No matter how lively the seas, fresh the wind, or numerous the breakages, I begin to develop a meditative sense of calm on long passages. Day slips into night slips into day slips into weeks. Time slows. Life is clarified. I don’t want to disembark. I want to sail onward forever.
But there is a shift with the first sighting of land. The excitement of arrival starts to take hold. As we get close enough to shore to be greeted by local smiles, the transition is complete; I am ready to make landfall and reconnect with the world.
We’ve spent the last two months exploring Madagascar’s northwest islands in the Diana Region from Nosy Mitsio to the Baramahamay River and everywhere in between.
And lucky us, we still have six more weeks in Madagascar (with a quick visit to Mayotte) before heading on to South Africa across the Mozambique Channel at the end of September.
Each week, we set sail for new horizons or return to old favorites.
We wake up to golden sunrises, snorkel with sea turtles, commune with lemurs, trade with locals for fresh eggs and giant lobsters, walk along empty sandy beaches surrounded by endless blue, and make new friends exploring island villages.
At the end of the week, we return to our base in Hell-Ville (named for former Reunion Govoner, Rear-Admiral Anne Chrétien Louis de Hell) on Nosy Be to restock provisions, and if lucky, dine in town with fellow boaters.
Our weekends are spent anchored off Nosy Komba, where we enjoy the company of our friend Stefano Palazzi, the founder of We Work It Works, and the lovely people of Antintorona.
Too much to cover in one go, so I’ll start with our time in Nosy Mamoko, the first island we visited after checking into the country, and then include other favorites in more detail in subsequent posts.
We’ve now had two opportunities to visit Nosy Mamoko, a tiny island off Madagascar’s grande isle. The large bay is flat calm, the type of anchorage one would want to drop their hook for an extended stay, especially if they have a long list of boat repairs after a long passage as we did.
A lush landscape surrounds the island, as Mamoko seems to have avoided the deforestation endemic in other parts of Madagascar. Even the rare dead trees in the forest have been brought back to life by serving as hosts for thick vines that envelope them.
The only thing that moves slower than the turtles in Mamoko is time. The village looks like it might have many years ago. There are no roads here, only footpaths. The community is poor but clean with a sense of bounty created from the abundance of free-roaming fowl and a sizable harvest of fish from the day’s catch.
Mother Nature is revered here, so only what is needed is taken, and all are engaged in maintains her gifts.
The wild lemurs run freely throughout the village, and if they don’t appear on their own when you’ve come to feed them bananas, just ask the village children to call out to them (Maki! Maki! Maki! ) until the lemurs make an appearance.
Fishermen and their families travel to Nosy Mamoko by hand-crafted outrigger canoes or small sailboats to trade with the village as Malagasy’s are always on the move looking for new opportunities. And wayfarers from around the globe make their way here on larger sailboats during the dry season, given Nosy Mamoko’s long-standing reputation as safe and welcoming.
The people of Nosy Mamoko are reserved, yet friendly. Most speak only a local Malagasy dialect. We befriended one young man named Thom who speaks French, trading with him on a few occasions and challenging him to a friendly game of Boules. He invited us to a feast in the village on the last day of our visit, but sadly we already had plans that required us to decline.
On our first visit to Nosy Mamoko, we brought a few small gifts to the island’s Mpanjakavavy (Queen) and were granted permission to stay at anchor. I felt an immediate connection to her although I speak only English and she only French and Malagasy. (When The Captain is with me, he bridges the language barrier with his fluent French). The Mpanjakavavy exudes a mighty spirit that is well suited to guide, provide for, and protect her people.
Mamoko beckons me to return. I look forward to visiting here again in mid-August with my friend Lexie Klein to explore a little deeper.
Next Up – We Work It Works – The village of Antintorona on Nosy Komba
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What an amazing sailing adventure, Lisa! I love your photographs of Madagascar. It is so nice to see what it looks like because I have never seen photos of the people and the place before. Hope you are doing well!
Ahoy from Nosy Sakatia Jennnifer! Such a pleasure to hear from you. Madagascar is mind-blowingly amazing and incredibly welcoming. We are so lucky to have four months in total to sail here as Madagascar is a place to be savored. More stories and pictures to come. Life is good. Thank you so much for your visit and generous compliments.
Fascinating. 🙂
Thank you so much Drake. You would absolutely love all the boats here. A great deal of commerce is still conducted under sail and there are many larger classic design ships that are used to cart bigger items like Cars and Tuk-Tuks to the cities.
I am SO glad you did your own Madagascar post before I got there and wrote anything about it. It is YOUR place, and I will be but an interloper, unable to tell its story anywhere near as well as you can after months of absorbing everything. And the everything is amazing! OK, the lemurs and the baobab have to be mentioned first for their stereotypical appeal, but the people and the flora are also engaging and rich. I simply cannot wait to see and experience it all!
P.S the boat looks very small out in that wide bay (wahhhhhhh), and I did not get my usual email that you had posted (only the pingback). So I’m off to check if I’ve missed anything else (hope not).
See you in ONE WEEK!
OMG, ‘interloper’ is the last word I would use to describe you. Cherished guest is more like it. We can not wait for you to get here!
In the end, I was starting to collect so many stories in my head and pictures on my computer that I thought my head would explode if I didn’t start writing about it. And honestly, every day is a unique experience here, no matter how many times we visit a place. I can not wait to see Madagascar through your lens and words. I still have at least three more pre-Lexie visit stories to write…and just think about the awesome story we are going to write together.
PS – I promise you that you will long to be on a tiny boat in a large empty bay for years after you leave here.
PPS – the people are my favorite thing about this place!
PPPS – My email client generates once a day and I published after the distribution schedule. You should have it when you wake up tomorrow.
I was so seduced by your poetic writing, and stunning photography, that I had to go back and focus on the content. Sentences like Time slows. Life is clarified… I want to sail onward forever” make me want to sail on forever too! Awesome post!
You are lovely to say Donna! Greatly appreciate your kind compliments. Lovely to see you again after your blogging break. Welcome back.
So beautiful, Dorny. Beautiful pictures and beautifully written!
What a treat to see your lovely compliment on the blog this morning Jane. Feeling very blessed to be traveling here. Miss you.
Sounds wonderful and amazing! Enjoy the rest of your time in Madagascar xx
It is so funny Audrey. We are loving Madagascar but missing everywhere we’ve traveled (and envying your visits to the gorgeous places we missed). Guess we will just have to go ’round again. Look forward to seeing you all (virtually) in these parts next year.
I am so glad you both are having a trip of a lifetime. Your capture of Madagascar in words and photos, Lisa, was such a pleasure to read. Keep on having a great time!! XO Margo
What a pleasure to see you here Margo. Thank you so much for your love. We are truly enjoying our adventures in Madagascar. Health permitting, we will be sailing closer to home in 2019 (Brazil by April then possibly Columbia, The Caribbean or Panama). Maybe we will get lucky and see you and Steve visit Amandla again.
Your photos are amazing as usual, Lisa! I admire the balance you have, even when you describe the days slipping into nights and weeks, then the excitement of landfall! Such a sublime description and an enviable life! Thanks for sharing your wondrous views of Madagascar!
I thank the sea for that balance Terri. Practicing meditation on land was a discipline that I never seemed to master. At sea, it is effortless. Thank you so much for your supportive words. Delighted that you enjoyed the post.
Lisa
As always, a wonderful “reportage”! So many memories come back from visiting those islands 20 years ago — and so sad to see that this wonderfully welcoming people still lives in poverty. I took the same pictures then than you did a few weeks ago. I am so happy for you that you have so much to spend on the island — I hope you make it to Ste Marie! thank you so much for taking us along your adventures, your stories are wonderful and it’s a true gift to see the world through your eyes. Fair winds!
I would so love to visit Ste Marie but I don’t think it is going to happen this trip. Our August and September are now happily booked with visiting guests and then there is the need to sail to Mayotte in-between for a visa run. Fellow yachties that are making their way from Reunion will be stopping in Ste Marie along their way to Nosy Be so we will gladly get to live vicariously through them. Have you ever done any writing on your time in Ste Marie? Would love to know more about your time there. Thank you for sailing here with me virtually and for your kind compliments. Look forward to the day when we can sail together again in person.
Amazing pictures. Amazing life you are living. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of a world view unlike any other – made me check airfare from Rome to Nosy Be!!!! A little too steep for us this year (I was out of work for 4 months), which makes me sad.
Well, I am very happy that you are back to work (I miss visiting you at work 😉 and will enjoy another wonderful August in Italy. There is a cabin on Amandla with your and Richard’s names on it whenever you want to come sail with us. So glad that we have reconnected.
Hi Lisa, I love the idea of time slowing down and life clarifying. We are in the middle of moving and I could use some life clarifying since everything around me is a state of chaos at the moment. I love seeing the lemurs. I had no idea that they were in and around villages with people. I always pictured them hiding in the jungle! I look forward to reading more about Madagascar.
I am delighted to know that you’ve found a new dream home. Between the move and the pending nuptials, and business growth it is no wonder that your life feels a bit chaotic. But you’ve got it all going on and things will simmer down soon.
Loving the lemurs here. We’ve come across five different varieties already and I understand there are more to come. They are very friendly but they will do anything for a banana. One jumped into my face as it was making way from a rooftop to the banana in The Captain’s hands. Luckily, it was like having a stuffed animal tossed at me so no harm done, just surprised.
I hate you. You are one of those actual “adventure” travelers that others talk about but who use Airbnb and TripAdvisor. And me…well, I just visited (of all things not adventurous) Hobbiton, the movie set in NZ. Whoa, get down…there wasn’t even a zip line there. And your photos are gorgeous as ever, but I see: no street art.
I adore you and miss you Mr Badfish. When are you going to start entertaining us with you wonderful travel stories again? Your tales are so amusing that you could turn a trip to the local dry cleaners into a comic adventure novel. Never made it to Hobbiton when we were sailing in New Zealand. Can’t wait to hear what you have to say about that. Here is a little piece of street art just for you (although it may show up in an upcoming blog post)
I miss life in cyberville, miss my friends there. In some ways, they are closer to me than people in real life. I took a bunch of photos of wall art this summer…thought of you EVERY time!!! You’re still king (er…queen) of that genre!
And we miss you in the virtual anchorage! Your ears must be burning because Lexie and I have just been talking about how awesome you are. Maybe we will get lucky and meet you in an actual anchorage (or exotic travel location) someday! Hugs
It’s like you’ve stepped through a portal in time. They have so little but glow with contentment. That queen is pure majesty and those lemurs seem like creatures from another world. As always, your photos and word fill me with bliss. So thankful for people like you in this world. Hey, I speak fluent French, so if you find yourself in need of a translator… Is Lexie meeting you there soon? What a wonderful meeting that will be.
Otherworldly, timeless and content are definitely good words to describe Madagascar. One thing I’ve learned as we’ve circled this blue planet is that ‘stuff does not buy happiness’. We see time and again that people with little other than what is required to meet their basic needs are on the whole far happier than people drowning in stuff. I certainly have been worlds happier since I traded my stuff for experiences (although I do long for the comfort of a Manhattan apartment, dinner with old friends at the Odeon and colorful cashmere from time to time). You are welcome aboard the Good Ship Amandla anytime for a visit. Lexie arrives here on the 14th #cannotwait. Thank you for your friendship!
Wonderful!
You float my boat ?
What a wonderful world you inhabit, Lisa! I’m going sea green with envy of Lexie. 🙂 🙂 The creatures, the beaches, the people… it’s like an idyll. Wishing you many delicious weeks ahead.
So looking forward to Lexie’s visit Jo! Wish you were coming to join her here. You are always welcome. Madagascar is idyllic indeed. Blessed to spend an extended period of time here. The best part is the people.
Well Lisa,
Another interesting and beautiful account of your continuing adventures. You are slowly approaching my favorite places in Southern Africa. By the time you do you might actually be “lemured” out! Looking forward to the next chapter.
I need to pick your brain for some ‘must-see’ places while we are moored in South Africa. I doubt I would come close to making the stunning wildlife images that you have, but I would enjoy experiencing those magnificent creatures just the same. I hope you get to Madagascar someday with your camera. think I would have to be here for many seasons to tire of the lemurs. So many varieties and so friendly. I had one fly into the side of my face while he was making way from a Mamoko rooftop to The Captain’s hand in pursuit of bananas, but it didn’t hurt; felt like someone threw a stuffed animal at my face :-). Thank you for the visit and your lovely compliment. I adore blog comments.
This leisurely visit to Madagascar is wonderful. I don’t know how you will bring yourselves to leave!
It will definitely be difficult to leave these shores (as it was to leave Fiji and New Zealand ;-). We’ve had such an enjoyable time that we are considering going around the globe again. There are so many places we want to revisit and so many places we sadly missed the first time around. Always a pleasure to see you here Amanda. Thank you so much for the love.
I know the feeling ! We feel the same about the Pacific… Going round again makes perfect sense to me and I would go a lot slower next time 🙂 xx
Ha! Me too. I was originally in such a hurry to sail around that I wanted to do a ‘drive-by’ circumnavigation in two years. Luckily, The Captain slowed me down so I could stop and smell the tiare. Still, I’ve pushed us to go a bit faster than either of us would like to complete my ‘goal’. Next time, much slower.
Such a beautiful post, Lisa. It inspires me to travel and want to explore new places that off the radar. Your visuals (the sea turtle, laughing children, and the last rainbow) are gorgeous! And your writing describes every feeling vividly! Thank your for taking me along on this wonderful journey. For a few minutes, I forgot I’m in a city surrounded with towering building and felt transported to a surreal paradise. 🙂 Hugs!
Thank you for sailing Madagascar with me virtually Cheryl. You’ve filled my sails with your lovely sentiments. I hope someday your travels bring you here. And I hope someday you’ll join us for an actual sail. At present, we are making way along the southwest coast of Nosy Be back to Hell-Ville. We are surrounded by local sailboats being carried from shore on the afternoon sea breeze. Another grand day on the water ⛵️???
I hope so too! I must confess, I’m not good with water. That why I enjoy your adventures all the more, Lisa. Maybe, we could meet on solid ground somewhere in this world. I’ll be hopeful. xo
I look forward to the day that we meet in person! Plans for 2019 – Jan – Cape Town, Feb- Namibia, Mar – St Helena, April – Brazil and then, TBD. May travel South America, North America or cross the Panama Canal and head back to French Polynesia. Still solidifying our plans. Who knows what the future holds…but I look forward to having you in it!
Your plans are so exciting! There are so many countries on your list that I would love to visit. But, it does’t look like we will travel outside Asia for the next 2 years. 🙁
Well maybe I’ll get lucky to make my way around again and see you back in Asia. Who knows what the future holds
Wow. Truly awesome pics, as usual, and descriptions that make me want to visit Madagascar more than ever. With so much stunning beauty and welcoming people all around I don’t know how you’ll be able to leave 😀
Oooh I do hope you get to visit Madagascar one day Norm. This place is truly magical and the people are very welcoming. The only thing that will lessen the pain of leaving Madagascar in late September is the promise of new adventures as we sail onward. Thank you so much for your very generous compliment!
So much to savor…and that sunset (last photo), it’s explosive; I’ve never seen the heavens look more beautiful. Enjoy.
That sunset photo was taken at the Mamoko Anchorage which truly is heaven on earth Cristina. I’ve never seen a sunset quite like that before. It happened on the day we received permission from the Mpanjaka to anchor. She seems to have a good connection to Mother Nature… perhaps it was a welcome gift :-). Delighted that you enjoyed the post. Thank you!
🙂 Marvellous! And you’re meeting Lexi! What fun you will have! The two photos of the children on the turtle and of the Queen with the fish are everything. <3 <3 <3 I'll think of you and this life as needed. In fact, I do already. 🙂
Thank you for all the love Manja. You are especially kind to say ‘I’ll think of you and this life as needed’ ? Wish you were here to join Lexie and me for the fun. 5 days and counting! And another HUGE thank you for coming back to my blog to pose this comment after being unable to leave it on your first attempt. Greatly appreciated. Hope you found a bit of adventure on your road trip today. Hugs from Hell-Ville.
I took 320 photos. Nuff said. 😉 But we didn’t go high enough up along the Soča river as we’d planned so it was merely green and not turquoise. Next time!
? 320 photos! Sounds like a grand day indeed.
“…to develop a meditative sense of calm in long passages…” it’s something that only evolved minds can do, Lisa, and I’m sure that this skill has become part of you even when on shore.
Once again, breathtaking photos and experiences that make my day delightful. Thanks.
And how wonderful to share this experience with Lexi! You two have a great time together. ?
Thank you for having so much faith in my Lucile! I do hope that I become skilled enough to generate that meditative sense of calm when I become land-based again. I think I still have a bit of work to do before I can experience it outside of long passages ;-). And it is you who have made my day delightful with your kind compliments, warm wishes, and willingness to work with me in the background to solve the commenting issues with my blog. To paraphrase what I recently said on your blog, I am hopeful that Lexie’s experience aboard the Good Ship Amandla will be great and entice you to make your own visit someday. Hugs from Hell-Ville.
It does look like you have been sailing Madagascar indeed, Lisa. What a few months it has been for you. Nosy Komba sounds like a great place to anchor and so convenient to get to and fro across the islands around. Nosy Mamoko sounds like a small island that packs a punch of peace and serene views, and great company. So interesting to hear that time there moves slow – things are simple, life is simple and everyone in your captures seem so content. Thom sounded like such a great jovial guy and though you turned down his invite to his massive feast, I’m sure he’ll remember you. Amazing captures all round and wow that rainbow sunset, and especially of the lemurs. They look like a bundle of fun. Mr Wobbles says hi and hope you and crew Amandla see more wildlife and stay safe ???
Madagascar is a magical place, Mabel. The lemurs have been asking after Mr. Wobbles and wondering if he might come here to play with them in the trees. One lemur I met flew into my face as he was making his way from the rooftops to the bananas in The Captain’s hand. Felt exactly the same as if Mr. Wobbles had been thrown at me – very soft and light and no teeth or sharp nails used in transit. I think that rainbow sunset (taken in Mamoko) was a gift from the Mpanjaka. She seems to have Mother Nature’s ear. Thank you so much for coming back to comment here a second time after my blog played nasty tricks on you in your first attempt. Greatly appreciated ✌️❤️?
Hi Lisa – as requested, I’m back to attempt another comment. This time my identity did not pop up automatically and I was given the boxes to fill in with my email, etc.
… and it worked!! ?
Yay you! So appreciate your helping me test the commenting fixes on my blog. And thank you again for all the love you sent my way via email. Hope you had a grand adventure exploring new areas today. Cheers from Hell-Ville
Lisa – I could not comment last week when I tried to reply – hopefully it will
Work now
Ok / nice / it is working –
My comment for this post is that the water shots were awesome and then the people shots – your usual culture rich share!
The lady (vendor shot) holding the veggies with the roots is my favorite photo and I had a special moment zooming around that image – zooming around the cloyhes – complexion – eyes, etc.
While people in Madagascar’s more remote villages are very open to being photographed, people in the more tourist filled city on Nosy Be tend to say NO when I ask their permission. The vendor here is one of the rare occasions that I was given a ‘ YES’ when I asked so it is a very special photograph for me. Thank you so much for savoring the post Yvette and for your very kind feedback ??
Yay! Thank you for giving it another go Yvette! Comment received and welcome ?
That last image is amazing! Well, they all are, but that one most of all.
Ahoy from Nosy Be Anabel! Greatly appreciate your visit and kind feedback. That image was taken the day we received permission from the Mpanjaka to anchor in Mamoko. She seems to have a strong connection with Mother Nature and I think of that rainbow sunset as her welcome gift to us for our visit. Heading back there with Lexie Klein this week #cannotwait.
Ahoy Lisa, just dropping by to confirm that the site opened via the reader and that I could comment as well! Yay. Problem solved.
Yay! Such good news. Thank you so much for helping me to troubleshoot the issue Lucile. Lexie arrives tomorrow btw. Wish you were here with her.
Hi Lisa – My previous two comments did not go through so I’m hoping this third one will. Thanks for sharing your sailing journey and beautiful photos. My cousins visited Madagascar last year and enjoyed it very much, too. I was eyeing the sailboats in the Toronto harbour and thought of you in Madagascar.
I so appreciate your visit and kind words Natalie! Lovely to be thought of while you are watching the boat sail by in Toronto. I hope you will follow in your cousins’ footsteps and find your way to Madagascar someday soon. Such an amazing place. I am so sorry that it took you three times to be able to leave a comment. I thought I had fully resolved the commenting issue but apparently not. Could you let me know if you tried to leave all your comments today or whether you came back to the site after two failed attempts a few days ago? Also, what error message you received (was my site asking you to log in?
Hi Lisa – I came back to the site after two failed attempts a few days ago. I didn’t receive any error message other than my comments didn’t appear after I selected the Post comment button. I tried twice and decided to return on another day.
Thank you so much for taking three attempts to comment and for clarifying your process for doing so.
Wonderful post about an amazing adventure. All of the photos are terrific but that last one is stunning. Definitely worthy of contest submission Lisa!
Wow Tina! Thank you so much for such a generous compliment. You’ve seriously brightened my day.
Beautiful landscapes, friendly people and huge smiles. Everything you want to make a visit memorable. What a beautiful island.
Madagascar is an incredible place to visit. Would love to see your lens here.
Madagascar has been at the top of my top 10 list of places to visit since 2005 (when we visited Bhutan which was then the top of the list). Reading just your first post on Nosy Mamoko has confirmed that this is definitely somewhere I need to visit one day. How lucky you are that you have many more weeks to enjoy her beauty! Can’t wait for the next post…
Oh how I wish you were here touring with me now. When are you and Mick going to come for a sail? I am a lucky girl indeed. Loved ISSUE SIX of On Your Doorstep Magazine. Best yet! Glad to see things coming along well at the Gallery. Miss you!
Lisa your photos are magical. It is as if I am looking at a fairy tale location untouched by the rest of the world. how fabulous that Lexie will be joining you! Looking forward to reading of yur adventures on both of your blogs!
Madagascar is such a treat. Most of the places we visit are tourist free (except us of course 🙂 and even the most heavily touristed island that we’ve visited outside of Nosy Be (Nosy Iranja) was a virtually empty beach. The reefs are pristine, wildlife tame, and people warm and welcoming. So wish you could be here with Lexie and me. Its been too long since I’ve gotten to see your smiling face. Look forward to connecting somewhere on this globe again soon.
Truly an amazing adventure, Lisa! Thank you for letting us meet the local people, love the smiles of the kids.
The last photo is stunning!
Thank you for all the love Amy! Blessed to be able to visit such an amazing place. That rainbow sunset is the icing on the cake.
Soooo I have always wanted to visit Madagascar, as it was a country that was mentioned often, given how close it is to South Africa. My father went there on business a few times. It was always the exotic animals that I have associated with Madagascar. And the lemurs…. well you know how much I love animals.. but I too, much like someone else commented, assumed they lived in the trees and were too shy to approach humans (as are the grey faced langurs in our neighborhood). So it was definitely a surprise to see them eating out of a child’s hand and interacting with people. They are so incredible looking!!!
We are starting to get our plans together for our journey towards Mozambique… perhaps we can manage Madagascar along the way… Do hope to reconnect with you in Mozambique if not elsewhere. I am jealous of Lexie right now, headed your way. How wonderful!!
Love your photographs and especially the one of the kids on the HUGE tortoise. But all are so enticing. Wonderful Lisa!!!
Peta
Oh, I do so hope that you visit Madagascar. You would LOVE it here. And I would love to see you! When do you plan to visit the region? Lexie arrives this afternoon and I am soooooo excited to introduce her to the turtles, lemurs and wonderful people we’ve befriended here.
Hoping to leave for Africa early December or late Nov. plans still flexible and classic for us “up in the air”… would love a reunion!!! ??
On 23 Sept, we start sailing slowly southwest from Nosy Be to South Africa via Mozambique (outer islands only if we have to wait out the weather). Once we get the all clear on The Captain’s cancer scans in Durban (around 21 Nov) we will make our way to SimonsTown in False Bay by late Nov, Cape Town by late Dec, and Namibia by late Jan. If you are in the area, give us a shout. We’d love to host you or even just meet up for a dinner if that is all that is possible for you.
Your portraits are always so fantastic, I feel as if I am meeting the locals you meet. Lovely to have you relaying your adventures once again now that you’ve landed.
Thank you so very much for your lovely compliment on the portraits. They are my favorite type of image to make. Like a window to the soul. Still craving sushi after reading your post but have since enjoyed a good cup of tea.
Agree the prose at the start of this post is beautiful. I started reading this several days ago when it was posted but had to put it down as I was on shift in the dark and starting to feel a bit seasick. I have just now remembered to come back. love the photo of The Captain and the lemur!
Ahoy from Nosy Be Trish! Thank you so much for returning once the seasickness subsided. While Madagascar doesn’t have the plethora of unique species that Australia does (I still remember Andrew’s sharp eye in pointing out those noxious snakes and spiders to avoid on the trail) the ones they do have are absolutely adorable.
The way you are telling a story can motivate and inspire anyone to start sailing and explore the world. Plus, when your writing is accompanied with stunning pictures, one can only read and enjoy!
Lovely to know that my post can inspire a traveler as experienced as you Lydia. Thank you for your kind feedback.
What a life!!! Those photos say it all. Happy.
Love the Queen (with the Brooklyn t-shirt) and how the fish in her hand looks like it is breathing out that white cloud you see in the sky…
I so appreciate your kind feedback. That picture of the Queen is my favorite from Madagascar so far. And I’m excited to report that we are headed back her way this afternoon for a two days visit ?
Have fun! ?
As I read this post, I am just dreaming of being there Lisa! WOW!!! So I just spent the weekend sailing with my neighbors who have a sailboat in the Apostle Islands. it was so amazing. I can now understand your lifestyle a bit better and wow what an incredible adventure. We would drop anchor and take the dingy or kayak to shore but for you to do so around an entire country would be incredible. I can hardly wait for Lexi to come and to read more of your posts. Incredible Lisa.
Ahoy from Nosy Sakatia Nicole! I am happy to report that Lexie has arrived safely and we are having a lovely time here. Went snorkeling with turtles yesterday and are sailing off to Mamoko to meet with the Mpanjaka today #soexcited. I saw your Facebook posts about sailing with your friends in the Apostle Islands and am delighted to see you’ve caught the sailing bug! Would love to see you and the family do some more sailing together. Perhaps this book by Behan Gifford might interest you. She just finished a 10-year circumnavigation with her husband and three kids. I hope you find your way to Madagascar by sea or by air. This place is magical.
What a lovely place. I can understand the sense of timelessness while sailing. I will have to make peace with the sea. But not now. Not yet. 🙂
You have indeed found another place outside of time.
Congratulations, and keep enjoying. All the best to you and le Capitaine.
<3
(Back in Mexico after 6 weeks of Parisian bliss, and lousy Internet, so I can now catch up.)
…as I will have to make peace with the air someday. But not now. Not yet.
Lovely to see you back here after your visit home. Looking forward to more posts from you now that your back in Mexico. And I do hope your travels find you in Madagascar someday. Timeless as you say and so much to savor.
Peace with the air? hmmm. Sounds ominous. Maybe that is why you love the sea so much? 😉
I’m sorting out material for future posts. 🙂 May take a few days… (weeks?)
Not sure I will ever go to Madagascar. As you my know, I spent most my childhood in Africa. And I don’t think I will return… 🙂
Buon finale di settimana… 😉
(I hope the Captain has no relations or acquaintances in Genova. What a terrible thing)
Genoa’s infrastructure failure was horribly tragic. Thankfully, none of The Captain’s friends were lost.
Glad. Though in those cases, everyone becomes “family”. Does the Captain still have relations in Italy? Where is he from? And you? If I may ask? 🙂
Bons vents
Indeed ?.
The Captain is from Milan. His immediate family has passed away but he still has cousins and many, many friends living in Italy.
This looks like a beautiful place.
I am delighted that Madagascar’s beauty came through in the post Amy. It is a remarkable place to travel #blessed
Wow! that lemur is very friendly. And the turtle photo is amazing. I love looking at the frothing white on the deep blue in the top photo. Thanks for sharing the people you met and your journey. It’s all pretty awesome.
Delighted that you enjoyed the post! Lemurs are super friendly and very tame. We’ve just come back from another visit with them, the turtles and the wonderful people of Mamoko.
Oh my goodness, Lisa, reading this made me feel like I was swept up in a fairy tale. You write about Madagascar so gorgeously! And I love the lemur pictures. 🙂 The country looks so beautiful. You’re giving me wanderlust! Enjoy the rest of your six weeks, and I cannot wait to read more!
I am delighted that this post enkindled your wanderlust Britta. I would love to see you back ‘on the road’. Madagascar is a magical place and they could benefit from great teachers like you. My next post will be about a school started here by a friend of The Captain’s. I’m a bit behind on blogging as I just had a fellow blogger Lexie Klein (https://lexklein.wordpress.com) on Amandla for a wonderful visit and today The Captain and I are sailing to Mayotte for a visa run. Hugs from the sea.
PS. Lemurs rock!
I don’t have any plans to teach abroad or live abroad again soon. I finally feel like I’m in a really good place in DC (as you read in my most recent post), and I want to enjoy it for as long as feels right. I do, however, miss traveling. As much as I love home, I also crave adventure, so hopefully I’ll be able to do some more of that in the coming years!
So lovely that you got to meet a fellow blogger! It’s always such a treat to meet a blogger in person–I’ve met two bloggers in real life thus far, and I’ve enjoyed each opportunity. Looking forward to the day when I can meet YOU. I saw your most recent post, but I haven’t had the chance to read it yet. Too busy running around with fourth graders all day!
You are most definitely in a good place. There will be plenty of time for traveling (and reading blog posts) in your future but right now you have the very important job of shaping beautiful little minds. Looking forward to the day when we get to hang out.
There is an island that I want to stay on forever! Nosy Mamoko sounds amazing, I’ve starred it on my map of places to see for sure, something about people who are just in touch with nature and community that makes me want to join them! I’m super excited to read your upcoming posts from other places around Madagascar. I can see from the “Where in the world am I” map that you’re already around a big peninsula and moored next to another interesting looking island. Ah, these satellite images don’t do enough justice!!
I would love to see you visit Madagascar someday. Was back in Nosy Mamoko with a guest a little over a week ago and it was even better than the last time. We’ve sailed onward to Mayotte for a short visit but look forward to returning to Madagascar soon ?
La famiglia… <3
We do too, still have friends and family in France. Always a treat to see them.
I like Milan. Went several times on business many, many years ago, and with my wife in 2014. The cathedral is out of this world. 🙂
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Great adventure Dorn! I know you have a lasting positive impact on every person you meet – either a short trade, a longer game of of the miscellaneous and random people you meet on your journey, trading, bartering, photographing, or a longer game of Boules…. You’re out Blessing the World, and yourself in return!
Ahoy there Mike Dog! What a treat to hear from you here! Making me weepy with all your love. My cooking hasn’t progressed much since the Campbell’s soup we brought you back in the day, but The Captain will serve up many a fine meal for you and Linda should you ever come sail with us #alwayswelcome. Big hugs from Madagascar
Back at ya Dorn! Let me get our son thru his senior year and assuming you are still out there gallivanting around the globe, nothing would make me happier than to take you up on that your offer of Cambell’s soup and/or a fine meal from The Captain!
Can not wait! Tell him to study hard because your ship is waiting ⛵️
Hi Lisa, I dropped by to see where in the world you are. I’m still in the US in my home town, in my same apartment, chair, desk, and computer. Not worry, I’m still traveling to alien planets and worlds where magic rules over physics.
My biggest adventure as of late, one living room wall has become a storyboard for The Destiny Series. It’s 10′ long and 4′ tall and it’s growing and filling in. Which means, I’m adding to the story.
Might not be as exciting as sailing around the world, but it’s exciting to me.
Thanks for sharing your adventures, Phyllis
Ahoy from Mamoko Phyllis. Oh to be able to travel as you do. It is I who am envious of your ability to create a tale. I soooo wanted to be an adventure story teller as a youth but sadly I lack your talents. I’ve been absent from the blogosphere for a bit while entertaining visitors and sailing a round trip to Mayotte on a visa run. Should be back next week with a post. Glad to hear you are doing well and ever creating.
Thanks for the encouragement. Hope you fell the same way when you land on my alien planet or visit my haunted house. ;0)
Happy sailing.
Lisa, you have such a beautiful blog and I am in awe of your exotic adventures. So many of these lovely places (Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Maldives….) are on my growing list. Now I’ll be daydreaming about travel even more than usual!
Ahoy there Caroline! Thank you for your visit and love feedback on the blog. Delighted that Lexie has introduced me to your wonderful pages. Looking forward to traveling with you virtually ?
Wonderful photos and content. Sounds like a fascinating lifestyle. You may have embarked or is about to embark on your trip to me – I stay in South Africa 🙂 (Cape Town to be precise(ish). Saturday I wore a t-shirt with slogan: note to myself: travel. Reality is there are those who dream (and maybe travel a bit) and then there is Karen Dorenfest. Enjoy your trip to and South Africa
Ahoy from Baly Bay, Madagascar Abrie! We wait here for a window to sail onward to South Africa. After checking in at Richards Bay, we will slowly make our way around the south coast with plans to sail into your beautiful Cape Town by end December. Am so looking forward to our moment of arrival.
I hope you can visit all the places that your heart desires, but remember that travel is a state of mind. Adventure is to be had wherever one roams. Thank you for your visit and kind compliments.
Thank you Lisa for this inspirational remark. I do believe that I have that state og mind 🙂
Thanks for this inspirational comment Lisa – I do believe I have the traveling state of mind 🙂 And you certainly have the right attitude to life as you make a Fest of Dornen!
And Cape Town is looking forward to your moment of arrival 🙂
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Nosy Mamoko seems really peaceful. 🙂 Reading this post, I could picture myself walking on the sands, chit chatting with wonderful people living on the island, learn something from the turtles and lemurs, drinking the moment.
Beautiful post, Lisa. 🙂
Delighted that you enjoyed your visit to Nosy Mamoko and thank you so much for traveling here with me virtually. It is one of my favorite places on the face of this earth. Hope you are keeping safe and well.
You’re most welcome, Lisa. Stay safe and have a wonderful day. 🙂