Saturday November 5th: Furna, Ihla Brava – 14 53.3N  24 40.7W

The name Brava is essentially “Brave” in the local language.  Notwithstanding anything that is set out in the pilots and harbour guides for this area -  which describe this harbour as completely sheltered from the wind and with very little swell – it is a brave man who moors his yacht here.  The harbour is on the north east of Brava and the wind 25kts from the NE. So far, nor promising. There was a big swell leading to breakers on anything shallow:

There was a also nasty swell in the harbour and the wind had clocked the compass as we entered – we knew that the depth shoaled quickly towards the shore -  things were looking doubtful from the outset.  However, it was important to get ashore because we will have trouble entering Barbados when our last port “cleared us ”  to go to Furna, so ideally we had to stop. As soon as it was evident that we were planning to stay, a  couple of chaps began  gesticulating at us from the harbour wall.   Well – those gesticulations could have meant anything from: “Moor your yacht here; drop your hook in 10 metres, motor back and we will take your lines and secure them to the shore” through to “Why don’t you bugger off back where you came from?!”   We decided we needed to know which and therefor to approach a  guy in an orange shirt. We put Bob into the dinghy in his capacity as our ambassador for peace - we thought that was more likely to be successful than sending David! (for the avoidance of doubt, that is only  because Bob speaks a mean “Portuglais” ). Bob quickly called on the VHF to confirm that the gesticulations were closer to the former than the latter and so the crew proceeded as directed and we moored as directed (at a cost of only one warp - severed by our prop!).

One thing  the guides are right about though is that the people are friendly and helpful. We eventually settled on two anchors from the bow and a stern - line ashore. We had little doubt that it would be secure, being chained to the sea wall thus:

The Orange shirt – ‘Beto’ - turned out to be an extremely helpful guy – knowledgeable about mooring boats (it was him that advised the second bow anchor). He spoke good English and immediately became David’s best friend:

Beto having already taken possession of Bob’s Lewmar cap.  He helped us find the Delegacio Maratima – in fact the Harbour Master had to be recalled from this rock where he was engaged in the national pastime:  fishing:

(Observe the blue and white concrete dinghy built for children to play in).

Furna has proved to be a real delight because we feel quite secure. It is a very small community – 750 people in a small village at the harbour edge:

But not so small as not to need a dry ski slope on which to practice for the winter snow*….

Beto also arranged for us to eat ashore last night – we asked for dinner at 7.00 and arrived to find a real spread,

(marred only by the fact we were 40 minutes late because we had a real struggle to find anywhere safely to leave the dinghy) prepared and served by the kind of person you’d like to have as an aunt

Yes,  her arm is in plaster.

Anyway, Half the crew are currently on a guided tour of the island while Keith and David man the boat.   We are promised lobster tonight!

* PS – The dry ski slope is really a large concrete area to enable them to collect water when it rains.