At 12H30, David and Bertrand arrived after driving 3,800 km in 5 and half days. They crossed 3 borders and 6 police and customs check points, not counting the frequent police checks. What joy to see them in such great shape and not in the least effected by their long hours on the road.
A portion of the day was spent looking for a boat to assist Serge if he needs it. The southerly wind is not helping him arrive at Pemba and the routers are not sure that he will be able to reach his objective. For the past week, since Middleton has been heading north, they have been in a state of readiness and I know they have a Hell of a job following Serge and being in contact with him several times a day.
We have met John and Beverly, South Africans who live in southern Mozambique and during a good part of the year sailing all over the world in their catamaran. They spent 3 hours working their contacts and we meet 5 people, skippers and owners of the handful of boats anchored here. There is no marina or harbor, nothing. We can see 3 motor boats and 4 catamarans, that’s all.
We wonder if there are other possibilities to the north. There is Palma, just below Tanzania, and tomorrow I think that we will decide if we should go to that small harbor town (it will mean a day’s drive), knowing that we will only have Friday to make all administrative arrangements and find a boat, which we have been unable to do here in Pemba. Tomorrow is another day, but I am like Serge and my reserves are beginning to run low to find solutions in a country where everything is complicated and takes a long time. And now the time that passes is not in our favor. Frankly, I don’t know if it will be possible to organize in one day an arrival up north. Will there be a miracle?