C’est parti!

After busy busy days going to the same shops over and over when we needed “just one more thing” we sailed out yesterday bound for the Skeleton Coast.

The last day was full with collecting an errant shipment with oceanographic instruments from RBR, a winch, most of a fishing rod (we are all desperately hoping for sashimi!) and the UK plug adapters that I had told everyone I had. Word to the wise, never use “ship spares in transit” on a commercial FedEx shipment…

The first three hours out of Cape Town were a little too eventful. The good including dolphins, the first gannets, and a beautiful sun setting on the coast. But the bad was our jib (the smallest headsail we carry) ripping in half just at the point of hoisting - and then our genoa halyard lock snapped with an almighty bang and Seb spent an hour splicing a non furling attachment to use with our spinnaker halyard on a furling sail. After that it was good to have a calm night!

Oh and all our electrics shutdown at about 4am! Must remember the reset the breaker when that happens next time - you can run the generator to recharge but if the battery is disconnected then…

I’ll get others to write in due course!Read more