Down the coast of Madagascar

After stocking up in Hellville, which was quite the adventure on itself, and picking up Paul Nissen our mate from New Zealand we started slowly moving down the west coast of Madagascar. When I mean slow I mean real slow as there are so many places to visit! The sailing has been superb: as I write we are sailing up wind at 7 knots taking photos of some amazing local trading vessells. This place just so unreal! The boys from the local boat have just challenged us to a race by pulling their trousers down and shaking their butts at us! Its a laugh I tell you! Chances are they will beat us too! Anyhow just using this rare opportunity where the internet network actually works to let all know we are alive and loving it! We are planning to anchor in Moramba Bay just north of a big town called Mahajunga where we will stay for a few days before doing the big hop around Cape St Andre. We plan to stay on this coast for another 2 weeks before crossing the Mozambique Channel. We have seen plenty humpback whales, turtles and dolphins. Unfortunately no more whale sharks but the hope is still with us. Fishing isnt very good (that is for us, other boats are having more luck) but we have eaten quite a few mud crabs that we trade with locals for caps, plastic or glass containers, even nail polish! We visited an infamous island for its maximum security prison (in 1993 some inmates escaped boarded a cruising boat, killed everyone onboard and sailed away) called Nose Lava. The prison is not abandoned and only 3 convicts live there with their families. Samuel was our guide. He was arrested when he was 23 for murder. He is still doing his time by looking after the remains of the prison. He is 51 now. He showed us the prison, the solitaire cells and the administration building. After he took us to the lighthouse on the island and the fresh water stream. We donated food to the families as they have no support and very little means to buy much supplies. They were very grateful and friendly towards us. Tough life. We learn a new reality of life everyday in this place. Unforgettable moments all around.