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HomeNewsKiwi's Cruising Through the Zanzibar Coast: Sunsets, Socials, and Surprises

Kiwi’s Cruising Through the Zanzibar Coast: Sunsets, Socials, and Surprises

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Along the north-western coast of Zanzibar is a beautiful long beach encompassing the villages of Nungwi and Kendwa. As Madagascar closed on us, this is where we decided to place our floating habitat for several weeks before heading to our next destination. Even though the beaches of Zanzibar are littered with resorts, bars, restaurants, shops and hagglers it manages to have a very chill and relaxed vibe to it. Rather than the traditional scene of sun chairs and umbrellas, this beach is more like a place where locals and visitors “hang out” and perform, participate in or watch a myriad of activities.

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The Zanzibar coast, with its mix of culture, energy, and seaside beauty, is a magical spot for cruisers to anchor and soak up both local life and serene seascapes. Picture Maasai warriors performing their famous high jumps over kikoys (their traditional garments), locals enjoying impromptu beach workouts in a makeshift gym, and lively shows of acrobatics and fire dancing – sometimes with more passion than precision, which is never ideal when fire’s involved!

One of the great joys of being a cruiser is enjoying popular destinations from a peaceful vantage point. Sure, we’re tourists too, but cruising allows us to observe the scene from a slight distance, enjoying a touch of exclusivity. Anchored 30 metres off the beach, we’ve got the best of both worlds: stunning ocean sunsets from the stern, and a panoramic view of beaches, resorts, and palm trees from the bow.

And though we’re just off-shore, there’s no shortage of social connection. With at least four other cruising boats sharing the bay, camaraderie is strong. Gatherings are a staple: sundowners on Shamaness, karaoke on Aliika, dinner on Double Cove, and card night on Cruising Kiwis. Dinghies are the mode of transport, making for easy back-and-forth visits and keeping the social scene lively.

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When we do head ashore, it’s often for provisions, beach time, or a café visit. For shopping, we hop aboard “Fakki’s Bucky,” a sturdy little flat-bed ute owned by Fakki, a Zanzibari with the build of a rugby flanker and a heart of gold. He’s as friendly as they come, and he drives us through the villages, where we simply tap on the roof when we spot a store we want to visit. Fakki stops on a dime, and we hop out to get our goods before piling back into the shrinking space on his ute, repeating the routine from shop to shop.

In the villages, there’s also a warm expat community, mainly from South Africa, who welcomed us with open arms. Saturdays were reserved for footy matches (despite a few ill-timed All Blacks vs. Springboks games!) and the weekly darts tournament. Craig surprised everyone – but himself – with his darts skills, taking second place in every round.

Alongside our cruising, we even picked up some side work with charters. On one trip, we hosted 17 large, lively Brits and Zimbabweans who came aboard to celebrate a birthday – which turned into a surprise engagement! On another, we took out eight South Africans for a fishing trip. By 6:10 a.m., the first beer was cracked, and by 11:00, they disembarked with empty bottles, some Jameson, and big smiles. As for the fish? They were safe and unbothered.

Now, with our sea legs itching for adventure, a weather window has opened for a south-eastern passage. Next stop: Mayotte!

#Hashtags #ZanzibarCruising #MaasaiWarriors #SailingLife #BeachViews #ExpatLife #AdventureAbroad #DinghyLife #Zanzibar

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Bodil & Craig Norwood
Bodil & Craig Norwood
Bodil Norwood is a Norwegian who fell head over heels in love with sailing when her father took her out on their Laser at the age of 12. This passion soon turned into a dream of sailing the world, and fast forward several years (finding a Kiwi, having two kids, and a career as an IT professional in Sweden, New Zealand and Singapore) Bodil and Craig are now living that dream on their 40 foot Fountain Pajot, SV Double Cove (named after the paradise with the same name in the Marlborough Sounds).

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