CAPTAIN'S LOG July 2006 - news of Pemba, Zambia & Malawi....

It has been over a year now since our last news, so we have decided to review some of the year's events for those of you who are interested.

As yet we haven't sold 'Amarula' and as such we are planning to do a few more trips in the next few months. Projects and consultancies permitting we are hoping to fit in some short trips within the region visiting Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros and Kenya before heading back across the Indian Ocean towards Oz. We don't have a time frame but if anyone is interested in joining us on any of our trips we plan to invite paying crew to join us - so do contact us to express your interest!

Since last June we have done 2 trips up to Pemba, both of which were superb. After a charter last August we dropped off our guests in Zanzibar and we continued our sail up to Pemba to take a few days R & R with some diving and general relaxation. Despite the rather cool and overcast weather we enjoyed some spectacular dives with visibility in excess of 50 metres! At one point we were anchored in 6 metres of water with a crystal clear view of the corals, fish and sand beneath us and when we dived we were 26 metres down and foreward of Amarula and we could see her whole 18.4 metre length quite clearly behind us.

We returned to Pemba for Christmas with Lynne's nephew, Alex, and on Boxing Day we picked up some friends who had flown in to join us in the north of Pemba and we all sailed back to Dar together over the next 6 days arriving back in Dar for New Year's Eve. The visibility in December wasn't as clear as August and there was a lot more current so the diving wasn't ideal, however we still enjoyed the peace and tranquility of Pemba's west coast hideaway anchorages.

That's about it for news on the sailing front. In addition we've been back to Oz a couple of times and Lynne went back to UK in November. It has been a time for reunions with Lynne attending a school reunion in UK and Eric attending a Navy reunion in Oz! Also we just returned from a fabulous road trip through Zambia and Malawi, which may interest some of you.

Earlier in the year Lynne received an e-mail from our friend, Yannick, from Oz, who had grown up in Zambia back in the 60's. Two years ago Yannick and her husband visited us in Dar and continued on to Zambia, which was Yannick's first return visit since she left in 1965! Anyway her e-mail was an invitation for Lynne to join her in a 'Thelma & Louise' girlie road trip from Dar to Kabwe! Not one to miss out on an adventure Lynne jumped at the opportunity and used it as a great excuse to persuade Eric to fly in to Lusaka to meet up and drive back through Malawi together - a trip we've been planning to do for the past 10+ years. Thank you Yannick for the inspiration!

So Lynne & Yannick set out on 28th May from Dar stopping en route at Mikumi National Park for a game drive, Kisolanza farm in the southern highlands region of Tanzania and then on to Utengule Country Hotel in a coffee growing region near to Mbeya. It's a beautiful drive though mountains, baobab valleys and pine forests. We particularly enjoyed the cooler climate and even a log fire in our cosy cottage at Kisolanza. Unfortunately Yannick had a stomach bug which didn't help on the longest drive of the trip between Utengule to Kapishya Hot Springs. This was also the day we had the border crossing between Tanzania and Zambia. Lynne had gone all out to make sure all the paperwork was in order for this event, however the AWA (Africa Wins Again) factor struck and lo and behold the Zambian Revenue Authority just happened to have introduced a new tax called the Carbon Emissions Surcharge at the hefty rate of 100,000 Zambian Kwacha! (Lucky we took the Rav4 not the Landcruiser). So after some debate and Lynne's insistence on seeing this in writing, then the trials and tribulations of changing currency, because of course it must be paid in local currency and no they do not have a change facility, we finally went on our merry way - 4 more hours of driving to get Yannick to a bed to sleep off her illness!

So, at last we were in Zambia and grateful to arrive at the haven of Kapishya where Yannick quickly took some medication, took to her bed and slept until she felt better. Lynne went off to meet the hosts, Mark & Mel, and explore the hot springs - absolute bliss..... Apart from the hot springs this place is famous for being part of the estate of 'The Africa House' described in the book of the same name, a fascintaing story of Sir Stewart Gore-Brown,

Mark, the host, is the grandson of Sir Stewart. He was an excellent host and

From here we drove on to Kasanka National Park, more of a birding haven and wetland area than the parks we are used to in Tanzania. We enjoyed the company of the Aussie camp manager, Kim and once again had excellent food and interesting conversations round the campfire. The next day was the end of the road for the girls together as Lynne dropped Yannick at Kabwe and carried on to meet Eric from Lusaka airport. Before going our separate ways we did drive around the town to visit Yannick's history, an emotional experience and a privelege to share together. Good luck with your endeavours Yannick.

Eric & Lynne only spent 1 night in Zambia, at the Luangwa River Bridge Camp, a lovely spot right on the border across the river from Mozambique, however we drove on to the Malawian border at Chipata, where the crossing was a little less painful than the Zambian one. There was a nominal fee for processing the car documents (and you guessed, no change facility), however no visas required. We drove into Lilongwe where we came across a rather smart shopping mall! Fantastic - we were able to change money, buy a phone sim card, check the internet, do our shopping, have lunch all in one go, then drive on to Senga Bay on Lake Malawi, where we had kindly been offered use of a friend's beach house. Lake Malawi
is part of the Great Rift Valley that starts in Jordan and cuts all the way
down through Lake Malawi then exits via the Shire River into the Zambezi.
We went onto Monkey Bay (via Chipoka Port, some work) for a day where the
ships of Malawi Lake Services are based, (more work) & the next day went
onto Cape Maclear.

The scenery around the lake is stunning & the water very clear. At the Cape
we stayed at Danforth Yachting Lodge, 2 hour sundowner cruise on a 38ft
Catamaran Yacht & back for a great dinner. Next day we went for a dive at an
offshore island on the Cat, saw Otters on the way went diving as the
Cichlids (fresh water fish) are world renowned from the lake.
It was good viz but the water tasted wrong, after diving in the Indian Ocean
for past 14 years, it just aint the same.
Interesting fish, but bland scenery, even more bland after 20 min &
extreemly bland after 45 min, no big fish, just shitloads of small fish,
similar shapes, various shades of dull colours with bright spots, eating
algae, does not blow my skirt up.

We drove back north to Senga bay for another night then worked our way up
the west side of the lake staying at various lodges, the scenery & locations
just getting better all the way north.
Visted a very interesting catholic mission station at Mua, built 1902 & then
another at Livingstonia, (after Livingstone) built around the same time,
huge Chrch (almost cathederal) perched on the top of the rift escarpment
with views over the lake. We came up a 70 Km dirt inland route, getting down
the 20 km to the lake included 20 hair pin bends with some sheer drops,
stunning scenery again, all the roads to & from are no go in the wet season.
From there to Nkhata Bay for a night, then Chilumba for a night, all the
lodges are owned & operated by Mzungus (whites) generally couples who
carried out the overland truch safaries and do an excellent job in great
locations. We had the concept that we would have time to chill & read but
the camps are small, there are common friends in common places so sitting,
talking, G & T sundowners roll into dinner, more chatting over wine &
suddenly the day is done.

Finally to the border back into TZ to another lodge on northern shore at
Mtema, another mission station, clean & tidy, well priced, in a very rich
3rd world, agricultural area, maize, cocoa, palm oil, beans, cassava,
bannans & other fruits.
One can always judge the local wealth by the quality of bicycles, clothing
worn & the men are smoking or not, there is always the inevitable Coca Cola
trucks & that of the life saving breweries, refrigeration (cold beer) is the
biggest challenge.

Next day we drove on through the well groomed tea coffee plantations, to
visit a friend who is building a Gold Mine. He set up the first big mine for
Resolute Gold (oz co.) in 1997, bailed out in 2000. He gained a prospecting
& primary mining licence to a 20 Km/2 plot that Anglo Gold passed up, it is
located 120km up a dirt road from Mbeya in the middle of nowhere. He has
built a bush mine, a small crusher & a ball mill with a capacity of 6 ton
per day. Not big but he is pulling 20+ grams/ton from his ore with hot spots
to 50 so is looking good after many years of hard work.

2 days there, a 6 hour drive to Kisulanza to stay at a friends camp/lodge
then the final 8 hours back to Dar & reality again. The rains are extended
this year, normally finished early May & the roads are a bloody mess, worst
of the 6,500 km trip,
The trip was a great event & has rekindled our impetus to travel more.

We are planning a few trips on our yacht Amarula, to Zanzibar & Pemba in
next few months & maybe south but that is into the wind until September & we
are pretty much fair weather sailors these days.
We are also looking to sail back to Oz via Seyschelles, Chagos, Maldives,
Thailand, malasia & Indonesia in a year or so then plod up & down the east
coast with forays into the pacific.

For anyone with interest, we have a website www.amarulasail.com, it has been
dormant a while wrt the log. but Lynne assures me she will sort that after
our last trip & place some of the recent pictures on.

We have a number of short trips and events planned for the coming months so our calendar is filling up fast. With that we look forward to seeing you on board soon.

Why not read our Guest Book page - Enjoy!

Check out our Itinerary for more details.

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Click here for our Oct - Dec 2003 Captain's Log

Click here for the July - Sept 2003 Captain's Log

Click here for the June 2003 Captain's Log (land-based safari trip)

Click here for the March/ April 2003 Captain's Log

Click here for the December/ January 2003 Captain's Log (Mafia - Kilwa trip)

Click here for the October/ November 2002 Captain's Log (Aldabra & Cosmoledo trip)

FOR OUR 2002 AUSTRALIA TO TANZANIA LOG & PHOTOS - CLICK HERE

Click here to view our 4 page full colour article in the UK publication "Country" (the magazine of the Country Gentleman's Association)