Sailing Around The World With New Dawn.

Tuesday 02 April 2019: In Luderitz, Meryon and I rented a car and drove about 1.300 km to see the South parts of Namibia. None of the town are of any interest and has little to offer, but the Fish River Canyon was very special. It is the second biggest Canyon, after the Great Canyon in the USA. The scenery was spectacular with loads of mountains all over the place, but the rest was dessert and sand and more sand. Most people live in the mining towns where they extract diamonds, copper, silver, zinc, etc.. The Namibian population is about 2.2 millions and as it was a German colony, there are a lot of German speakers and the architecture resembles the German. During the WWII Germany lost control of Namibia and it became a protectorate under SA and the German population was imprisoned. The country is now independent and because of its natural resources (mining) it is a relatively wealthy place. The majority of the population is, I am told, black bush people and they are friendly ...

Hired a 4x4 car and drove 1300 km in three days. Photos below and text to follow one day.                                                                   Fish River Canyon.  Picking (- looking for -) diamonds at Oranjemund mining town - did not fine any.... damn. Driving back to Luderitz in a sand storm.

Finally the watermaker, generator and others works were completed and we could leave Cape Town on 21 March, heading for Luderitz, Namibia.  Leaving the V&A Marina, Cape Town.  The Table Mountain in the background, with Christopher. Thursday 21 March 2019: We left V & A Marina, Cape Town, this morning at 09:15 and as we passed the first bridge, the engine stopped, so I quickly dropped anchor and informed the second bridge that we had engine problems. I found that the mechanic had accidentally closed the fuel line valve when he was looking for his mobile phone which he had lost behind the engine - he did not find his phone. Sean pumped the fuel into the engine and soon after we could proceed through the second bridge and out of the harbour, but I believe the start battery is no good and its only one year old. Outside the harbour the autopilot stopped working and I suspected it might be the drive that might need new brushes, or replaced. I have emailed...