Majunga

The sail from from Russian bay is magnificent, there are many beautifull islands on this route and many cruisers explore this area. We glide gently on a steady seabreeze.

When approaching Majunga which is at a major river mouth the water turns red!

This is the sad result of cutting and burning the forests in the inland. Now there is nothing left holding the soil in place so every time it rains the fertile soil washes away and rivers turn red.

Checking out? Easy. Just drop your anchor in the port beside the port control building. The sea harbour of Majunga is at the mouth of the river.

The next day, its still early, there are tens of sailing boats all around me.

The captain of the Australian sailing boat that is on anchor beside me knows someone that can help with provisioning. He says, yea just go ashore, he will come. The guy already saw me coming and he greets me friendly and says “I help the Australian boat” I can help you, you need diesel? I have for you. I tell him that I have to check out of Madagascar and need to go into town as well. He immediately arranges a tuktuk for me to buy diesel and provisions for the trip to South Africa.

Someone else brings me to the police station in the center of town who do immigration for Majunga. The chief of police is called up to stamp my passport, he wants to know my destination and wants a little payment for his work. What to say, he is the chief of police and this is Madagascar.Then Port control gives Malaka customs and port clearance and we are free to leave the country! All done in one day, pretty efficient.

On my way in the morning to find Umadum in Bueno bay. There they are, how beautifull.

They greet me like it was yesterday “hey Stefan, so nice to see you, that we see you here in Madagascar again we never expected that”. They tell that a large group of cruisers is waiting in the next bay for the same weather window. Weatherman Des Carson helps cruisers to safely sail the Mozambique channel and Agulas current all the way to South Africa.