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XMas Collection

Yachtlogbuch Reloaded English!!

Updates:

Sunday December 23 2012

Hola!
This year instead of beach photos 4 those at home some snow photos for those over there in the caribbean! Also we were to a short visit in Vienna, some pics from there, too....interesting city, especially navigating in it with all those seemingly randomly changing one-ways!
And now a Merry XMas to all relatives, friends and friends of friends , here back home or in Curacao or Porlamar or Bequia or St Martin...
!!!!Merry XMas!!!!
Hasta Luego
The Maiers

Friday December 7 2012
Finally news from MAGIA´s crew again: we are meanwhile in Germany and more than occupied with all the official chores like getting a visa for Maribel and registering the kids.
The last weeks in Curacao we spent selling off the equipment we couldn´t carry home, and getting MAGIA to a safe Marina and preparing her for the sale. Yes, unfortunately we sell MAGIA...she is a really nice boat, she brought us to the caribbean and sailed us up and down the island chain, but right now she is getting too small for the 4 crew members.
Apart from that we have to go for a more stable financial base regarding the kids, the budget just got too small for a family with two kids. We definitely want to sail again, but that is rather a long term plan. First and now we have to sell MAGIA, photos and details you´ll find right here:
MAGIA
Meanwhile on the website there´ll be summaries of 4 years of cruising, like my favorite islands, things a sailor should know before heading for the tropics, and, as soon as I find the time, a little advisor about how to get your sailboat "fit for the Carribean".
So don´t quit visiting the site, even though photos of beaches will be a little rare, it won´t get boring here!
Hear u soon
Hasta Luego
The Maiers


Sunday October 28 2012
Bon bini in Curacao (Welcome in Papiamento)!
Bonaire didn´t impress us after a week either, ok, the water is really clear and for scuba divers it is a nice destination, but we came directly from Las Aves, and there Bonaire doesn´t even come close.
There´s no good shopping for low budget cruisers, and it is very very touristic - in few words, after a week we wanted to get out.
So we sailed Sunday 21 late at night for Curacao - for which we had to check out even if we´re going from one dutch island to the next! Ridicolous.....and very cruiser-unfriendly.
The trip started real good, fair winds, we were fast with a medium of 5-6 knods - till only 1,5 miles before the entrance to spanish waters we ran into a real bad thunderstorm. We got gusts in the 40knod region and, worse, lots of lightning closer and more powerful than I´ve ever seen them - with the lightnings going into the sea around us I could feel the electricity in the wet sheets - that impressed me seriously! I was real glad as after 2 hours the worst passed over us and we could head for the canal to spanish waters in driving rain.....all that was due to hurricane Sandy, just a tropical depression then, but almost directly over us. My fault, should have seen it on the satellite pictures....
But meanwhile it´s sunny again, and we like Curacao a lot more than Bonaire - the anchorage is very protected, there is a profound sailors community, for a change without a french majority, most are dutch, there´s a good number of Germans, and the rest is from the US, Canada and the rest of the world - as far away as Australia.
Services for cruisers are top level, water is delivered right to the boat, theres a free shopping bus every day to a SPAR Supermarket, plenty Marinas, a Budget and a Island Water World and a local Marina Store (ABC Marine) nearby....
All in all it feels a little like Amsterdam in the Caribbean - and Willemstaadt even looks the part! Nice little civilized island, and people keep friendly even after they found out we are poor sailors... :-)
We already got some fotos for u, have a look!
Hasta Luego
dd&los maiers


Sunday October 14 2012
Bon bini in Bonaire!
We spent the last few weeks far from civilisation to visit some of the last paradises on earth - my expectations were pretty high, and they were more than met!
Tortuga, the first island on our way to Bonaire, is seriously beautiful, but not exactly a place for solitude - on weekends the better off Venezolanians come with yachts, planes and helicopters to turn those solitary beaches into one hell of a loud party, far from the preying eyes of the socialistic masses on the main land....viva la revolucion!
But still, underwater Tortuga can easily compete with the Tobago Cays, and if u own a fishing rod or a spear gun, u certainly won´t go to bed hungry.
On our way to Los Roques a real nice dorade got on my hook, took me half an hour to get her close to the boat - and there she escaped in the last moment, together with my hook and my lure. But Neptun sent us a big school of dolphins playing with our boat for 2 hours - my kids loved that!
Navigation in Los Roques is advisable only in bright daylight as the charts are nowhere near reality. My CMaps were good as a rough sketch, but nothing more - and Los Roques is full of reefs! Fortunately the water is very clear so u can determine the depth by water colour: blue = deep and safe, green = 3 to 8m still safe, bright green = caution, getting shallow, brown = to late, you hit the reef.
The reefs in Los Roques are the best I´ve seen so far, seriously beautiful, most coral alive, an abundance of fish of all sorts up to real big baracudas, lambi in the hundreds lying around in the shallows and every outer reef with it´s share of lobsters - in comparison the Tobago Cays are a dead and desolate place! This easily competes with the red sea.....a real paradise!
And there are plenty of little and tiny islands, apart from the known highways like Cayo Frances you can pick your own private islands to be absolutely alone on the beach - on 3 out of 5 visited islands we were the only boat for miles around. We´d have loved to stay another 2 or 3 month, but unfortunately provisions, especially water and baby milk, ran low, so we reluctantly pulled the anchor up to proceed to our last stop between PLC and Bonaire - Las Aves.
The Aves can compete under water with Los Roques, and ashore they are famous for housing lots of birds, some rare sorts among them - only the beaches aren´t as plenty nor as beutiful as in Los Roques. But it is not a national park, so my spear gun is legal there.....and before the divers and nature lovers cry out now, the fish caught by the local fishers isn´t exactly caressed to death, and the tuna didn´t jump into it´s can deliberately, either, so I prefer to catch my own meal, and therefore respect it a lot more!
From Las Aves di Sotavento we went a day early due to the tropical storm north of us, which in best case scenario would bring us wind on the nose, and in worst case scenario some ugly squalls. so we left a day early and more or less drifted to Bonaire with very low winds, which promptly turned around coming from plain west for the last few miles.
Now we are moored right on the promenade of Kralendijk, as anchoring is not allowed here, along with so many other things that we already got a civilisation shock - the negative sort.
We´ll have to see how long we stay here .....
Enjoy the tons of photos!
Hasta Luego
The Maiers


Wednesday September 12 2012
Hola!
No photos this time - I wish I could show you the streets and the market of Puerto la Cruz, but going for a walk with a digicam or a telephone would clearly qualify as suicidal - my Samsung is worth 9000Bs in Venezuela, and people get shot for far less here.
We had our hands rather full these days, Christian got ill once (woke up with 39,5), which led to a little panic a board MAGIA and to a day in various clinics here in PLC. He´s fine again, for God´s sake....
Apart from that it seems that every bit of plumbing broke down, so now we got a new Hot-Coldwater Mixer in our bathroom, a new watersaving showerhead in the kitchen, I rebuilt and cleaned the boiler (we had 220V in the water, makes for a refreshing shower adventure...), the sink in the kitchen is finally fiberglassed into place, as silicone just didn´t get the job done properly, it continued leaking, the water filter and the outlet are rebuilt....
Additionaly I solidly fiberglassed new bases for my 4 truck batteries - they broke thru the old ones two times due to corroded M8 stainless screws - the acid gases just ate them away. No more screws now, and I reduced the charging voltage coming from my Sterling regulator as well, from 14,9 to 14,2 max voltage, to avoid the gases in the first place.
And I had to construct a new kid-restraining netting around the kids bed, as Delicia found a way to climb over the old one - and promptly fell on the wooden floorboards, head first, of course....no lasting damage, fortunately. No learning effect either, she tried again immediately....
Now I hope for a few days without major breakdowns, as we´d love to clear MAGIA for sailing, hence do a major shopping, stock up with cooking gas, diesel and gasoline, stow away all the awnings and sunshades and the waterhose and electrical connections, get the dinghi aboard, testrun the diesel, roll out the sails to see if they still work - make her seaworthy again!
I´m desperately longing for a anchorage in nice clear water, with a decent breeze and a reef around to snorkel and bring home lobsters.....we hope to find just that on Tortuga, Los Roques and Las Aves, before we run out of fresh water and sail on to Bonaire, where I hope to get my surfboard wet again - about time for that!
We´ll let you know right before we finally leave here......
Hasta Luego!
Los Maiers


Friday August 24 2012
Hola!
If I´m lucky my two little terrorist leave me enough time to upload the photos of the channels of Puerto la Cruz - I dunno if there are really more of them than in Venice, but there are plenty for sure - enough that I got hopelessly lost the first time and had to ask for directions to find back to the Marina.
Right now we got Mari´s family complete just on the other side of the pier on Dora, mum, dad, both sisters and my brother in law.
And my little ones are desperate for their daily swimming pool session, probably due to the incredible heat here - we got easily 35 C in daytime and around 30 C at night, sometimes it goes right off the scale of my thermometer....and not the slightest breeze in the Marina.
Well, I wanted it hot, didn´t I? :-) Pity I can´t jump in the water here, the marina water is just too disgusting to be really tempted.
This morning I´ve been shopping at the market again, 3 kilos of meat, 2 kilos pineapples and several kilos assorted fruits and vegetables for just under 30$....a paradise for low budget sailors!
And still a cultural shock, I still don´t know the names of all the fruits they sell here - 80% of them in Europe are available only canned, if ever.
Ok, I´ll giv the foto upload another shot now - after calming my daughter. Have fun!
Hasta Luego
Los 4 Maiers


Sunday August 12 2012
Hola!
Slowly we´re getting into the Puerto la Cruz Groove, and we´ll stay a little longer as I hesitate to sail into all those tropical storms, waves and cyclones.
Unfortunately there´s bad news again, a french catamaran has been attacked and robbed while at anchor for lunch, not far from here. On the hard this would be armed robbery, out on sea it´s piracy!
For my more detailed report see the Noonsite piracy pages here:
Noonsite/Piracy
The Noonsite also linked us as an example for Cruising with kids, just click on the Noonsite logo to the right and scroll down to "Cruising with kids/Caribbean Babies"!
A very welcome link exchange, as they are in my favorites since long ago....
Our Dinghi finally is glued together again, so I can throw it into the water and explore the channels of Puerto la Cruz - theres more channels here than in Venice, they say!
Sure there will be some rather spectacular fotos coming of this....
See them soon!
Hasta Luego
Los 4 maiers


Saturday August 4th 2012
Hola!
I´m pretty glad we´re in Puerto la Cruz now, far south of hurricane tracks, as these days one storm after the other blows over the Caribbean, we still got the clouds of Ernesto over us while Florence is already headed for the islands and a new system forming behind it. Here we should be pretty safe, however....
Meanwhile I managed to collect the fotos together, the first bunch are impressions from Carriacou and it´s lovely beaches, then we got us on the bow of Magia sailing (well, motoring) to Puerto la Cruz, the island in the background being called "la borracha", the drunken island, and finally Magia moored in Bahia Redonda, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela.
We already moved to do some shopping, we got our tanks full of Diesel (less than 10 € for more than 120 liters) and last night we welcomed Dora here in the Marina, so the sailing part of the family is close to complete again.
But we´re still waiting for our paperwork from the officials here - Check In to Venezuela isn´t done in a breeze. But we´ll get that done as well, I´m sure, probably manana....
I hope very much you got a nice summer as well!
Hear u all soon....
Hasta Luego
l4m


Thursday August 2nd 2012
Hola!
Last Friday we left Carriacou for Venezuela, and after a pleasant trip with a new 24hour record (124nm) and a dead calm the second day we arrived in Puerto la Cruz Sunday late morning where we are moored in the Marina Bahia Redonda right now. Anchoring would be a tad dangerous.....
As already the first time around, I fell in love with Venezuela immediately again, this is the most beautiful country I know so far, even the sky here is a deeper blue, and the sun shines brighter than up-island.
And finally Civilisation again, u can buy everything you want here, already the fruit and veggie market in town is bigger than those of all the islands together!
A pity that it is just a bit dangerous , you really have to tread carefully here.
The fotos from Carriacou and the trip will follow suite, since Maribel got her Blackberry I got to collect them together from various sources - my phone, her phone, my cam, her cam.... but I´m at it. Manana! :-)
Hasta Luego
Los 4 Maiers


Tuesday July 17th 2012
Hola!
We actually set sail and left Grenada - if not far, just 35nm northeast to Tyrell Bay, Carriacou. The trip was good for a change, still against the wind, but reasonably fast, we were here for a late lunch.
I quite like it here, but we do miss the supermarkets in St Georges - we are no longer used to stock up the boat....
Apart from a small kitchen fire - no damage done, just a small blackened spot - and a near-loss of our Dinghie nothing much happened worth reporting....oh, wait, yes, Darling Blu and Dora are here since two days ago, so Maribel got plenty occasion to talk spanish these days!
Just before we left Grenada, we did a little trip inland and saw a waterfall and Fort Frederick - and of course we took fotos. Have a look at them, the shots from Carriacou will follow!
Muchos Saludos
Hasta Luego
L4M


Saturday, 23.June 2012
Hola!
Chain and Hull I scraped e few times meanwhile - and the dinghi as well as with 4 people it comes into planing only free of barnacles. We´re in St. Georges again, the kids had to see the doc to get their second vaccination shot and we wanted to do a nice grocerie shopping without riding a Toyota van together with 19 other people. We enjoy the last days of our Visa here, we´re in Grenada almost 11 month now - time to sail! While we try to get the boat ready, why don´t you have a look at the pictures:
e.g. the baby sunshade for the dinghi, or the hammocks which always make them sleep, lots of fotos from a birthday party on Hog Island - Reggae Band on the beach included - or my new Free-Diver. Scuba Fans will cry out, but that little floating 12V-Compressor which supplies me with compressed air via a tube down to 7 meters is way more useful on a small boat than the tanks were - i easily can charge the battery aboard, but how many people do have a compressor to fill dive tanks? which are usually empty when needed.....
Last but not least impressions from a training day for the "South Grenada Workboat Regata".....
Hear u soon, promise!
Hasta luego
l4


Wednesday 3.4.2012
Hola
Slowly its getting time to clean chain and hull again, as long as we are anchored now in Clarks Court. But we´re finishing paperwork within this week, and hope to use the processing time my embassy will need to sail around a bit.
Meanwhile enjoy some more photos, Hog Island on Sunday Happy Hour, Prickly Bay from my Mast, Magia in Clarks Court.....
c u soon
Hasta Luego
The Maiers


Monday 26.3.2012
Hola!
It´s 2 weeks now since we moved to Clarks Court Bay, a bit east of Prickly Bay. Not only did we switch our red plastic dinghy here for an AB-Rib, but also in Prickly it got quite rolly, enough to knock my coffee down more than once, so we moved around the corner. Clarks Court is surrounded by reefs and shallows, hard for the waves to come in - good for us!
And we had the kid´s splash (first time in the ocean) two days ago, at Hog Island beach, just around the corner from where we are anchored - Rogers Bar on the beach there is the sunset drink meeting point of the cruisers around here. On the photos from that beach you also can admire our new dinghy.....
For the nice and quiet surroundings we probably will stay here a little longer.....you enjoy the photos meanwhile!
Hasta Luego
Los Maiers


Sunday 19.2.2012
Hola!
There´s so much news, I don´t even know where to start - we moved out of the Lagoon as the anchor didn´t hold in 35knod gusts. After being a week out in St. Georges Bay, we now are in Prickly Bay, where we got our new - used - Dinghy. The old one looses air like mad and I fear is beyond repair....
Oh yeah, both our families were here and are gone again, and on Friday, Feb 10th we married!
All of that and some southern Grenadian beaches in the new fotos.....
Hasta Luego!
los 4
P.S.: A FAT thanks to all the people who helped us the last two months in various ways from sewing babyslings to giving us water for free....
THX, u guys know who I mean! :-)



Monday 23.01.2012
Hola!
No Panic!
This is not gonna be a Baby-Site from now on, this is just the first excitement and of course a little bit a reflection of our life right now - we got our hands nicely full with the two of them.
We´re anchored right in the lagoon now, right in front of Island water World - a rare place in here and with two babies a precious one! Fotos follow....
Hasta Luego!
Mari&DD&Twins


Sunday 08.01.2012
Hola!
Since Yesterday MAGIA officially has a crew of four, please welcome aboard Christian Josef Maier, born on 4.1.2012 10:42am with 2800g, and
Delicia Isabella Maier, born on 4.1.2012 10:44am with 2730g.
First fotos follow soon, right now we still have to get a rythm enabling us to sleep a little bit.... :-)
Hasta Luego!
Los 4


Friday 23.12.2011
Hola from Grenada!
Merry XMas and happy holidays!
We meanwhile have half of Maribel´s family anchored right behind us, and instead of Gluhwein in the snow we´ll probably have Cuba Libre in the cockpit, but nevertheless we try to make it Christmas with colored lights and XMas-palms...;-)
Peaceful happy holidays, enjoy
Feliz Navidad
Hasta Luego
Maribel&Dieter&....


Monday 12.12.2011
Hola!
No news are good news, in our case right now - meaning everythings fine, the babies are getting bigger and bigger and will want to come out soon, and we meanwhile paint ceilings, renovate the bathroom and all the stuff we think neccesary to make the boat fit for the babies - or we take fotos of cruiseships!
See the Gallery:

!!! Cruseship Collection !!!


Hasta Luego!
Mari&Dieter


Wednesday 26.10.2011
Hola!
Today´s picture says it all: Maribel is pregnant, meanwhile in month 7, and it´ll be twins, a girl and a boy.
So we´re about to have crew soon!
Anybody who feels compelled to donate for diapers, baby stuff and the necessary projects on the boat, feel free to use the "Spenden" button on top.
Can´t wait to see if that PayPal- thing really works.... ;-)
Hasta Luego!
Mari & Dieter


Saturday 1.10.2011
After 16 Days in the Marina we happily left the Yachtclub and St. Georges, with a renewed toilet, 4 new engine mounts and a "new" used headsail to replace the exploded one, and went to Clarks Court Bay on the south coast. We thought we deserve some holidays....and met up with Mari´s sister.
Clarks Court is a nice quiet and safe anchorage, protected by Hog Island and Calivgny island (a luxury resort) and some reefs (daytime entrance suggested!), and there are two Marina´s in there, Whisper Cove, a lovingly kept Restaurant included there, and Clarks Court - none of them with a minimarket, unfortunately. That´s in the next little bay, at the Phare Bleu Marina...
Since this morning Magia is anchored in St. Georges again, life is so much easier here, all accesible with the Dinghi, clear water, grand Anse beach around the corner.....we´ll be here for a few days, I figure.
Hear u soon....
Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Tuesday 30.8.2011
In the Lagoon again - this time in the Grenada Yachtclub Marina. Starting the engine on friday to sail to Hog Island to meet my brother in law and Maribels sister, my shaft made horrible sounds trying to tell me that my engine mounts are totally gone now. That has to be fixed, now. So we will, after getting settled in the Marina, shoot out in search for parts for an old Volvo Diesel engine. Which is a typical part of a cruiser´s life, looking for parts.......and then fix the problem preferably yourself, to make sure it´s done right. So pls keep your fingers crossed for that repair....hear u soon! Hasta Luego Mari & Dieter


Sunday 7.8.2011
We ran away from Tropical Storm Emily a week ago and even afforded us the luxury of spending some nights in Port Luis Marina, a real classy place where our Magia definitevly is one of the smaller boats. If Bolero (the big one moored in front of us, a real beauty, see photos!) should drop her anchor by mistake, she´ll sink me....
Nice to be there few nights, but we soon started to miss the freedom at anchor, and the mosquitos then decided it - we anchored out off Ross point.
We´ll be here for Carnival and then start to get ready for our trip "home" to Venezuela - maybe via Trinidad, maybe via Testigos, maybe non stop - didn´t decide yet.
You´ll know when we know....meanwhile have a glance at the new photos!
Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Tuesday 26.7.2011
The new photos are finally online - plenty of them. This is just a personal opinion, but those little islands here, the Grenadines, are the beauties of the Carribean - after seing almost all the Lesser Antilles these are my absolute favorites by far.
Only venezuela has beaches and reefs to compare with......so thinking of a Carribean Holiday? Have a look at the Grenadines, you won´t regret it!
But see yourself....
Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Monday 25.7.2011
Hola!
We didn´t have Internet for quite some time now while we made way south to Union Island. First we sailed to Canouan to sit out a tropical wave there for two nights to go on to Tobago Cays for almost a week - which are just any bit as stunningly beautiful as they were last year, an unbelievable place - and finally, with a sidestep to Petit Tabac for a swim we came into Clifton Harbour last friday, anchored right in front of happy island, a small artifical thing with THE sunset bar on it right in the middle of the reef.
As always, lots of photos about to come...
Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Monday 27.6.2011
Back to Bequia!
Finally.....we made it in an overnighter from Rodney bay, St Lucia, directly to Princess Margret Beach in Admirality bay in Bequia.
After all the beauty of the islands we´ve seen on our trip north of here, my personal favourite is still this little island here - service and supplies are good, the people welcoming and friendly and the beaches just the best.
Only Tobago Cays have better beaches - but no supplies there....but we´ll be there soon. First we relax a bit here in Bequia - also to wait for the impeller of our Yamaha Outboard, which died yesterday. Hope it didn´t burn the engine yet....
Soon we´ll have photos online....
Hasta Luego!
Mari & Dieter


Wednesday 22.6.2011
In a fast if somewhat rough trip we sailed yesterday the 35 nm to St Lucia, Rodney Bay. We´re anchored right in front of the Sandals Hotel and so far it looks quite cute. Found some old and some new friends here like Evergreen, we´ll be busy visiting them all...
Photos are yet to take, but will be online soon, I hope.
Hasta Luego
Maribel & Dieter


Friday, 17.6.2011
After a few days in St. Pierre with the evenings on the German Catamarans Bunter Vogel 2 and Tikki - thx for having us! - being the main attractions we sailed on to Fort de France, mainly because Maribel wanted to see the biggest town in the Lesser Antilles. We´re basically anchored right in town, with some advantages, but we very likely won´t stay long - I just happen to like the deserted beaches much more!
But we still have to empty the Carrefour as it´ll be the last European Supermarket for a few month, as well as we have to exchange our Camping Gaz tanks, and of course Maribel has to explore the City Center with it´s extraordinarily good shopping possibilities. A few days we´ll be here therefor....
Also we shot lots of new photos, have a look!
Hasta Luego
Maribel & Dieter


Monday 13.6.2011
Yesterday evening we arrived in St. Pierre, Marinique, the town completely destroyed in 1902 by volcano Pelee right in front of us. The only survivor was in prison, his cells walls thick enough to provide protection.
The trip was nice sailing, as usual between the islands here - first there´s no wind from mysterious directions, then you get into the Ventouri zone at the south tip with 5 to 10knods more wind, then some hours of nice tradewinds - given you don´t get too many squalls - and then the Ventouri on the north tip of the next islands, which helps you compensate the Leeway you´ve made before.
We´d have loved to stay longer in Dominica, but it is already June and I´m not competely at ease being that far north. So we´re now in Martinique, one stop on the way south. St. Pierrre is a very deep anchorage, we´re in 14m of crystal clear water and are about to get ready to explore the village a bit, before we hop one stop further to Le marin in the south of the island.
Report about to come.....
Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Thursday 9.6.2011
A little more than a week now we are in Portsmouth, Dominica. Before that we had another anchorage in Guadeloupe, Illes de Pigeons, and three days in Illes des Saintes, just south of Guadeloupe.
This is the nice piece of Caribbean sailing - after breakfast you get the anchor up, few hours of sailing and welcome to the next island....
and Dominica is definitely worth a stopover. Nature island Dominica really keeps up with it´s reputation, it´s jungle all over, there are all kinds of fruits and herbs, and civilisation is limited to few "towns", see fotos.
Illes de Pigeons is "the" divespot of Guadeloupe, really nice, but still - I´m spoiled by the Tobago Cays by now. Can´t wait to see them again....
Les Saintes turned out to be a nice stopover as well, a small, very clean, very safe little french islands, and snorkling there is definitely better than in Guadeloupe. Only on weekends is it getting crowded - good idea to come in early to get one of the brand new moorings before it´s full.
We plan to go on to Martinique by end of that week, ideally together with Robert on IWI, who sailed in here two days ago. Hope for fair winds - the last days were stright southerly. Hear u soon....
Hasta Luego
Mari&Dieter


Sunday 22.5.2011
We keep moving due to the upcoming hurricane season and are now in Deshaies on the Nortwestern corner of Guadeloupe. Our original plan to make the channel between the two halfs of Guadeloupe failed due to bad weather yesterday - didn´t want to do a mile thru the reef in squalls with almost visibility zero.
Time will tell if we give it another try in better conditions.....
Why don´t you have a look at the new photos meanwhile? Even first Guadeloupe ones are online already.... Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Wednesday 11.5.2011
The last weeks we were too busy to upload new photos - I bought a new, used headsail, we anchored a night in Tintamarre, a small Island in a Natur reserve park just north of St. Maarten, we spent some days in St. Barthelemy (or St. Barts), the island of the Rich and Beautiful, and after that we sailed to Antigua, where we are anchored now in Freemans Bay just out of English Harbour.
Personally I wasn´t very impressed of St. Barts, whats remarkable is that there are almost exclusevly white faces and that everybody who sells luxury stuff, from Bulgari to Hermes to Luis Vitton, is present on that little island. Some might like that - for me it´s a reason to get the anchor up and leave.
Tintamarre is much more my kind of place - the reefs are not as nice as Tobago Cays, but a lot of Turtles around make it well worthwhile to stick your head under water, and the beach is just spectacular!
English Harbour is one of the most protected and safest anchorages in the Caribbean, and surrounded by plenty of history of those islands. Nelsons Dockyard is a fully restaurated original British Navy Dockyard right out of the times of sea battles and pirate ships, and mooring your dinghi there you can easily imagine that the HMS Invincible sails around the corner every moment...
But have a look for yourself - the photos are online!
Hear u soon,
Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Wednesday 18.4.2011
We really got the anchor up again to hang around on some beaches for a few days, with 6 days in Grand Case.
See the photos.....
Hasta Luego!
Maribel & Dieter


Monday 18.4.2011
Hola!
I don´t want you to think we get bored her....Friday afternoon we had more action than we wished for, a sudden weather change brought 35-40kn of wind directly from the west, together with the according wave, and we were on our way to the beach, as in the loose broken corals here close to the beach my Danforth just didn´t hold at all.
Now we are anchored with the good old big CQR again, further away from the beach, on a sandy ground with much better holding.
Thursday we visited Philipsburg, the main place to go for all the cruiseship-tourists - and thats exactly what the place is like - neat, cosy, but all too touristic for me - but see for yourself in my photos.
Sunday we went for a storm of a different kind, to the beach directly behind the runway od the airport. The jets with 2 engines one can - if hardly - stand upright, the real big ones just blow you from the beach....and they land close enough to instinctively duck when they come in!
Today we run some errands on the french side - like looking for Internet to upload this update - and in the afternoon the plan is to relax - hopefully!
Hear u soon...
Hasta Luego
Maribel & Dieter


Tuesday 12.4.2011
Meanwhile most things under control again and repaired, we´ve met lot´s of friends from Bequia, Grenada and Margarita and we found time to shoot few photos.....
Have a look...
Hasta Luego
Mari & Dieter


Sunday 3.4.2011
Hola!
After 4 days and 7 hours and roughly 450 miles sailed we arrived in Marigot Bay, St. Marteen yesterday 14:30.
From gusts with 35 knods and 3-4m wave to zero wind we had about everything, apart from what UGrib predicted. Despite some losses (Headsail ripped through, Mainsail dented, Navilight dead, Bilgepump defective, winch fell off the mast, autopilot - AGAIN!! - died) the mood aboard was always good and we enjoyed the sail.
Maribel did very well on her first trip, not only that she learned to cook in 3 meters of wave, but she was a great help sailing , too. The switch of headsails would have been very interesting without her help.
Right now we´re enjoying our sunday in Marigot Bay with a breakfast with original french baguette.....and later we plan to see some friends from Margarita, Wifi Robert, David from Desire, Bob from Dr. Diesel and of course Hilno and Darko from Dora are all here in Marigot or in the Lagoon.
Have a nice sunday back home, hear u soon from St. Marteen with new pics....
Hasta Luego!
Maribel & Dieter


Monday 28.3.2011
Good Bye Margarita, see you, Venezuela!
We are checked out, filled to the rim with groceries, water and diesel and finally ready to sail. The wind forecast is very good, east or slightly south of east 15 to 20 knods, keep your fingers crossed it´s true!
We´re headed for St. Marteen as the place to start exploring some more Caribbean islands before the hurricane season forces us back south. For the hurricane season we´ll very likely come back here....
We - that´s because Maribel will join me for this trip - and hopefully all the following.....
Next update will hopefully come from St. Marteen. Have fun meanwhile back home!
Hasta Luego
Dieter


Sunday 27.2.2011
Hi there!
Yesterday I watched the kids carnival here in Porlamar.....see pics here:

Carnival Porlamar




Thursday 24.2.2011
I´m killing my time with BBQ Parties and similar social events while waiting for the wind and waves to go down
Right now we got 25-30kn from Northeast with 3-4m waves from North - less than ideal to sail North. By the end of next week, maybe.....meanwhile I try to fit in some more parties. ;-)
Thx a lot to Darko and Elno who more or less adopted us singlehanders into their symphatic family!!
Hear u soon in Margarita
Hasta Luego
Dieter


Thursday 3.2.2011
Since yesterday I´m back to Porlamar, Baja Concorde. On my way to here I stopped overnight in the lagoon El Saco on Isla Coche, being the only boat there. A wonderful place and a really safe anchorage....see the photos!
Hear u soon, hasta luego!
Dieter


Friday, 28.01.2011
Meanwhile all the scheduled technical problems are solved, MAGIA is sanded and the primer is painted on, I´m waiting to get my new zink anodes today and beginning of next week I wanna drop her in the water again.
See the difference a few kilos of paint can do in the photo gallery!
Keep your fingers crossed for my splash date.....
Hasta Luego!
Dieter


Tuesday, 18.01.2011
Finally I made it to Chacachacare, I arrived here almost a week ago together with John from Fortitude, who gave me a hand sailing MAGIA from Porlamar to here. A very welcome hand, as my engine use was strictly limited due to the broken crankshaft bearing.....
The trip was safe and relatively fast, but a bit unpleasant in the beginning, as we got a bad wet squall right in the first hour. At least it brought wind.... After a little skipper mistake, which put us on ground right in front of the pier (don´t go to the pier in the new yard!! Water is only 1,4m....) we finally made it to the travellift and got hauled and put in our slot right away.
Meanwhile John is long back on his boat, the bearing is changed, the rudder bearing repaired, the rudder in again and MAGIA currently is being sanded in preparation for 2 layers of Epoxi Primer and 3 of Antifouling.
It´s nice to have water and power and easy shore access, but already now I miss the movements rolling me into sleep, my morning jump in the water......so hopefully in another week here I´m done with my work and in the water again!
Keep your fingers crossed.....
Hasta Luego!
Dieter


Saturday 25.12.2010
Merry XMas to all back home!
We celebrate two times here, on the 24th in the Ugly Tuna according to european/spanish Tradition, and today again according to anglican tradition, today there will be the classical turkey at YAK´s bar.
Pictures of the lunch in Ugly Tuna are already online - see Gallery!
Feliz Navidad!
Dieter


Tuesday 14.12.2010
Still in Porlamar....
Meanwhile I got everything together, new Glasses, new Dinghi, the most worn patches on it repaired, the sail back repaired and up, my money for the yard arrived - but I ran into the XMas-Holiday-Trap. Going to the yard now would mean sitting there alone for a month, with no chance to get work done, no spares available, nobody around, because XMas holiday here is a month long! Would be a waste of time and money, and not a very appaling thought to sit 20 km out in the desert on a parking place totally alone. So I stay here in the anchorage in Porlamar over XMas and New Year and go to the yard after that. Means a month more in Venezuela, but hey, there are worse places to hang out, aren´t there? Didn´t want to stay THAT long seems to become kind of a mantra of mine....;-)
Besides, that´s the nice thing about my way to travel - I stay in a place till I´m totally fed with it - not a day less!
Have a nice XMas time, enjoy winter back home!
Hasta Luego from Porlamar
Dieter


Thursday 25.11.2010
Back from Blanquilla
We - Claudia and me - left Porlamar last Tuesday to sail to Blanquilla and spend some days on the lonely paradise-like beaches on that uninhabitated little islands 80 miles north of us. The nightsail was ok, with few squalls, but nothing particularily dangerous - except Claudia couldn´t enjoy it much, as she got terribly seasick.
Arrived there Wednesday Morning we met Bob on Dr. Diesel who welcomed us with freshly smoked Wahoo - a real nice lunch!
Wednesday was still ok, though some squalls came thru the anchorage which made snorkling and exploring the beaches impossible.
Thursday greeted us with sunshine and marvellous snorkling and beach-hiking conditions, Dr. Diesel left and we had miles of golden beach for us alone - like that it must feel in paradise! In the late afternoon however, Neptun presented his price for that: a westerly gale rose in just half an hour, and in another half an hour we were trapped on a leeshore facing two meters of breaking waves, with the boat seriously in danger to get swept on the beach. We made it out there in the very last moment, only 30 meters left to the rocks, at the cost of a burned prop-shaft bearing, which made a frightening rattle going out there. For the night to friday we ducked under the lee coast of Blanquilla, a very unpleasant rolly place, but at least no longer in danger of getting on the rocks. With first light we then made it into the south anchorage to the Coast Guard station. The guys there were very suspicious at first, but after our visit to their station bringing Rum, Cigarettes and Coffee, they were overly helpful, let us call home on their sattelite line and download the latest weather forecasts. In the evening they even brought us coconuts, fresh from the palms on the beach.....
We waited there for better weather to sail back, but unfortunately there were never more than a few hours of sunshine.....
While lying there, austrian yacht Sagitta came to join us, we already met them here in Porlamar before, and had drinks together aboard Sagitta. They left sunday, for Porlamar, till now I didnt see them here - hope they are fine! If you read that, Sagitta, drop me a mail.....
Update:
Sagitta came into Porlamar 2 days ago, safe and all well......
As we discovered later, same night another yacht we knew from Porlamar sank trying to get into the anchorage in Los Roches at night.
We left Monday Morning with first light, and were lucky enough to get a sunny day for our sail back - though we had to beat hard against wind and current, and we had gusting winds from the east up to 30 knods, which cost me a big cut in the headsail - I might have pushed Magia a bit too hard trying to make the Northeast corner of Margarita. I just didn´t want to use the engine, not to damage the shaft any more......
Coming back into the anchorage in Porlamar, at almost the identical spot as before, at two in the morning, we found Dr. Diesel right next to us - he was caught in the Westerly trying to go north and had to turn around after loosing two sails.
Claudia felt bad the entire way back, which we misinterpreted as seasickness, but as it didn´t stop next day she flew out to Caracas to go to a proper hospital. I´m still waiting for a diagnosis, might be Dengue fever or a poisoning from a cut she received on a hike in the bush there - keep my fingers crossed for you, Claudia! Besos...
Once back here I discovered that the heavy pounding the waves gave us caused two of my batteries to break loose of their fittings - no wonder they didn´t bring power anymore! And the night of the storm I lost my last pair of glasses while trying to safe the outboard engine from the Dinghi. But that´s not enough yet, as last night my Dinghi died away completely - of four chambers only one is holding air, the PVC just dissolves in the sun and the heat here. What´s good in the Med isn´t good enough here.....
So, Blanquilla is truly a paradise, but we had to pay a pretty high price for the visit there! But I´m planning to see it again, hopefully Neptun will be in a better mood on my next visit.
Meanwhile I push the photos up as soon as possible.......hear u all soon!
Hasta Luego
Dieter


Thursday 11.11.2010
Hola!
Finally photos of Margarita´s beaches (thx a lot, Frank!):
!!! Playas di Isla Margarita !!!
Hasta Luego,
Dieter


Thursday 4.11.2010
The Halloween Party obviously was a total success, as Tomas left us completely undamaged - he didn´t even come near us. We had winds from various directions but never anything above 15 knods and the swell didn´t exceed 1 meter, so it was a bit rolly but far from dangerous. In all other aspects the party was a real success, too, for some of us it ended very late - or early - in the new "In" Bar on our beach, the Ugly Tuna - one day I have to return there sober, see if I still like it then.....
Few days ago we had a thunderstorm out of the west bringing us 20 knods of wind and a real lot of rain, so by now my tanks are full with sweetest fresh water again - right in time, thx Neptun! Apart from that, not much new to tell, I still like it enough to let the time pass by unnoticed, maybe by next weekend I start sailing the little islands around a bit. Fotos will follow, as they will from our round the island trip by car and the party - as soon as I collected them from the photographers.
Thanks to Frank and Martha for that!
Hasta luego, hear u soon!
Dieter


Saturday 30.10.2010
Hello out there!
All sailors here watch anxiously the forthcoming of Tropical Storm Tomas since 3 days, luckily it seems that the islands to our north will take the major impact.
So we decided to have a shore-party, a combined Halloween and Storm Barbecue tonight - hope that scares Tomas outa here! At least it´ll be good fun....
Another notice for all sailors planning on coming here: the Venezolanenan government in it´s neverending wisdom decided to raise the fees for boats checking out, details on that pls find on Robert´s website here:
WiFi Guy´s website
A pity, as that probably means less and less boats coming here......but we are here, and we´re gonna have fun - as long as it lasts!
Hear u soon
Hasta Luego!
Dieter
Update (10:40 local time): Tomas meanwhile is a Hurricane Category 1, and getting stronger.


Wednesday 27.10.2010
I´m a little bit fed with spreading bad news, but as it happened it shall be reported:
Monday night around 1 o´clock in the morning a Canadian Motoryacht lying right in the middle of the anchorage got boarded by 4 Locals armed with Machetes and Handguns and got robbed all their electronics and money. Neither Police nor Coast Guard bothered to show up so far, and it is very unlikely that those guys will ever be caught.
Hope to be back with better news soon......meanwhile take care!
c u
Hasta Luego
Dieter


Sunday 24.10.2010
Hola from Margarita!
This Morning we had some Rain Squalls, a good time to surf the Internet. What I stumbled into I think is worth that you give it a look, too. It made me utterly sad and angry, even more so as I live on the sea and some of that stuff happens just around me. Those guys can definitely count on Magia for their support-fleet, give it a look, maybe you find a way to support Captain Watson and his team, too.
Seashepherd
To me those ladies and gents are definitivly heroes!
Hope I didn´t exactly ruin your sunday....
Hasta Luego!
Dieter


Tuesday 19.10.2010
Finally I managed to upload some photos from Porlamar! And almost all the planned projects are done - see the pictures. Apart from that I think I will be here quite some more time, Venezuela and especially Isla Margarita are seriously great! And it is not only for the place, it is for the people....
I really do like the Latin Style, always did - probably my parents fault, as they carried me to Italy and Spain before I could even walk myself....or is it in my genes? Whatever, I like it, and as long as I like it, I stay!
Even if not everything is great here: Last friday an US-flagged sailing yacht on her way from Testigos to here has been boarded by 4 armed pirates and was completly robbed - they left litterally nothing. And they threatened to burn the yacht before they left - only the youngest attacker loosing his nerves prevented the couple aboard from serious damage to their health. The mistake they made: they started from Testigos alone. Very sad that this is enough to get in a life-threatening piracy attack....

Friday, 10.9.2010
Good Morning from Porlamar! A quiet morning after a peaceful night....it rained few drops, the wind is from west, but very very weak with no waves whatsoever. Hope that doesn´t change....
I´d like to introduce the website of a friend to you, for a reason: On my way from Los Testigos to here I ran into a short squall - nothing spectacular, but still the few drops of rain were enough to kill my expensive Raymarine ST2000 Tiller Pilot!
You can imagine how such lousy quality gets me really angry....therefor I try to convince Paul from Mupfel (see Grenada-Fotos) to publish that on his homepage www.nautictest.com. He already got some Manufactorers to improve their products, and it is a database full of Experiences with Marine Equipment. Apart from the fact that there is a small article about me, too - search for it! :-) On the next foto-update his Logo will be in the friend list to the right, till then pls use the link above.
Hasta la Manana!
Dieter


Thursday, 9.9.2010, 11 pm

All quiet so far. The storm hesitates to develop, unfortunately it also hesitates to move past us. But so far, nothing dangerous, my boat is prepared to wether get the hell outa here within minutes or drop a second anchor within minutes. Though I hope very much, nothing of that will be neccesary.....
As far as all the other stories are concerned, well, you can provocate trouble or you can try to avoid it. People here are Latinos, and to settle an argument using a knife is rather normal than not. You have to keep that in mind - or get into trouble. So far there wasn´t an incident happening out of clear skies - thank god. Treat people as friends and with respect, and most of them will treat you the same way - avoid the few others, if possible.
Make love, not war! :-)
Hasta la Manana....
Dieter

Thursday, 9.9.2010, 11 am
Situation stays interesting - first the complete story about tonight: After Trevors (NERGAL) Anchor dragged he got a local Pirouge to help him, with a second one assisting uninvitedly. After reanchoring safely, there were misunderstandings about the payment of the second Pirouge - which for them probably was reason enough to come back and take what in their opinion was theirs. One man, not part of the rescue team, came aboard armed with a knife - rest of the story see below. Now Trevor got serious reason to be worried, as Venezolanians usually take revenge for hurt friends.
Latest news on the shot Italian say that 2 local policemen got arrested for shooting him - which totally turns that story around. Being shot by the police clearly means that was not a robbery, but he was involved in some other story. We´ll never know for sure, but from that information alone phantasy tells you the rest.....
Our situation here is waiting a little bit worried, as we got active storm warnings for the area, caused by a tropical depression zone right over us, with good chances becoming a hurricane. So most sailors here are torn between going out or staying here. Rumour says in Trinidad it is already pretty bad, official reports speak of 20 to 25 kn of wind. So I stay - for the moment. I do not wanna run blindly away, risking of running right into it, so I get prepared for the worst here and wait till we get more information. Next harbour to run to would be Golfo de Cariaco, I can be there in little more than 6 hours, so I´m facing the 25 kn here and wait prepared for running away if need may be.


Thursday, 9.9.2010, 3:45am
We´re having an interesting night: First, at like 6pm, a front came over the anchorage, bringing us 30kn of wind and a meter of wave, which already put some boats into difficulties. Several anchors came loose and the boats driftet, which in some cases created trouble with the neighbors. As far as I see now, all could be secured...
Later in the night around 3:00am, NERGAL from England was attacked by a man armed with a knife. Several peaces of equipment and his dinghi got stolen, but he could fend off the attacker with his flare gun. Having no Radio, he alarmed his neighbors making noise (banging pots together), and they relayed his shouts over VHF, which due to weather conditions most boats were watching. Within half an hour he had several dinghies, mine included, at his side to help him. Too late to prevent the attack, but now he has my handheld and the rest of the sailors here are on alert, should the bad guys come back. Also another sailor was able to alarm the coast guard.
More details tomorrow morning.....


Wednesday 1.9.2010
After telling all the best about that island, I feel I have to tell the downsides also:
Venezuela is dangerous, probably more dangerous than most places, there´s no doubt about that especially after what happened lately. Last weekend a Italian Sailor that I knew was shot dead aboard his yacht in the bay of Chacachacare, where he anchored against local advice. The circumstances are not known yet, but there´s not too much fantasy needed to make up that story . And last Sunday there was a shootout between Police and Robbers right here on "my" beach, Playa Concorde. They wanted to rob the local supermarket...
And not only gangsters are dangerous here - I caught a bad infection in my left leg, probably by a little shell shooting poisoned darts when stressed - and I stressed her by scratching her from my hull. According to the very competent doctor at Hospital Militar this is quite dangerous and can easily end in an amputation. I figured I need help when the leg one morning was double it´s usual size - and I can strongly advise NOT to wait that long!!
But despite that I fell in love with that island with all my heart! It hurts seing that wonderful country torn apart by economic and political struggles - people here really deserve better. I can very well understand why someone from here never will be happy in Europe or especially Germany - these people are the most welcoming, friendliest, most helpful and most passionate people I´ve ever met, and I´ve met a few so far.
And they live in a paradise where just everything grows in 3-4 growing seasons a year, they got a vast amount of ressources like oil, platinium, uranium, precious stones, gold, and they got lots and lots of precious rainforest, areas a European can´t even dream to imagine, they got plenty of fish in their seas - and despite all that half of the people is really poor.
I do not really understand that.....
I could pretty well live here happily, should I decide to settle down one day, after all everything is really really cheap here.
But at the moment I´m still a sailor who wants to see the world, and the better part of it is still ahead! Though I feel arrived for the first time on that trip. But I will sail on, even if I do not have the slightest idea yet where I´ll be headed to. ABC-Islands? Colombia? Back north to the Virgin Islands? Or Puerto Rico?
Where ever, the next destination will have a hard time impressing me.....but first, after finishing the works on the boat, there are all the small islands around to explore! Los Frailes, Isla Coche, Los Roques ....all more or less "around the corner".
As soon as I´ve got a plan I´ll let you know. Till then, there will be updates from Porlamar and around. Starting here with two links:
The Homepage of the WiFi- Guy, he runs my Internet connection and has a homepage full of tips and infos around that island, especially for sailors. A must for everyone coming here by boat, I mean it, read it!
And a Webcam Port Porlamar, Look out for MAGIA ! I´m right next to a big yellow motor vessel......
Have fun,
Hasta Luego!
Dieter


Monday, 23.8.2010
Meanwhile arrived in Porlamar, Isla Margarita, Venezula. Took an entire day to get Customs and Immigration done, the cruising permit will take a week - maybe. Manana.... Porlamar seems to be a spanish version of Miami, not a nice beach, but a town exploding with South American Life, and finally they speak spanish! I like it a lot so far, it´s incredibly cheap, a beer is 30 Eurocent, in Happy Hour 15 Eurocent! Diesel and Gas are equally cheap (6cent/gallon = 4 Liters), Rum costs close to nothing, girls are the most beautiful in the world - I´ll be here some time, I figure! As soon as I get organized with all the work on the boat that I plan to get done here, I´ll take some photos for you out there - promised! Manana....
C u
Hasta luego
Dieter


Saturday 14.8.2010
After the Carnival in Grenada finally I´m leaving for new destinations, hence islands.
16:00
Anchor comes up in Prickly Bay, Grenada We, that is Evergreen from Canada, Sea Otter from USA, Essential Parts from USA, Santana from Australia, Ritmo de Vida from Canada und Magia, start the trip to Los Testigos (the Testimonies), a tiny group of islands on the way to Isla Margarita, Venezuela. The big (and well armed) group is for security reasons, we are in pirate waters.
Sunday 15.8.2010
12:34
Anchor down in Isla Iguana, Los Testigos, for check-in to the local command of Guardia Costa. The overnight trip was quiet and safe, we spotted some suspicious boats, but nobody came really near us. The anchorage is marvellous, the water clear as glass, I can see every detail 11 meters below my boat.
15:50
After check in we move to Testigos Grande, lying behind a reef at Testigos Grande, the biggest island of the group with a total of 300 inhabitants.Tomorrow morning a expedition to the highest peak of the islands is planned, see photos....
Wednesday 18.8.2010
Anchored in front of Testigos Pequenos, the smallest populated island of Testigos. This is one of the last places where the world seems to be still intact. It is like paradise, Boobies dive for fish directly at the boat, pelicans swim and fly by by the hundreds, there is plenty of fish around , and the locals are by far the most welcoming so far. And: finally they speak Spanish! What promotes me to translator for the group..... This is one of the last peaces of paradise in the Carribean, and without your own boat you just don´t arrive here - no day trips, no ferries, no planes, no supermarket - just one single restaurant, which is closed, as the owner sailed to Margarita for shopping. We had Barbecue at the beach yesterday, the tuna for 8 persons did cost 5 Euros, and it was enough to provide todays lunch and diner - not counted the locals we fed yesterday. Also for the first time on that trip I see real comradship amongst the sailors, everbody shares everything, I didn´t even use my cooker so far. A pity that my singlehander- household doesn´t have many specials to offer.....thx a lot to the cooks and bakers on the other boats! There´s Bananabread, fishsoup or home made chocolat, just to name a few of the specials I´m having here..... This evening we had a little discussion with the Guardia Costa, as we were allowed to stay only till today, but they were very friendly and have seen our point - sailboats need wind, and right now there is just none. Only Ritmo de Vida left this morning, they have to deliver crew to Margarita to fly out - they found 2 other boats to go with them. Alone it would be just too dangerous around here...... We probably stay till Sunday, then we sail to Porlamar, Isla Margarita, Venzuela. Meanwhile enjoy the photos, next update comes from Margarita!
Hasta la Manana
Dieter


Sunday 8/8/10
Hmmm, seems like I really got stuck here in Prickly bay, Grenada. And there are no new pictures at all, as all what it is about here are the many many people I met and the opportunities to do some good to my budget. Like this time just races by, wether fumbling around on boats of others or programming databases on mine, or just hanging out wit Obi, the German grown in Cameroun living in Bequia, or Paul and Selinda from Catamaran Mupfel or Jörn and Nate from Rennaissance or Sabina and Adi from the dutch Anne or Flavio from Brasil on his 28footer, or Kim and Ricky from "De Big Fish Restaurante (my livingroom), or Desmond and the guys from the Sugarmill gang, Phil from Canada, Ken from England, Diane from South Africa and many many more....
De Big Fish even is on Facebook, check it out!
Meanwhile I managed to finish the Tobago Cays Video complete with the music, I´m about to upload now.
Watch it here!
I cleaned my anchor chain already twice, so it starts to get time to leave. Actually by the end of the weeks some friends go my direction, and I might even come with them. I let u know afterwards where we are headed, as it seems that most of pirate trouble bases on hard information on date and route - no joke.
You meanwhile enjoy the video - have fun, nice summer in Europe, hear u soon !!
Irie mon....
Correction, the Names of my Dutch Neighbors are spelled like this: Sabine and Addy from Annie
Sorry, hereby corrected.....die "Annie", a very charming Old-Style GFK Slup - almost as beautiful as Magia, only almost,of course, sorry, Addy - Is for sale. Further info directly from the Kapitein here:
Kapitein Addy oder from Sabine here:
Sabine

Sunday 6/20/10
After a week anchoring in front of town with one night in Port Louis Marina (they offered me a free night, thanks guys, you have a really nice Marina!) and heavy shopping in the supermarkets I longed for a nice little bay with a beach again, so I moved down to Prickle bay on the southern coast of Grenada. Also this is a better place to start the next trip, may it be Trinidad or Isla Margarita.
The Downwind-run along the West coast was fast and really nice sailing, but turning to east on the southern tip to go to Prickle bay made sailing a little more interesting again: no more wave cover, wind of 25 kn into the face and 3 nods of current made it a hard time for my Volvo Diesel. But after just 3 miles you reach cover in Prickle bay, and everything is smooth again.
Here I met Traudl & Jochen from Bluesong again, and stayed right away for diner.....thx a lot guys, you start to become kind of a second family! Today it is raining, and not half-hour squalls but literally raining all day out of a grey uniform sky - almost like home, depressing. But a good opportunity to update the homepage! Voila......

Sunday 6/13/10
We arrived in St. George, Grenada, at 7am after a nice overnighter from Union island. We, that is Crew Marie Michelle from Quebec, and myself, and we went overnight to ensure we´ll leave harbour in daylight and we reach harbour in daylight. And we were hoping to avoid trouble with unidentified small boats....if they can´t see us, they can´t come for us!
Navigation here is still interesting with all the crazy currents, windshades, Ventouri-effects and the waves they generate.There´s even an underwater-volcanoe that we crossed - with a mile distance.
But at least it doesn´t get boring and there is almost always nice sailing wind!

Thursday 6/10/2010
Last Thursday, 6/3/2010, I went anchor up in Admiralitay Bay in Bequia to head for the Tobago Cays. After a slow 6 hour sail tacking up a southeasterly against the current I dropped my CQR in muddy white sand in 3 meters of turquoise green water behind the Horshoe Reef south of Baradal, one of the three small islands part of the Tobago Cays Marine Park. This is a paradise for scuba diving and snorkling with some of the most famous reefs in the world, accesible only by boat. Scuba diving is not allowed without a local guide, so I only snorcheled the reef - impressive enough! Video follows....
Tuesday I got on my way to Union island, as everything like vegetables, zigarettes or water started to run out, only a five mile sail, but an interesting one: first the southern channel thru the reef, not easy to spot on a cloudy day, then the channel between the island with remarkable current and wave and then the lousy anchorage in Clifton harbour; it took me 2hours to get an anchor to grab here, and I payed a price - I´m developing a nice black eye from my windlass. Now I wait here for the tropical wave which is right over us at the moment to move on, and as soon as weather conditions are favorable again I move on south to Grenada. Meanwhile I enjoy civilisation here on Union a bit......and try to get the Tobago pictures ready and online. I´ll keep u posted!

Wednesday 6/2/2010
I´m still hanging out in Bequia, my chain is close to grow into the ground. I am waiting for a head gasket for my Suzuki Outboard, which still didn´t arrive - after a month. Meanwhile I bought a Yamaha 8HP not to be locked to the boat. Living in anchor without an outboard does reduce life quality, especially if you´re anchored a mile from town.
I used the time to work a bit on the boat (see fotos), last I did a holding plate to the rail for the Yamaha and a small crane to get the beast aboard....
Ok, life could well be harder than being trapped here, I´m still surrounded by beaches and snorkeling reefs, it is still very warm, even when it rains - but nevertheless slowly I wanna get away. Tomorrow morning, maybe, to Tobago Cays to snorkel at the Horsehoe reef, and then Union island to check out and on to Grenada. There I hope to meet some friends like Michel from LeLarge and Jochen and Traudl from Bluesong, a bigger sister of my Amel Kirk. It´s about time, hurricane season started yesterday.....
Enjoy summer back home, I´ll be back with shots from the Tobago Cays - hopefully!

Sunday 4/25/2010
After a week in Bequia I still like it a lot - beaches are just a dream, no people at all and every single beach at the same time is a fabolous snorkling place. I´m more time in the water than on the hard.....who´s in for a quiet holiday at just wonderful beaches and can do without nightclubs or supermarkets should ask the travel agent for Bequia! Not easy to get here, as there are no direkt flights (for heavens sake!!), so it´s a little Cessna or the ferry - or idealy a Sailboat! Bequia is 100% Sailor-oriented, every service available on shore can be ordered via VHF Radio and will be delivered to the boat via Watertaxi. One wouldn´t have to set foot ashore at all....if it wasn´t that tempting beautiful!
But have a look yourself.... Dream of Bequia Beaches....

Sunday 4/18/2010
Yesterday Noon the anchor came up in Carlisle Bay, and after a quiet, pleasant 22 hour sailing turn the anchor fell again in Admirality Bay, Port Elizabeth, Bequia. Many thanks again to all the People on Barbados who helped me so much; we´ll meet again, somewhere, sometime.....thx also to Vikki, my English crew on this turn, I slept wonderful while you guided my Magia thru the night!
After a first expedition on the hard Bequia is a comparativly tiny natural island, far less "civilized" than Barbados, though with much better service for yachties - there are floating ship chandleries, and Mangos come alongside freshly. More impressions and fotos soon come.....
Greetings from Princess Point, Port Elizabeth, Bequia!

Sunday 3/28/2010
I´m here a little more than a week now, I´ve got my water at half full, all my laundry including all my Bed and Cushion blankets are clean, my Sails are being repaired at Doyle Sails, most famous Sailmaker around the Caribean, Magia is cleaned inside and outside, even nearly all the worms, shells and algae are scraped from the hull, I was in a Supermarket which really deserves it´s name (unlike those on Cape Verde, bigger than the ones back home), I´ve got a local phone number, and even my scraped glasses are replaced by brand new ones - what in Mindelo was impossible, here it´s a matter of 30 minutes. Let alone all the Sunset Parties I was already joining, usually ending with reggae till early morning....
The most effective week since Italy so far - and definitivly the most entertaining one - all of that in T-Shirt and Shorts all day and all night - it is just always nice and hot here, people are friendly, everybody sports a big smile, from every bar, every minivan, every car emanates Reggae........wonderful place!
Oh, did I metion the white powderlike sand, the turquois, 29 degree warm water and the palms?
What made that possible is that , for avoiding too much rolling in the swell we had last week, I anchored at the very southern end of Carlisle bay, right next to the Hilton, instead of going in front of the boatyard (Bar/Restaurant/Disco), where Cruisers usually go. Ok, you have to watch the shoals while coming in, but once anchored you´re positioned right in front of Barbados Cruising Club with it´s Dippers Beach Bar, and this is a place absolutely not to miss!
People ther are incredibly friendly and helpful, especially to Cruisers, I´m allowed to use all their facilities for free, they not only organized my trips to the Supermarket and the Sialmaker, but drove me back and forth, I´m getting my freshwater there, I have showers at hand, free Internet - I couldn´t have chosen a better place to drop anchor!
I didn´t feel that welcome on the entire trip so far, they almost adopted me, the beachbar meanwhile feels very much like my living room already.
A big thanks to Carolyn, Isabelle, Michelle, Kris, Matthew, Damien and all the others there!!! There are many places which could learn a lot from you (espacially the Spanish on Formentera!!!).
The party yesterday was spectacular......*gg* Keep it up!
For those of you demanding a more formal athmosphere, 200m to the north is the Barbados Yacht Club, also offering various services to yachtsmen - after accepting you as a guest member for a week - given you have a home Club, fill in some forms and leave a credit card deposit.
After that you can enjoy a certain kind of exclusivity, mainly expressed by several dresscodes.
Guiding point ashore for the entrance to that anchorage is the pontoon of the Barbados Grand hotel with its green Restaurant at the end - reminding me a bit of Brighton beach, impossible to miss. Drop anchor at 4-5m of water (Don´t - DON`T!!!! - hit coral!), and if you play it safely, drop a stern anchor not to be washed ashore by eventual swell when the breeze ceases down at night. Didn´t need that so far - but you´ll never know, doya?
As soon as I get my a... moving, I take the camera to the hard to deliver some visual proof to you - together with some of the rest of this beautiful island.
Soon come, as they say here.....meaning roughly the same as the spanish "Manana": a not specified point in future, but definitifly not today..... :-)
Ok, I´m off to go to my office to get that article published to the Internet.
Respect, enjoy, hear u soon!
dieter


Please see Homepage in German for Logbook Updates - still have to translate it - thx!
1/30/2010
Finally Pictures from Cabo Verde - didn´t find a decent WiFi but a Internetcafe where they´d let me free access for helping them setting the network up.
I´m still in Santa Maria, because I like it here and because of a storm north of us - and I don´t want to tack against again. Another 3 days will do no harm…:
The bad news: After her shoulder injury Tina left for Germany to make sure everything gets done 100% correctly, so for the crossing I´ll be alone - which admittably scares me a little bit. So if someone of my friends who always wanted to visit me doesn´t know what to do the next weeks, mount up a plane and come to Mindelo, Sao Vicente! But please let me know before……:
Greetings from the beach - Tide is rising, I have to go BoogieBoarding!
Dieter

1/21/2010
Hello all! We are now on Sal island for almost 2 Weeks, first anchoring few days in Palmeira and now finally at the beach of Santa Maria. On the first try to get here we had to turn round and sail back to Palmeira due to engine problems, where some friendly locals from "Manta" Divecenter towed us in to the anchorage. Our cooling water entry was blocked with dirt and that blasted the turbine of the waterpump. All repaired now, also the 30 liters of water we made per day on the trip to here are found and dryied up - it came in thru the exhaust and the Bilge-pump. For Tina it is a bit hard to enjoy the beach as she fell off the Dinghi while passing a big wave and hurt her shoulder - she´ll be fine in a couple of weeks and it´s not our last beach. I´ve got a lot nu pics, and still ca 40 from Tenerife, but the Internet here is not as widely spread as I would love to have it - I´m still looking for a decent Hotspot to hack in… : Till then believe me, this is THE beach so far! Mile after mile of golden sand, turquoise crystal clear water, lots of yellowfin thunas, wind, waves, very friendly and warm people (not the least dangerous, you can leave the dinghy unguarded at the beach, the most dangerous thing for the dinghy are the breakers), restaurants, shops, discos, a drum-parade every evening - 100% fun and holiday! And not crowded at all - we´re here with max. 5 other yachts. Only downside: it´s a bit of a rolly anchorage and it´s quite a challenge to get water and supplies aboard thru the breakers. Oh, and there is a webcam to watch us life! Just search Google for "webcam Sal", the one which shows the pier is the one! We´re anchored to the right side of the pier! Warm greetings from sunny south Sal, I´m off to warwalk my way to a Hotspot….. Tina & Dieter

12/5/09
Hallo, still lying in Marina San Miguel in Tenerife. We´re finishing the last things we needed to get and prepare for the following trips. Most of it will be impossible to get or repair for the next month…..see pictures But we definitely want to get moving, we long for anchoring at a nice sandy beach in real summer weather! So keep your fingers crossed that next time there will be pictures of Sal, Cabo Verde…. Merry Xmas!

Whats the most exciting thing about that trip so far - apart the beaches and the sailing experience - is the interesting people you meet. People who like us decided to go for an alternative style instead of doing same thing every day and then in the evenings consuming a "second hand" world brought via telly. People we would never have met at home..... Therefor I´ve updated the "Friends"-List to the right, give it a try and visit their sites! Unfortunately those encounters end very suddenly, always if command is "Up anchor!" - but we try to keep in touch as far as we can stretch the Internet....
Also new: in the foto gallery there´s only the last two destinations right now, you´ll find the rest by clicking the link "Foto Archive" just below - the page just loads faster this way.

Finally Theorie meets Real Life. We´ll leave soon!

This Spring we´ll start a long trip with our recently bought sailing yacht
MAGIA - destination, hmm, Australia?. We´d like to visit all those beautiful beaches of this world as long as they still exist......

For this homepage that means a slight change towards a real logbook of that trip, together with a picture gallery, maybe some videos and of course kind of a blog. Nevertheless I won´t stop working on the fact-oriented pages, I guess some hints right out of real life will be added soon. Our MAGIA of course gets her own page, the layout has been refreshed (still strictly without any active content!) and some new pictures you´ll find even on the "old" pages - the old Dell-Laptop is no longer mine. He spends his old days on the hard....

By the way:
Every product named here is one used and tested by me. I´m sure there are many other suitable quality devices out there, but as I never used them I don´t dare to judge them.







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