The Gambia River delta is a great spot to let the rain season pass. It's well protected from waves and swell, the people are chilled and there are no tourists.

Akon and the crew at Lamin Lodge welcome me with great vibes, music and herbs. And they take great care of my boat and more

Akon my guide from Lamin Lodge took me to see the Elephant Tree looked after by Modou. The tree is a giant aged about 850 years.

if you sail into the Gambia River and to the capital Banjul, get a great guide like Akon from Lamin Lodge to assist. He's a great help and friend

My boat and I sailed from the dangers of anchoring in Dakar to the calm waters of The Gambia. This will be our new home, but first we must clear immigration and customs. Which were made easier with the help of Akon.

Pape & Mam are two of the best boat riggers I've worked with. Only at CVD in Dakar will you find true pros that can fix just about anything

It took six months to get my boat Galopin fixed up to sail again. The genoa was ripped in half and the main sail busting at the seams. Here the genoa is fixed and main sail replaced with an adapted sail I bought from a friend. They now need to be well trim

A big blue barge got loose in the hurricane force winds and was drifting towards me and my boat. It was a close call, but for others it caused a lot of damage. I got lucky

This solid steel boat sailed from Cabo Verde to Senegal and was left there unattende with a poor anchorage. Had the owner paid for a mooring, the boat would still float. It was for sale cheap and no one adopted it. In the end scrappers bought it

Choosing the cheap solution doesn't pay off. Buy the good parts for peace of mind for the price of a few less drinks

This young 64 year old loves to climb masts. It's his specialty at CVD. As well he knows his way around sailboats and is a quality sailor

The antifouling job had to be redone. and the guys did it. I applaud and thank the guys for doing the job again. It was not easy

We got sold inadequate antifouling and three weeks later my boats hull was caked with shells. It was like a super resistant mutant growth due to the extreme pollution in the bay

This is how you haul out your boat here at CVD in Dakar. I've done it several times successfully. But I cringe at the screeching sound going up every time

We've got to take my boat Galopin out again.but for the moment we're stuck due to an electrical glitch

I was met by Akon, referred by Pape in Dakar. Akon met me at the port of Banjul and walked me through the custom clearance process. We communicated through WhatsApp. I used Starlink because I did not have a local cell card. I then let him helm through the river to avoiding sand banks

Watching for nets, buoys and fishermen coming into the Gambia River

Hann Bay in Dakar is said to be the most polluted in the world. I can testify that the water in which my boat and I have been living is vile. Raw sewage has been pouring in for years. Authorities are working hard to resolve this environmental catastrophe. Amazingly there is still wildlife that seem to thrive in the water and in the air. Hopefully someday soon this bay will shine again.

After a week of sanding, cleaning snd painting its time to go back to the water on the squealing cart. Makes one cringe.

Sunday morning I'm woke6up by beiling sheep down below my boat. Which is hauled out for a new coat of antifouling. This sailing Africa