This will be my last blog entry for a little while. I leave on HMS Deathtrap tonight. I better leave you all some particulars.
The name of the boat is the Moustapha Sy and the captain’s name is Mbaye Séne Faye. He was born on 08 Nov 1975 in Dieleumbane. I should be getting into Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Tuesday or Wednesday. The boat I’m on doesn’t have a radio and the guys onboard don’t speak Portuguese. I’ve asked my parents to ensure that the port authorities in Praia are informed of when we are coming in, otherwise they might turn us back.
Can somebody make sure that they do actually do that? Thanks. It’s rather important.
You have no idea how much I don’t want to do this.
Thank Zeus that May is over! What a rotten, frustrating, infuriating and expensive month it turned out to be.
June will be better, I’m sure of it.
Mate
I’m sure everything will work out. It’ll just be like when we got that lift home off the joyriders. Although to be fair they did it for free..
The Naval police of the Cape Verde Islands have intercepted a boat coming from Senegal with 12 migrants, including an Irish man who was leading the operation, according to police sources.
The boat also carried other people from different West African countries, many of them with contracts allowing them to work in Cape Verde.
The arrest was facilitated by some informants who alerted the naval authorities and the immigration department as the boat approached capital city of Praia.
All the passengers are in police custody pending their repatriation.
Praia – 04/06/2009
Although we don’t learn much new, here are two British news sources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/capeverde/5469349/British-filmmaker-imprisoned-in-the-Cape-Verde-islands.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/8088001.stm
And an automatic translation of some Portuguese article:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Faeiou.expresso.pt%2Fgen.pl%3Fp%3Dstories%26op%3Dview%26fokey%3Dex.stories%2F519535&sl=pt&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Ok, I stand corrected. Not quite like that time then.
oh my god!! We are all thinking of you mate.
Dear Graham,
We are thinking of you and hope all these troubles are sorted sooner rather than later. Try your best to keep positive! Faith, hope and love!
Kindest regards and our heart felt meditations,
Nick, KCC travel and tourism team and learners
thats Africa for you…. all the money that people keep on giving to the charities that are raising monies for people in all these African states, only goes to the money grabbing, greedy politicians who happen to be in charge at that particular time, because they dont know how much longer they are going to be in charge. There is always a greedier, money grabbing “revolutionary” waiting in the wings to take over.
I feel for Graham at the moment, especially being in one of those lovely African jails…. probably gonna have to bribe somebody. Lets hope that his camera equipment is still there when he gets out.. the most likely response he will get from the authorities when he gets out will be “What camera?”…
Hello Graham,
I stumbled upon your videos on Youtube while you were in the Caribbean, and since then my friends and I (in Canada) have been following your blogs with great interest. We admire your courage and determination, and wish you the best through this difficult time.
You fought the law. Well played sir.
Puh, good to hear that Graham is free!
Does Graham have to pay anything for this jail-court-nonsense? So, did the trip to Cape Verde get even more expensive? What happened to the rest of the boat crew?
And most importantly (haha): Did he get his camera back?
yeah. You may have stumbled upon a money maker here, Graham!! paying 3 grand for a leaky boat ride including a stay at the local crowbar hotel! Wow. Think extreme tourism.
Are you still on Planet Earth, Graham? If not, say hello to those Aliens for me!
“The name of the boat is the Moustapha Sy and the captain’s name is Mbaye Séne Faye. He was born on 08 Nov 1975 in Dieleumbane. I should be getting into Praia, the capital….”
I guess its not a trip around the world without being arrested! I’m glad to hear you’re out of that ghastly jail. I look forward for your next update! Rest up, you’re almost halfway there!
Good luck mate… one day you will laugh, i hope soon! Love your work.
I live in Cape Verde and I wish good luck to Graham. Someone should, honestly, tell the reason why Graham went to jail. Cape Verde receives hundreds of illegal immigrants in boats just like the one Graham arrived in Cape Verde and the 10 people with him were not legal immigrants. Cape Verde is ranked by Freedom House as “a free country”, and not a country where people are put in jail for nothing. At least, the normal legal process allowed him to get out of jail. Graham should have take more care of the mean he chosen to get to Cape Verde, but I understand it is a great experience. Cape Verde is a country which deserves to be discovered (google it!!!) and it’s far from the image some people tried to say with this unfortunate situation. For travelers, please also discover this blog from a French friend who traveled around the world http://davidenbalade2.blog4ever.com Wish you well, Graham.
“June will be better, I’m sure of it.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Famous last words, Gray. Looking forward to your safe arrival in Australia in time to celebrate the New Year.
Well Graham, Cape Verde is another place crossed off my “must see list” Sorry we did’nt meet in Guadeloupe as planned because of the strike but you where very lucky because 2 days after you left Martinique the srike began there too, it lasted 2 months. Hope your voyage continues without anymore hiccups, LOL but I must admit they are frustrating to you but funny to us mere mortals. scousepopo