Rodrigues Day 4

Hi everyone,
We've now been here at Rodrigues Island for four days.  So far we haven't escaped beyond the port town of Port Mathurin but we really like the place.  Everyone is very friendly and the place has a very relaxed pace of life.

Zen Again at anchor in Port Mathurin

As usual we've been busy on boat jobs prior to going exploring.  Here's what we've been up to:

• Lots of s/s polishing
• Checked & cleaned all bilges, lockers and compartments for water
• Food stocktake
• Laundry (done by local lady)
• Topped up fresh water (from rainwater tank ashore so filtered and treated aboard)
• Serviced engine (oil & filters)
• Installed new boom preventer
• End-for-ended anchor chain

View of the anchorage from above the town

We've been exploring Port Mathurin each day.  Initially we were after specific things such as SIM cards for our phones, restocking battery supplies, and buying fruit & veg.  All these were easy to arrange and generally cheap.  There is an excellent market which operates every day but its main day is Saturday.  It has fruit, veg and various other products on offer.  The fresh fruit and veg is very cheap and of excellent quality.

Exterior of market building

At the market

Craft stall

Jam!

More craft

Port Mathurin more generally is quite small and has a variety of architecture.  There are some nice art deco style buildings but most are of plainer style with tin roofs.  The stores are very colourful and many of them are like a tardis - much bigger on the inside than they appear from the outside.  We stumbled upon a store selling Hawkins pressure cookers and for $40 bought a second one to complement our "25 years old and still going strong" original.

The town reminds us very much of Dili in Timor Leste, albeit smaller.  The same variety of shops in somewhat run-down buildings colourfully decorated and staffed by friendly people.

One of many art-deco buldings in town 

Typical store in Port Mathurin

Today all yachts had to vacate the anchorage for the regular supply ship to enter port.  The anchorage is actually the turning basin for these ships.  So we all exited the port and anchored outside for an hour while the ship came in.

MV Anna approaching the harbour

MV Anna alongside in Port Mathurin (US yacht Haulback in foreground)

Last night a bunch of the yachties had dinner ashore.  The dinner cost less than $50 for two including a bottle of French wine.  Nice, and a very pleasant evening.

We expect to do some touring inland over the next few days.