Well, we got the cat purring. Ressie records of feline fantasies falling fabulously: fastest movement, Maverick at 14.8; fastest douche, Harsol at 19.3 (suck it up Glenda); fastest mounted wave, Pornstar at 19.8. But how far can you cajole a cat? A ground-breaking 261 miles in a day, apparently, says gear-breaking Gibson. Two lives later, Ressie is reduced to two white sails. That gorgeous genoa is GONE. That spectacular spinnaker’s been shredded, again.
GOODBYE, REUNION!
What a trip! Reunion to South Africa. Gurus don’t die, they just rust, but by day four there were clear signs of guru metal fatigue. Maverick was low on Campari; Pornstar was reduced to vanilla-flavoured rum, and we were wondering what would fall off the mast next. Time to wear safety hats. Ressie kept going though, and we sailed into Richard’s Bay after a fast, exciting sail.
MADAGASCAR? TIME TO TURN RIGHT… at 18.4 knots
Welcome! Zululand Yacht Club could not be a better arrival port. Swaying palm trees, crocodiles, impossibly friendly people and $1.50 a beer. Arrival formalities are eerily Fiji-like, byzantine with a twist of comic happiness.
The trip down the South African coast? “Interesting” says Pornstar. The question is: what does it take to get a Pornstar interested? A freakish combination of wobbly seas, 3 knot currents that can whip a sea up in seconds. Harsol reckons it was a bit like a Hobart race: read unpredictable, wet, bouncy. Difficult. But here we are, an easy day ahead of the next low pressure system. The rest of the fleet are toughing it out – they left later, and are still on the way to Richard’s Bay, racing now to get ashore before that same infamous Low. They will need to wait at least 5 days before the next leg.
AFRICAN SKIES
Port Elizabeth. Home of Mandela. We’ve just walked ‘Route 67’ – an amazing street-art celebration of Mandela’s life. It’s beautifully done. South Africa perplexes. Some beautiful architecture, vibrant, colourful people, and yet barbed wire everywhere.
MANDELA STREET ART
We’re off to a game reserve this weekend – Addo, which is billed as the ‘Kruger of the south’ apparently. Whatever. We’re here now until the Low pressure passes through, and then will make a dash to Mossel Bay, and then on to Cape Town!
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