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Relaxing in Waterland Marina in the Jungle and Driving in Suriname

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America

Suriname is not well-known as a travel destination yet. It is an easy going country. A massive river flows through it, and thick green forest are all over Suriname. It offers jungle tours and a unique mixed cultural experience. Most of the sailboats and travelers are from the Netherlands.

Driving on the left side of the road was new thing for us. We managed quite well even while avoiding lots of pot holes and slowly driving over the Drumpels (Speed Bumps). With a non-Suriname Driver’s License, we can drive for two weeks. John applied for a ‘Suriname Driving Permit’

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Internet SIM Card in Suriname – Digicel Prepaid SIM Card

Posted on by by Posted in Internet Abroad, South America

(January – February 2018) In Suriname, I bought a SIM Card from the Digicel store in Paramaribo, Capital of Suriname. SIM Card cost 30 Suriname Dollars (about USD4) and 6GB data cost 153 Suriname Dollars (about USD21) which is good for 30 days. I paid it by US Dollars and received change in Suriname Dollars. The store person setup my phone. There was no waiting line in the store.

We stayed in the Waterland Resort Marina near Domburg (http://waterlandsuriname.com/w/). There is Wi-Fi available at the outdoor café/restaurant in the marina. This Wi-Fi speed was good but the connection speed from the boat was not fast enough for me.

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Entry Clearance, Roti Curry Chicken and Saoto Javanese Soup in Suriname

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America

The Customs and Immigration clearance took us only a half day because we hired a special taxi service through the marina we are staying at. The taxi driver took us to the right locations: (1) the Maritime Authority Suriname (MAS), (2) Tourist Visa Issuing Agency, (3) Suriname National Bank (30 Euros or USD35 Tourist Visa Fee/Person), (4) Back to Tourist Visa Issuing Agency, and (5) Military Police/Border Patrol (for Passport Stamp).

Suriname is for me the most harmonious melting pot country among all the countries I have visited so far. Some people were originally from Africa, India, Java/Indonesia,

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Visiting Salut Islands in French Guiana and Sailing to the Suriname River

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Sailings, South America

(January 9 to 10, 2018) The ruins of an old French Prison on the Salut Islands were interesting, especially the solitary confinement. I watched the old movie “Papillon”, as this is where he was imprisoned, and finally escaped. I understand many prisoners died because of the hardship in the tropics. Despite of seeing some cute jungle animals during a half day strolling on the island, I had enough of the island because it was hot and humid. We went to back to the boat.

A loud horn woke us up when we just started taking a nap in preparation for night sailing to Suriname.

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Set Sail from Cabo Verde to Suriname, South America

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Caribbean Islands, Sailings, South America

We are about to set sail today for Suriname (Caribbean Island). It will be the longest sailing for us, about 1900 nautical miles. We estimate it will take about two weeks.

Sending you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wish us fair winds and following seas.

A Lyric of Cesaria Evora’s Song Translated in English in the Maritime Museum

Mar Azul (Blue Sea)

O… Sea, quietly lie down and let me go
Let me go and visit my homeland
Let me go greet my mother… O sea
Blue Sea,

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Fish Market in Mindelo, Sao Vicente Island, Cabo Verde

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Sailings

Fish price here is excellent. Price is set by supply and demand. If the weather is bad for fishing, the price goes up. If fishermen bring lots of fish, the price goes down. We bought Sushi Grade Yellowfin Tuna yesterday for 3500 Escudos (USD4) for one kilogram. It is about two USD for a pound. It is cheaper than eggs or canned tuna.

Our next stop will be Suriname. Sailing from Cabo Verde to Suriname is downwind sailing with the trade winds.

After monitoring the weather forecast, we postponed sailing to Friday. The wind forecast looks good throughout the days.

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Internet Access in the Cabo Verde Islands – Unitel Prepaid SIM Card

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Internet Abroad, Sailings

(December 2017) There are many stores selling Unitel SIM Cards in the Cabo Verde Islands. I purchased a Prepaid Unitel SIM Card from a small local electronic store in Espagos Town in Sal Island. It cost 100 local money ‘Escudos’ (about USD1.1) and it came with a balance of 50 Escudos (about 55 cents/USD). I put 1,250 Escudos (about USD14) to purchase 5GB data (Good for 31 days). After the store person activated the 5GB plan, I tried to access to the Internet but I was not able to connect. They didn’t know about the need of the APN setup and told me where the Unitel store is.

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Internet Access in the Canary Islands – Movistar Prepaid SIM Card

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Internet Abroad, Sailings

(October to November 2017) In the Canary Islands, I purchased a Prepaid SIM Card from a Movistar store in downtown Arrecife in Lanzarote Island. It cost 15 Euros (about USD18) for a SIM Card. It came with a balance of 15 Euros so the physical SIM Card didn’t cost anything.

I activated the 2GB data plan by deducting 15 Euros from my balance in my account. 5GB data plan was not available for a prepaid SIM Card. After consuming all of the 2GB data, I went to a supermarket to put more money on my account. I was told from Movistar that 2GB data renewal is not an option for a Prepaid SIM Card.

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Seeing a Lonesome Small Local Sailing Boat in a Heavy Sea

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Sailings

Sailing from Nicolau Island to Vicente Island was rough and tough because of big waves. Autopilot, our favorite crew worked hard! We let it drive the boat and stayed inside of the boat keeping us dry. Periodically, John went to outside to check the sea and the surroundings.

A couple of hours into the trip, John asked me to come out to see a small local boat with a homemade sail (smaller than the size of the waves) sailing alone in the heavy weather, far away. At first, I thought it was a sailfish. OMG! I was uneasy seeing such a small boat sailing alone in the big waves,

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Living on the Water and Dinghy Parking in Cabo Verde

Posted on by by Posted in Atlantic Islands, Sailings

On Boa Vista Island, we experienced big swells at the beautiful sandy bottom anchorage (Sal-Rei Anchorage). Wanting to see the island, we went to shore carrying up our HEAVY HOMEMADE HARD dinghy to the beach.

Departing from the beach back to the boat, lots of children voluntarily came to push the dinghy into the water. Once the dinghy was close to the water, a couple of kids were already on the dinghy for fun.

With waves and the motor running, John was worried that someone would get hurt. A local swimmer/fisherman helped the situation telling the kids get off from the dinghy and towed the dinghy to waist depth water.

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