Arrived

Safe and sound in Durban Champagne is opem

Nearly there

We should be in Durban this evening, then we will be busy with the beaurocrats and organising a bit of sightseeing.

We had a nice breeze last night but now it is calm again and we are back to the motor.

Tiempo Loco

The weather is crazy. We have had many thunderstorms and at night the whole sky is lit up with lightning. The rain pours down and we have to close all the hatches, it stops and we have to open to dry out. The wind constantly changes direction and speed so Andy is up and down like a yoyo. A strong blow comes and he struggles for 30 minutes to get the sails down. Just when everything is neat and tidy the wind drops again. Up with the sails and then it changes direction!

We have used a lot of motor but progress is slow as even with the motor the irregular sea slows us. We should be in port in about 2 days.

The good news is that Clemencia has her sea legs and the motion hardly bothers her and that Andy i becoming slim.

Calm

Last night the wind came up a little and we sailed through the night. But it has dropped away again and we probably need to start the motor soon. Still, no hurry and all is well. After 6 days we have eaten all our fish so maybe today we will put out the line again.

Calm

It ha been completely windless now for 16 hours so we are motoring.

There is only a long easy swell so almost no movement and Clemencia is completely at home.

Only 3-4 days to go, though it looks as though we may have some uncomfortable weather for the last day.

Calm

The gale has passed and we are left with big swells and calms. Motoring along nicely and getting down to shipboard tasks like baking bread.

It is hard to believe we are near Africa, it is pleasantly cool for me - that means freezing for Clemencia.

Fast sailing

We have had a light gale for 36 hours but have been sailing very fast all along so are making excellent progress. Clemencia is like a seasoned sailor and busy knitting and cooking.

Albatross

We had a wind shift today and the weather has become cooler. With this we saw our first albatross (grey neck) of the trip. On course and making good progress towards South Africa. Playing Rummy Q it is so smooth!!!!

Dorado

Just after dinner last night we caught a big dorado, about 6-7kg. It was the first fish we have caught since leaving Bali!!! The joke was that I had changed the fancy expensive lure to a piece of tattered rag that Magnus had made. Maybe it was so tattered because it has caught so many fish.

Wind is changing but continues to be fair and we are making excellent progress. Despite sailing south it is not any cooler - well we are heading for Africa.

Dorado

Just after dinner last night we caught a big dorado, about 6-7kg. It was the first fish we have caught since leaving Bali!!! The joke was that I had changed the fancy expensive lure to a piece of tattered rag that Magnus had made. Maybe it was so tattered because it has caught so many fish.

Wind is changing but continues to be fair and we are making excellent progress. Despite sailing south it is not any cooler - well we are heading for Africa.

Dorado

Just after dinner last night we caught a big dorado, about 6-7kg. It was the first fish we have caught since leaving Bali!!! The joke was that I had changed the fancy expensive lure to a piece of tattered rag that Magnus had made. Maybe it was so tattered because it has caught so many fish.

Wind is changing but continues to be fair and we are making excellent progress. Despite sailing south it is not any cooler - well we are heading for Africa.

Day 2

We are not making fast progress but it is warm and sunny and not at all uncomfortable.

Farewell Reunion

We have left after 2 1/2 weeks lovely visit to a perfect tropical isle.

We have light fari winds and are sailing to pass south of Madagascar before heading towards Durban.
Hot and sunny.

Visiting La Reunion

We hired a car and travelled around this wonderful tropical island. It is a Department of France and so part of the EU. All the best of French culture and infrastructure combined with tropical heat and vegetation and spectacular mountains.