Monday 27th October 2014
Well Mauritius what can I say, one thing we sure need to learn how to speak French...haha
Even though they do speak some English, they speak so fast you just can not understand them.
Yesterday when we came in we were instructed to bring the boat to the customs office and tie up to there pontoon out the front, so after coming into a very industrial area, we finally managed to work out which was the customs office but the pontoon was full of boats, we kinda went around in a circle dodging cargo ships, navel ships, tug boats you name it, while we tried to contact them by the radio.
Eventually they answered and told us we were going the wrong way and to come and tie up to a wall with a fence in front of a row of restaurants.
This was crazy but actually set the standard for the rest of the place.
No one knows nothing and they all know something, it's crazy madness and so unorganised.
We get cleared in by 4 different officials two sitting in the restaurant no one ever stepped foot on the boat, we filled in a mental amount of paperwork, while they are trying to tell us what to write and us not understanding any of it.
Then they told us to go to the marina, we tried to tell them we need to talk to them first to see if they have room for our size and depth and such.
They eventually rang them for us and said to head over that way all will be fine and a security guard will meet us there.
So off we go head over, oh and by this time our depth sounder is playing up with a alarm that has never worked before until the least few days decided at that moment to start working and blaring away telling us we have shallow water.
We just had to ignore it and hope for the best, we get to the marina if you can call it that, it's really just cement walls that you tie up to, and yeap no guard, but one friendly face Rosario from the boat Andros giving us directions what a welcome sight.
We ended up having to tie up outside the marina cause there was no room, yeah I know this place is crazy.
As we were docking two other couples from boats that we had meet in Cocos all came over and gave us a hand it was a nice welcoming.
It was so nice to see all these smiling faces and them being so glad we made it...haha so were we.
Once all was secured there was handshakes, kisses and hugs all round, just really nice people, they left us too settle and then Rosairo came back with a little bag of goodies for us some French bread, a pineapple and some bananas, man after being at sea for so long with nothing fresh to eat, it was the best thing since christmas I tell you.
We were just tidying up the deck when a guy stopped at our boat, he was either drunk or stoned, and what we could make out he wanted drink and smokes, we told him no we don't have any, well this did not stop him, he then tried to get on the boat, The Captain with a stern hand and voice pushed him off and said no.
I was feeling very uncomfortable and said I was going down stairs and The Captain went up the front of the boat to fix some ropes, I decided to stay on the top step and wait well this guy just stood there and stared at me for about 10minutes then walked off, all very strange.
This morning a security guard came over and said we can not stay here, they told us there was room in the marina and this is not a safe place, we told them to find us room, after some negotiations in their office we were told that we have to go ask some of the skippers on the other boats to move closer so we can fit.
Basically these guys just treat this as a parking lot and everyone has to fight for themselves.
Eventually a boat left and we came just inside the marina, but were told we can only stay here till Thursday as a big boat was coming in, so who knows where we will end up then.
The rest of the day I cleaned all the lockers and got out all the water, The Captain was busy with his stuff and. So it goes.
Well tomorrow is another day.