New Member in Windhoek, Namibia

[Martin25]

Hi Everyone,

Greetings from Windhoek - the semi arid, landlocked (350km to the sea!) capital of Namibia. I am extremely impressed with the Cruisers Forum - not being an internet addict I had never considered that something so useful and generous would be housed inside my computer (technically it's not really there I know!). I found the site this morning and have been happily reading loads of posts during the day. The generosity of the established members is astounding to me - you give so much of your time, knowledge and experience so freely!

A little bit about myself - I was born in South Africa and grew up in Cape Town. Started sailing when I was about 6 when my dad pushed me out into Hermanus lagoon in an optimist that I promptly swamped and would have sunk if it were not for the flotation! Things improved marginally after that, and when I was older my sister and I were given a Dabchick dinghy to sail together. After a particularly violent argument we were banned from sailing together as we taught the oldies at the club a few new swear words. I then crewed for a few years on another SA dinghy while a teenager before starting with keelboats just before university. At that point my dad was getting tired of being cold and wet so much and so when he started with keelboats so did I.

We were involved with the South African Sailing Training Association and sailed their training vessel the Gordon Burnwood and raced a Petersen 33 'SASTA' for a few years before my dad bought half shares in a Corrida 36 of a friend. Loads of cruising and racing around Cape Town later I finished University and 2 weeks after my final exam left Cape Town for the US on a Swan 57.

That was the most amazing trip - I sailed with fantastic guys (sorry Barabara) and we had an unbelievable cruise. From Cape Town to St Helena, Fernado de Noronah and Grenada. Through Grendines to VI's and then on to Bermuda and finally Newport.

I then spent a couple of years sailing 'semi-professionally' in the Eastern US from Maine to Florida, Caribbean and South America. I did the Cape to Rio race (which was fantastic) and a delivery back (which was hard) before settling in Connecticut and then Virginia to work as a Mechanical Engineer.

Returning to SA later I started work at Outward Bound and there met my future wife. We moved together to Ireland where we raced together on Dublin Bay and in Schull week, and later got married in Scotland. Our first daughter was born in Ireland and shortly after we moved to Namibia for a better quality of life, to get away from the rat race.

We now have two daughters, 3 and 5 years old and drive 400km's to Walvis Bay at least once a month to race against each other on our Lasers (or sail together on our ISO dinghy). When our oldest was born we decided to start a ten year plan to go cruising. After meeting a few cruising sailors stopping in Walvis Bay we decided that sooner was better than later and are now planning to leave next year.

So now all we need to do is buy a boat, prepare her, figure out how to finance her and ourselves, do a few million other things and then we will be ready to go!!!

Thanks again for such a great forum, I hope to be able to find answers to my questions in the threads here, and if not I can see that if I have new questions that no one has thought of yet someone here will be able to answer them for me!

Keep well and keep safe.

[henryk]

Welcome to the board Martin. Thanks God for the internet ,with out it I would never go cruising . Hatched my plans over two years ago and living in October . It's never to early to go cruising, only to late.
God luck and hope to see you here often. Folks here are the greatest and helpful bunch.
Regards , Henryk

[Martin25]

Hey thanks Henry. I agree about never too early to go cruising (as long as you at least have a boat!!) - they say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the next best time is now! Some of the places I would LOVE to cruise include BC and Alaska.

Have fun in October, hope all goes smoothly.

[henryk]

After living in British Columbia for fourteen years I want to go cruising somewhere where is more civilized and warmer . As a family we had done so much wilderness camping ,hiking ,canoeing etc., that right now we are ready to experience a cultural travels. Meeting different people ,visiting foreign countries and soak in the worm waters .
Regards, Henryk

[trinescape]

welcome aboard martin you are right this is a great site and the people are very helpfull and friendly and iam sure that at least one of our members would know the answer to your questions what a bummer having to travel so far for a sail,it just shows you how far people will travel for a sailing fix lol welcome
andy

[Hankthelank]

Hi martin,
Its funny you post today, because i just found out that work is sending me to Walvis bay for 6 weeks. Hopefully I will be able sail a bit while there!

[Martin25]

Hi Henry,

Seems like we have the same interests in the wilderness. Not much canoeing in Namibia though! If your travels take you around Africa I can highly recommend stopping at Walvis Bay here in Namibia. The exchange rate is good so life is cheap, I think the moorings are free (will find out once we get a boat!) and there is some amazing country to explore. From Namib desert to the African bush of Etosha with Lion, Elephant, Rhino and masses of different buck.
Cheers

[Martin25]

Originally Posted by trinescape

welcome aboard martin you are right this is a great site and the people are very helpfull and friendly and iam sure that at least one of our members would know the answer to your questions what a bummer having to travel so far for a sail,it just shows you how far people will travel for a sailing fix lol welcome
andy

Thanks Andy, I have been reading through old threads and am amazed at the volume of information. It took us two years living in Windhoek before we got so deprived that we just HAD to buy a couple of Lasers and get to the coast as often as possible!
Cheers

[Martin25]

Originally Posted by Hankthelank

Hi martin,
Its funny you post today, because i just found out that work is sending me to Walvis bay for 6 weeks. Hopefully I will be able sail a bit while there!

Wow - well enjoy it. I am sure you will go to The Raft - local bar/restaurant on the lagoon. The yacht club is just past the Pelican Bay hotel from the raft. Laser racing is every other weekend (this weekend is an 'on' weekend - if you speak to Eddie or Axle (or me if we are there) and you have sailed Lasers the club may loan you a boat (free). Make the most of the weekends (if possible - North Americans work hard on business trips I know) to get out in a hire car and see the country. Hire cars can travel all dirt roads (but not too fast) so don't let that stop you.

Cheers

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Martin,
Welcome aboard! Hope you have fun with reading all the posts here.
Kind regards,
JohnL

[Martin25]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Aloha Martin,
Welcome aboard! Hope you have fun with reading all the posts here.
Kind regards,
JohnL

Hi John,

Many thanks, it is late here now so going to logoff... its been great so far (I have seen plenty from you already!!) I have been reviewing monohull posts - amazing the accumulated information from hundreds of posts of people with the questions about buying the 'right' boat. I salute all the seasoned repliers who never seem to tire in answering and helping with questions.

Cheers

[TANKWA3]

hi martin i wonder what a corrida 36 is all about i see there is one for sale what do you think of them and are they any good for bluewater cruising? david dade.

[captain58sailin]

Welcome aboard Martin, we are glad you are here. While I live in Alaska, I work in Nigeria, so we are neighbors kind of. Some of the boats I've worked with are named "Walvis Bay" and I have been intrigued, I would like to learn more about the place.
Cheers,
Brad

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Martin25

Hi Everyone,
... I am extremely impressed with the Cruisers Forum - not being an internet addict I had never considered that something so useful and generous would be housed inside my computer (technically it's not really there I know!).

When our oldest was born we decided to start a ten year plan to go cruising. After meeting a few cruising sailors stopping in Walvis Bay we decided that sooner was better than later and are now planning to leave next year.

So now all we need to do is buy a boat, prepare her, figure out how to finance her and ourselves, do a few million other things and then we will be ready to go ...

Your resume reads like a (wet) dream, Martin.

Count yourself lucky that the interweb isn’t hosted on your machine. I’m finding it to be quite a pain in the @#%.

That flexibility, to turn a 10 year plan into a 1-2 year plan, will stand you in good stead both as a father & a cruiser.

As you say, a few million things to do, but only the first two are absolutely essential.

Best of luck finding any answers on the CF, we're a close-mouthed bunch.

WELCOME ABOARD!

[Ocean Girl]

Martin25,
Welcome to the forum! Sounds like you and your family are at the beginning of a great adventure, what an amazing life you are going to give your girls! There is childrens section here with great ideas for cruising with kids.
Cheers,
Erika