Lamu to Jade Sea

"Kenya's Bay of Biscay" for sailors: windy, waves that come in from hundreds of miles and very limited ports of refuge. We had both treated this section with a high degree of trepidation, and put it off 2 weeks ago, as the sea was still too rough.  Last night, we realised we had an unexpected problem: light winds were forecast so could we make the 100km before nightfall? That meant up at 5am, a quick breakfast and we weighed anchor at 6am, just after first light.  After 90 mins we passed Ras Ngomeni, the final headland and into the Bay. We had decided to go for the most direct route, straight across and then pass outside Ziwayiu Islands in the North. The day grew hotter and we were dousing ourselves with sea water. The boat is very impressive in the light airs, plugging away at a steady 9 or 10 kilometres an hour. We were on a reach (wind from the side) and could just fly the spinnaker, which we had up nearly all day. Around midday we could not see any land at...

We woke up this morning to rain, removing all hope of wind ... but that soon cleared. However, that was only the start of our issues, as the electric motor (one of Tom's great ideas) packed up. No amout of WD40 in the plugs would coax her into action.  Out with the oars! But we still had 15 minutes of foul tide so that didn't work, especially as we could not keep even with each other. Sails up! Beating for 45 mins out of Mida Creek. We lost concentration, thinking of the high tide and touched a hidden part of the reef. Luckily we got off lightly. A clear reach up to Malindi where we kept 2km off the outer reef. The seas got very confused and we later learnt this is called The Boiling Pot for good reason. But then we turned north and got the spinnaker up. Surfing down the waves at up to 9.5  knots (c.18 kmph). The Mousehole Cat is performing admirably! Although it's like having an extra person on board with 45kg of water, engine, anchor and camping kit for tomorr...

1st November 2022. Here we are, the sailing. Keeping the best until last. We missed the wind at the beginning of the year and so we are now sailing from South to North instead, hopefully catching the last of the Kusi wind from the South East. We were waved off from the beach by the Fevre family having packed a lot of kit, including 50 litres of water into our boat, The Mousehole Cat. She is a very fine Wayfarer, which is a 16ft dinghy. We set off upwind, as from Kilifi you have to go South East first, to get through the "mlango" or gate in the reef. Then it was bear away, turn left, spinnaker up and head for Watamu, some 25 miles / 40 km away. We are fully covered up for the sun. The wind was gentle and the tuna fish were busy, leaping about amongst the seaguls. Coming in to Watamu Creek was all about preparation: Tom had an exact route to get through the channel on the GPS. Sails down, electric motor on. You can get an idea of how shallow ...

We set off early from our final night with Helen. We planned 3 short days of cycling, as everyone had told us how inhospitable the terrain would be. We passed through South Horr which was a very sleepy little town, with a tree lined main street. We even came across running water at the end, which was the first we had seen for 10 days. We arrived at the turn to Koros Camp at 8am and thought we could make better use of the day than sitting under a tree, so carried on towards Lake Turkana Wind Power. What a place! Tom has wanted to come here for ages ... The 365 turbines provide 17% of the country's power at peak times and 30% at night. It really is impressive. We are very thankful for the welcome we were given at the main site, to get out of the heat of the day, including lunch in the canteen. Here we are getting in a sliver of shade for and hour, by what must me the world's most exposed, hottest and windiest swimming pool (35°C and 30 knots??)...

Last day with Helen today! A very short walk of a few kilometres to a road junction south of South Horr. The main snag was that Tom was really unwell during the night. Must have been too much sun, although we have tried to be really careful with that. After an ORS and copious amounts of water he joined the walking party! We were met at our camp by Mutiso, who drove north over the last two days. The late afternoon was spent putting our bikes together and getting ready for the road tomorrow. "Transition" triathletes would call it. Emma, Catherine, Tim and Sandy said their goodbyes and they went to a tiny and remote airstrip to fly back to Nairobi. Helen and team have a day in this camp tomorrow, cleaning things, watering the camels etc. She then sets off back to where we started but hopes to have another group join her for some of the way. She's happiest with the itinerant lifestyle of keeping on the move. . . We have had an extremely spe...

A short day today, as we approach South Horr in order to meet up with Mutiso and our bikes tomorrow! The morning light was spectacular and Tom got a bit carried away taking pictures of the Acacia tortilis trees but all taken on the real camera, so we can't see them yet. We climbed a hill for a view over the Acacia rufisiens forest (in the distance above) which made a contiguous canopy. The trees are a perfect inverted triangle so on foot you can weave a path in between them. Here, Daniel and Tim survey the landscape from the hill. Each morning we walk for 2 or 3 hours to work up an appetite for breakfast. Eggs are cooked in rapid order and we are now experts in collapsible chair construction and take-down. Then the breakfast camels are repacked and off we go. Most are unmistakably Helen's: Helen and Emma did an audit of the bird list at lunchtime, now running at an impressive 115. It might  have been many more, were it not for the drought. T...