We are saaailing...

[capnsensible]

Cross the seeeee

Big wave to everyone...

Over the...

come and ava go if you think yer ard enough

Er, it was and it did, eek, dont tempt fate....

Maroc lobster pot marker, if you squint. It has a lot of mates.

Safi marina. We berthed on the pilot boat and have the dirty fenders to prove it.

Show me your Ship Papers!! In this office.

Home again.

 

[ianat182]

As lad of 16 I cruised that coast on a converted 72ft HDML that rolled like a good'un and remember Safi well, we were chased away from the beach when we tried to land in our dinghy by some older youths, but never found out why.
Just to the north of Casablanca there is a lovely little port, now called Mahommedia(sp?) but then was Fedala as still a French colony,fresh sardines were always available!
There also was Port Lyautey, also renamed I expect, where you entered a canal to reach the town; of course being just postwar 1950's there were not many facilities for yachts visiting either place.
I crewed on an International Star yacht on a race from Casablanca to Fedala, and back the following day; 6 crews slept aboard overnight with us, and others on their 'tented' yachts,!
Our boat acted as a mothership for the race.

Happy days!

ianat182

 

[capnsensible]

Beach at Safi:

Memories??

I do like that coast too. Mohammedia is now a big commercial port but the old yacht club is a nice spot. Essoria is still a bustling fishing harbour, chaotic, smelly, fascinating! Agadir now has a full service marina, beach and lotsa tourist restaurants. Think Safi is my favourite, though.

Cheers, CS

 

[ianat182]

Agadir too brings back some memories, not least shooting a grey mullet with a shotgun(I think I mentioned here in an older thread); they were swimming in the harbour as a large shoal. Each of the fish had their head protruding from the water surface and looked like turtle heads.
The one shot by the skipper stayed afloat, but the 'convoy' of the rest carried on. The fish was quite the largest mullet I've seen anywhere, and was eaten with plenty of flavour added, as pretty bland otherwise. I was the cook/steward/deckhand/ trainee navigator and engineer aboard until having to return to the UK for National Service.
Some years later Agadir had an earthquake that destroyed much of the town and harbour with some loss of life, but I understand it has become a popular resort for holiday makers these days.

ianat182