Monday 24th October 2022

Having spent over two weeks in Mayotte a suitable weather window has appeared and we feel as ready now as we’ll ever be to tackle the passage down the notorious Mozambique Channel to Richards Bay in South Africa. The hope is to cover the 1300 miles without stopping in about 9 days, but there are a few places that we could stop on the way along the Mozambique coast to shelter should strong southerly winds come through. The current in the Mozambique Channel runs from north to south, at over three knots in places. Strong winds from the south and you have ’wind against tide’ which can raise dangerously big seas. We will be getting daily weather forecasts using our satellite system and again using the services of Des Cason, the South African weather guru. At any sign of a southerly weather system coming through we will be heading for a hopefully safe anchorage at Fogo Island, Bazaruto, Inhambane or Inhaca. We won’t be officially checking in to Mozambique as we hear how difficult it is, with stories of corrupt officials extorting large sums of money, confiscating passports and even threatening jail!

According to Des there are ‘no imminent threats’ weather-wise and he wishes us ‘a safe and pleasant run down to “Gangster’s Paradise” ’.

Mayotte has been a great place to relax, sort out the latest problems with the boat, to reprovision and socialise with some of the other cruisers many of whom are also heading on to Richards Bay at the same time as us. We know of eight boats leaving tomorrow from Mayotte, several others soon after and more will be coming south from Tanzania. It has been a fascinating place to visit which I’ll write about in my next post.