Sale Rovers

Its always difficult to leave a place .....no matter how much planning is involved, something will always change. We went for it, knowing that the wind was set to go light, but eternally optimistic that there would be more wind at sea and stronger than WindGuru predicted! Sale and Morocco were calling. Tristan treated me to an audio book of the Sale pirates which we played at full blast through our new cockpit speakers! It was a wonderful sail....moderate wind and flat seas with nature's own fireworks, both shooting stars and bioluminescence from Noctiluca lucens. We saw the sun go down and come up again.....so peaceful.

We made good time but not good enough and had to sit off 12 miles off the coast of Morocco waiting to enter Sale, 22 hours later.

We could smell the city ....a combination of spices and rubbish. We were not brave enough to enter Sale at night and boy was that the right decision. Come morning we positioned ourselves two miles out and waited until near high water.

The sewage surrounded the boat from the river ...we were literally 'in the shit' off Morocco. Even I was shocked and I've spent my life looking at sewage outfalls. Bouregreg marina staff were brilliant and a pilot boat came out to take us and three other yachts into the marina. What an experience.

We followed in convoy to avoid the sand bar at the entrance and swell. We touched at one point but not enough to stop us. Tristan had a look of pure horror....and to add a little excitement locals in rowing boats went in front of us as we meandered up river to the marina. Meriva ploughed on like a juggernaut and I politely yelled off the bow, Tristan tipping his hat as we went by "Merci, Monsieur."

We all had to raft up for clearance by Police and Custom Officials. It was all friendly and polite......first time we had a sniffer dog on board and he kept slipping on the varnish. He also had to be dragged out of the sea berth..as that's where Tristan keeps his stash of dried sausages! We were guided to a pontoon and staff helped with the lines which was a real treat after Cadiz. We are really looking forward to the old town of Sale and souks and search for Tristan's spiritual roots.

Had a very humbling experience in Sale....was shocked by the poverty but also heartened by the care and charity shown to the poor by people who also had very little. There was a real sense of community amongst the people.

The medina was like a time warp. The stalls were selling everything including spices, plastic boxes, olives, pomegranates, small almond cakes, mandarins, and olives! The hedgehog skin in the pot pourri was 'interesting'. Didn't ask and didn't buy. The chicken butcher put us off eating meat...as the birds flapped around their cages whilst guts and feathers covered the floor. Looked like a torturous scene ......stressed meat. I did buy some henna powder, well that's what they told me it was. Just hope it is red. Last time I bought some in Egypt it was black henna and gave me a blue rinse. We didn't see another European in the Sale medina, and so stood out like a sore thumb. No matter how much you cover up and dress down short of buying a hajab being red heads you are always going to stand out. Being suckers for punishment we thought the late evening should be spent in the medina in Rabat. This felt a completely different place....the streets were cleaner and there was less blood, guts, mud and shit (though there was still quite a lot). We managed to get lost, several times, both being too proud to accept that we didn't know where we were going! The souks were very colourful with spices, carpets and shoes.

 We ended up in the residential quarter...fire crackers were being flung around by young boys, which had the desired effect of me walking at an Olympic training pace. Tristan managed a slow stroll on par with the locals which was unusual as he normally strides along with me running behind at home! We refrained from buying a 'boat tortoise'.....I haven't seen so many for years. Always reminds me of Blue Peter.



 I didn't take photographs in the souks -it wasn't a touristy place and it seemed inappropriate and intrusive. It has left an unforgettable experience - emotional, visual and olfactory.