We are a crew of 3, Christian (French owner and skipper) with young couple Stephie (Namibian) and Izak (South African) and sailed from Cape Town on July 12, 2020, as soon as Port Control allowed yachts to depart. Our destination was across the Atlantic to Antigua in the Caribbean, the only island which did not ask for visas for South Africans.

Namibia:

We first stopped over in Namibia, Luderitz, for a service check on our batteries. We were accepted by the harbour master, covid tested [negative] and given 3 month visas, thanks to a fresh directive by the President opening the country to tourism. This directive has now been formalised allowing tourists to enter the country with tests and quarantine. We stayed 10 days which allowed Stephie’s parents to visit and know the conditions their daughter would live in for the next 3 months.

Angola:

We wanted to move along the coast to Angola, where we all three lived in the past, but friends out there recommended (upon word of Mario – the harbour master in Lobito), to avoid coming as the country was still in lockdown, and similar to RSA would allow us in harbour for fuel and stores purchase, but no entry as closed to ‘Tourism’.

Saint Helena:

We then decided to sail direct to Saint Helena, where authorities greeted yachts on passage to stay given quarantine time deducted from sailing passage, and negative covid test upon arrival. We passed and enjoyed a stay of a few weeks on mooring buoys, with access to the island’s charms (hiking, covid-free life, pleasant welcome by all on the island, friendly yacht club).

Fernando de Noronha – Brazil:

We then left for French Guiana and on the way stopped over on Fernando de Noronha for supplies and to see the beauty of the island anchorage, where the Governor of the state had ruled that only Covid positive visitors could enter. We were therefore not allowed to stay on the island but were given a warm welcome and a taxi was booked to accompany us on our supply errands to the supermarket, gas station and back to the boat. We spent a day and a night, and then hoisted the anchor to sail to the west and the continent.

Fortaleza – Brazil:

We decided to stop on the way at Fortaleza, and were greeted warmly into the marina (they are revamping the pontoons and we moored on pilings). We were given a shore pass of 1 week by the Policia Federal for supplies, repairs and pure enjoyment as the Governor of the state of Pernambuco did instruct citizens to wear a mask at all time, and Brazil was still under lockdown = no visa). We enjoyed our stay and the easy way Brazilians live under lockdown, still keeping precautions, easy as no visitors around and streets are much calmer. We found gas, fuel, fresh food and departed after a few days ashore, with the Marina hotel pool to ourselves.

French Guiana:

Our last leg before the Caribbean, we sailed to French Guiana, carried by the strong current, and reached ‘Les Iles du Salut’ anchorage to rest for one day before moving upriver to Saint Laurent du Maroni, to meet the incoming tide.

We were a little nervous to move close to shallow mudbanks, and to keep our course in the channel, only to discover that once past the river (wide) mouth, this is a discovery of the Amazon Rainforest with a sailing boat. You can anchor easily into the ‘Creeks Coswine, Vaches, Les Boeuf Lamentins, and spend a day with toucans, parrots, sloths and mosquitoes in rainy season, and move upriver to Saint Laurent where the marina awaits you.

Marina Manager David is on watch to help you take a mooring buoy and take care with informing the authorities of your arrival. Contact David on email office@marinaslm.com in advance and he can advise on available moorings. If all moorings on the river are occupied it is possible to drop anchor.

David fills in forms, calls the Frontier Police and Customs. The next morning we were visited by the police on board who gave us a document to go to the local hospital for Covid test. We went and got our nasal swabs and received negative results within 6 hours on the phone.

After that we were welcome to stay even without visas, as these cannot be delivered in lockdown.

It’s a very friendly border town, with basic supplies available. There is a market place, shops, car rental to move around to the villages and forest hikes, or ‘Pirogue’ outings. It’s good for discovery of the Amazonian forest including discovering the Creeks tributaries to the main river Maroni with our boat (water depth 4 to 12 meters!).

Yes it’s a little expensive, as EU French prices apply, but in these Covid times it’s so good to be received with a smile and to feel welcome. Highly recommended and our boat loves it as it is resting now in fresh water (even though carrying loads of silt) to clean hull and ducts from marine growth.

Next stop will be the Caribbean, Carriacou and the Grenadines, as soon as repairs have been done on our engine (faulty sea water pump, sent from Martinique).

We highly recommended all these stopovers to all who are now on their way North from the South Atlantic.

Christian Alby