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| MAURITIUS- Land of the extinct DODO |
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| First impression of Port Louis was of a bustling colourful harbour with a recent tasteful harbourfront development where we were able to tie up right next to the wharf with Ralph Lauren souvenir shops, restaurants, ice-cream parlours, patisserie and internet cafe. All the essentials in fact! The novelty soon wore off as the harbour stank from all the Taiwanese and Korean fishing vessels washing their bilges, and their occupants crapping over the side. We moved on to Grand Bay, a 2 hour sail to the NW which is a good anchorage and much cleaner, except that every night they burn off the sugar cane, so we woke up to cocks crowing, Islamic chanting, covered in ash. |
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| Duck spent several hours cleaning around the waterline. Yuck! We introduced ourselves at the Sailing Club and got a frosty reception, so made friends with the security guard, and left the bikes there anyway! The natives race a Mauritian equivalent of an 18ft skiff, sailing canoes with flexible bamboo masts and about 10 people for ballast. They have a Le Mans type start off the beach, and appear to be having wonderful fun. Very coluorful. Mike, a guy Duck met when trying to find a replacement impeller for our raw water intake, took us for a drive in the mountains, and we spent another day doing a complete circumnavigation of the island on the public buses. |
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| Jude was here 20 years ago and remembered meeting oxwagons piled high with sugarcane in the middle of dirt tracks, and hindu shrines outside every house. Well the oxen have been replaced by tractors and the roads are tarred. The shrines are still there, but the old ways are dying out. Houses are occupied half built, with room for expansion! It's still pretty colourful with many of the older women still wearing traditional dress and temples. mosques and churches on every corner. |
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| After 10 days we'd seen enough and sailed back to Port Louis to clear customs. Having a few rupees left, we took it to the casino and won 2,000 MRs playing roulette [only A$100] but we felt rich! Changed it to Francs for Reunion, our next stop! |
| Typical Mauritian house- room to go up? |
| Jude and Mike from a mountain lookout |