Off to Cape Town

By the time Maria and Richard had arrived in Port Elizabeth and settled into their cabins, it was late afternoon. We took a taxi to The Boardwalk and strolled along the seafront, watching triathlon swimmers making their way along the coast, and a lone yachtsman having a quiet evening sail close to the shore. We met Lauri's niece, Tula, in a beachfront cafe but, as burgers didn't appeal, we followed her guidance to a sushi restaurant, which provided a wonderful array of dishes.

The following morning we breakfasted early, and once the Flight Plan had been submitted and marina fees paid we set out to sea. Sadly Maria had an accident which, thankfully, wasn't as catastrophic as it might have been. As she jumped down to the concrete pontoon, a gust blew the boat away and she landed in a foot wide gap of water, striking her chin on the concrete and hurting her wrist. Fortunately no bones were broken and, although very shocked, she felt able to continue. The ship's hot water bottle was needed, and the vast medical kit on board Tin Tin was looked at approvingly, even if no more than Savlon and a bandage were needed.

The forecast allowed us to make for Cape Town in a three day leg, but sadly precluded stops en route at Knysna and Mosselbaai, where we would have been held up by head winds and been unable to get to CT on time.

Our departure from PE was a spectacular display of wildlife. First, there were humpback whales close off Seal Point breaching and blowing quite close to us. Then hundreds of dolphins appeared leaping from the water in a mile wide rush towards us. Large numbers of crisp white gannets sitting in flocks on the water soon took to the wing and then wheeled above the shoal of sardines fleeing from the dolphins, and dived relentlessly like a rain of white arrows. It was breathtaking to watch, and we were thrilled by the great mass of dolphins all around us.

The winds were very light and eventually we motorsailed when the sails started to flog uselessly and this continued all night. It was an amazing sight as we passed miles of coordinated flashing red lights on the wind farms........ no I'm wrong, that was two days previously just before arriving in PE.... Here the coastline showed lights from towns, and the comforting regular sweep of the lighthouse beam.

By mid morning on Thursday 30th November we were travelling along the shoreline between Plettenberg Bay and Knysna, in a big southwesterly swell. It's wonderful to be close enough to study the coastline and I had a go at sketching the great cliffs with the distant mountains pale beyond, rising to 1650 metres. 

passing Plettenberg Bay en route for Knysna

 

We were joined by leaping Cape Fur Seals which followed the boat, arcing smoothly out of the water to look at us. We also saw them lying on their backs with their flippers in the air, soaking up the sun.

I ran the weather forecast again, and was pleased to find that it had changed, giving us the option of stopping in Knysna and Mosselbaai for a few days before catching the Easterly winds to Cape Town to arrive on Tuesday 5th December. However on consultation we stuck to Plan A.

Knysna Heads opened up to show a dramatic passage through to the inner lagoon. Great surf breaking high on the rocks either side, and in the passage itself was a large catamaran, which looked as though it was trying to decide whether to risk an exit. The warning lights were flashing red and orange, and from outside it was impossible to see whether the big swells were breaking over the bar.

Knysna Heads - too rough to enter

So we altered course for Cape Agulhas and, with a fresh 25 knots of wind, were delighted by a fast sail into the west. We toasted our last Indian Ocean sunset with gin and tonic. It took several attempts before the new crew had worked out that the drinks tip over if left unattended in a swell!

Cape Agulhas - the most southerly tip of Africa

Overnight, however, the wind slowly died and now at breakfast on the 1st of December we are again motoring and should turn the corner into the Atlantic this afternoon.