52° 46.0 E
Thursday 12:00, 11.16.2006
The Schooner Maggie B was at 7° 21.0 S 52° 46.0 E at noon on November 16th. We are slopping around in very light SE’erlies, with intermittent rain. The seas are 2-3 meters and irregular in adverse tidal/current flow. In front of rain showers the wind picks up to 10-12 knots, which drives us along fine, then it rains in a biblical fashion (all our water tanks are full now!), then the wind dies out for a bit. This is typical weather as the SE’erly trades meet the ITCZ (Inter Tropic Convergence Zone). Normally, we would motor when the boat speed is less than four knots, but now we have fewer options as we don’t know if the shaft bearings will work for five minutes or five days, and I want to save power for when we really need it, like arrival in Port Victoria, Mahe.
Through Nigel Irens’ good offices, we have a contact in Mahe, who is in charge of a company which is agents for port activities. They have sent me information on how to get ready to be boarded by Sechellian Officials on arrival. Among other things, they say we will need:
- 6 copies of Crew Lists
- 3 copies of Crew Effects Declaration
- 3 copies of ship’s stores
- 3 copies of IMO Health Declaration
- 3 copies of Certificate of Registry
- 2 Declarations that we have no firearms
- 3 copies of last 10 Ports of Call
I am panicking a bit that they might try to take away our lovely South African Wine. Perhaps I’ll declare it “medicinal.” “Ship’s Stores” is also a bit scary. Will they take all our food? And what are “Crew Effects?” Ah, well, I’m sure it will be fine. The Seychelles have apparently done a lovely job of protecting their environment and I’m sure it will be sensible.
We are just off of Saint Francois Island, part of the Alphonse group. There is supposedly the one of the best resorts in the world on Alphonse, which is apparently the #1 spot on the planet for fly fishing for bonefish. I wonder what the guests, who pay $600 per night for a standard room, are thinking in the downpours? Probably happy that they are not on the schooner making its way past them…
All is well.