Camels and Tabarka, Tunisia

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We ended up staying a additional day and explored the city and surrounding area. Molly, Fred and Paula went off to ride camels and Ken and I took a taxi to one of the Resort Hotels down the beach and found some great internet. They let us sit in the beautiful lobby for several hours working on our computers. Ken knew that I had been frustrated with no internet and this was our solution. When we were finished, we instructed our taxi driver to take us to a nice restaurant somewhere on the route back to the harbor. After eating, we were close enough that we walked back to our hotel and got ready for a 6AM departure to Algeria planned for the next morning.

As with every departure, customs seems to take longer than you want. Ken and Fred had to go to the Port Authorities to get our paperwork back and they were gone almost one hour. I thought for sure that something bad had happened, but no, just the slow process of Customs.

We finally got to leave and headed out with 65 nautical miles to go for the day.

Bizerte and Tabarka Tunisia, July 23-26

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Bizerte.

Leaving Golfe de Tunis, we sail up and around to Cap Blanc where we stop for the night at a small harbor with the main population being fishing boats (again). It was a good 9 hour sail. The winds were varied most of the day and out of the North-East never giving us a good opportunity to sail with the Spinnaker. Winds of 10-25 kt gusts had us sailing with a furled jib most of the time. We arrived in Bizerte, Tunisia almost at dark(sorry, no pictures due to our quick stop there) and did not plan to do any “looking” around because we had to leave early in the next morning for Tabarka. Fred and Ken went with the customs person that had greeted us to do the normal paperwork, and Molly went off with our ice bag in search of some ice for our “still not working” refrigerator. The fishing buildings were close and so she did not have to go far. We were in a very exposed area just along the beginning edge of the jetty where many, many locals were fishing. Unfortunately, Bizerte harbor was littered and dirty and did not entice us to go out to venture.

Sailing to Tabarka would also be a long day with much the same coastal view. Arrived in Tabarka and found a nice sized harbor complete with naval ships, and a bustling community along the quay. Very little options for docking we pulled along the quay what turned out to be reserved for the coast guard boats. When we first circled into the harbor, a man was waving at us and motioning that we should tie up along side another sailboat.

This was the French sailing boat that we first saw in Sidi Daoud harbor. The owner and his wife were not on the boat and we did not feel comfortable tying up without their being available to assist, but as it turned out it was our only option and soon proved to be a good decision. When the couple returned they were most gracious and helped us with many logistic questions on the area. They had been in Tabarka before and were planning on staying for several days. During our stay the captain lent his hand-cart and water jug to us which we used to fill our water bottles with. The only hose that had good water was at the beginning of the harbor and a bit of a walk so the hand cart came in handy.


Our French Boat neighbors with some of their friends


Molly filling our water bottles

With several days from our last good shower and good night sleep Ken suggested I go look for a hotel for the night. I found a small, clean hotel (Hotel la Plage) for 70 denar that SAID they had internet, but I never got it working, even in the lobby so again, connection with home had to wait. Not having a good access to laundry, we used our bathtubs in the hotel as our laundry and then took our wet clothes back to the boat to hand and dry.


Drying our laundry on/and in the boat (threat of rain)


Vacationing Tunisian family

Algeria, City of Collo

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Collo harbor, South of Cap Collo, has a “greeting” dock complete with Coast Guard station. Apparently, all boats, must be acknowledge by the Coast Guard before coming in or going out. Leaving the harbor, they just have to “flagged” an acknowledgement by the Coast Guard and then they can go on with their business.
Once tied up, we were visited finally by the local Police, Coast Guard, and the Algerian Navy officials. We were never completely sure who was in charge as they all had their set of requests. During some of the paperwork and questioning, I was asked by the Algerian Naval officer to show my camera. He wanted to see what pictures I had on my camera. I turned on my camera and scrolled through my countless pictures of the Algerian water and shorelines, plus I think there were also some pictures of dolphins. I think he was satisfied that I did not have pictures that would damage the Algerian countries integrity. Some of our additional questioning was focused on our missing Visa’s that were required to go beyond the harbor and the fact that Molly’s husband was not sailing with us. The authorities did not understand why a married woman would be on our boat and her husband was not along with her. They asked repeatedly, “where is your husband”? I think they are still wondering about that!

Once we were settled, we then negotiated for ice, fuel and water. The harbor “master” (or the one who seemed to be in control of the fuel dock and such) arranged for me to get a big bag of ice and some fresh water. He then invited Fred and I into his office. He was quite proud of his pictures of Mohammad Ali and Che Guevara and the many pictures of Collo in the early 1900’s. He asked Fred and I to sign his “guest book”, and with pleasure we did and realized we were the first to sign in the book! Later, Ken and Fred traded one Grateful Red hat and one GR tee-shirt for 20 liters of diesel.

Our plans were to leave around 11PM to do our overnight to Spain (Palma Mallorica) and so we contacted the Coast Guard dock to let them know we would be leaving then. There were other fishing boats going out at night so the Coast Guard dock was active and well lit. We said our good byes and headed out to a night of motoring with the Jib sail up. Over the night our shifts were sail one hour, watch one hour and then off 3 hours. By this time I am very tuned to overnight sails although, I will be happy not to do any more in my life if possible . . . well, don’t think that will happen!