October to the end of 2017 (Yachtport Saldanha)

So while the radio merrily belts out those Christmas carols which always take me back to my childhood, such fond memories of “While Shepherds washed their socks by night, all seated round the tub” and “We three Kings of Orient are, one in a taxi two in a car” or “Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin lays an egg”, excitement grows in the count down to Christmas and ultimately the end of the year.

Our Christmas decorations are up, this year the little Christmas tree even got little lights, modern technology is amazing! 

Jeddah

Very brown in Jeddah

We haven’t managed to be quite as productive as we had hoped as Kevin was sideswiped with a tough job in Jeddah, Saudi, which sees him on site for two weeks and home for one and the depth of trouble the contract is in means much time at the grindstone with minimal downtime and is compounded by 

Festival of Beer

the fact that it’s a really difficult place to work, the cultural differences are huge and hard to acclimatise to, but he makes the most of it, after the last trip we re-introduced him to alcohol in style at the Cape Town Festival of beer.

One of the first jobs undertaken in Saldanha was to start undoing the damage caused by months of work and good old Cape Town harbour dust and grime.  After hours of scrubbing and washing MaXScene is finally looking fairly beautiful again (the severe water shortage in Cape Town does not allow the luxury of being able to wash her with fresh water).

Andrew and Sandra took advantage of the long weekend in October and came to visit, which gave us the excuse to check out one or two of the local West Coast attractions such as the Sandstone Café, it’s claim to edible culinary fame is fish and chips, it’s wine menu is severely limited and it’s music is most appreciated by the waiter who fancies himself karaoke king but “location, location, location”, it’s biggest attraction is the fact that it’s right on the beach front overlooking the bay.  We had our first sail around the bay, down to Skaap Eiland and Saldanha Bay Yacht Club, spotting many seals and some penguins along the way.

Muisbosskerm

So many beers so little time

A “quick” 4 hour round trip to Muisbosskerm for lunch (we didn’t realise it was that far but it was worth the journey) and a trip to Darling to the Brewery where there is a huge range of craft beers for tasting and yummy food as well as the Darling Olive farm for Olive tasting, a really enlightening experience.

The sewing machine saga became a bit of a patience tester, it turned out the brand new machine we purchased was in fact a second hand one and ended up taking nearly two months to finally be replaced with a brand new machine.  

This is definitely the answer however and the new Heavy Duty Singer has been churning out a whole lot of new charcoal covers and rope bags.

We experienced a little nostalgia as Anabella, a 44 foot Lagoon Catamaran arrived for a haul out.  Anabella was our neighbour at Zululand Yacht Club in Richards Bay for 8 months before she was sold and moved to Mykanos Marina, how amazing to see the two of them together again.

Just before Kevin’s first trip to Saudi, we attended the opening season sail at RCYC on Sungazer with friends Des and Jenny. 

 Much fun and laughter as Linda our favourite waitress literally jumped on board as we were leaving for the bay, sail past in the V&A which is always impressive and then a function in the Regatta Centre of the Club afterward. 

The tender boat got a much needed clean, together with a sprucing up of both the outboard motors which were then sold to make way for the new beefy 9.9 hp motor that we bought on show special at this years Cape Town Boat Show.  

After dropping the two motors off in St Helena Bay with their new owner, we stopped at Voorstrandt restaurant in the picturesque town of Paternoster for lunch.  On the way out of town a couple of kids no older than 9 threw half bricks at our car causing a couple of thousand rands worth of dents, little shits, lucky for them they ran pretty fast!!

Chrissy & Alan our neighbours
once again

Our friends Chrissy and Alan on Sundowner Rose returned to Cape Town from their sailing trip to Ascension Island, via St Helena Island.  What fun catching up and hearing stories of their travels and adventures, then they sailed up to Saldanha and are once again our neighbours. 

A flying visit to Pretoria saw me attending Juanita’s 50^th birthday party, so many people I know turned 50 this year, 1967 was a really good year – hmm like wine, we just get better with age – oh and yes I like wine 😊

The Clipper and Volvo Ocean Races both had a stop in Cape Town.  The Clipper Race has 12 Yachts that Race around the world, the wrong way, starting in Liverpool, Cape Town was their 3^rd stop.  Around 40% of the participants of this race have never sailed before, they are people who have normal jobs and a dream of sailing.  They undergo a week of tough training before being considered for selection, then if selected they take part in either the entire race or the specific legs they choose to do.  

The interesting thing is the participants pay (not are paid) to take part, the full circumnavigation would cost £49 500 (including the fee for the training week) and a leg would cost between £5500 and £7000 depending on which leg and an extra £6000 for the compulsory first weeks training, guess you’ve got to be really passionate about sailing. Sadly one of the yachts ended up on the rocks at Cape Point shortly after the start from Table Bay but the yacht Dare to Lead, captained by South African skipper Dale Smyth is still doing splendidly. 

To quote Robin Knox-Johnson, the Founder and Chairman of the Clipper Race “It is still a truly unique yacht race, open to anyone nomatter how experienced or inexperienced, no matter how old, no matter what background. People take on the Clipper Race because they have a desire that sets them apart.  They want to live life to the full”.

The Volvo Ocean Race is much faster and more intense, 7 well oiled racing sailing machines, they are one-design Volvo Ocean 65s sailed by the worlds best professional ocean racers.  It also circumnavigates, only they sail from Alicante finishing in the Hague.  We were able to see the exciting start of the Cape Town to Melbourne leg in Table Bay.

New Rockner Anchor

Graeme and his dad paid a short visit and managed to get a couple of jobs finished and two good sails around the bay.

Just before they left the wind blew (literally) solo sailor Barry Kennedy on his yacht Spailpin in for repairs to his motor.  A helicopter pilot from Colorado, he related many funny stories and provided much entertainment.

Des and Jenny and a couple of their friends popped to Langebaan for a weekend so we picked them up and got a guided tour to Kraalbaai (Des is an old hand at finding his way through the channels) which is a beautiful lagoon-side space in the West Coast National Park.  We are hoping to spend quite a bit of time living on anchor here before we leave.

My big surprise

That cake was good

Early December was my 50^th birthday and whilst I was hoping it would quietly slip by unnoticed my wonderful friends and family had other ideas.  Gaynor and Kevin had organised the best surprise I could have asked for - Gaynor herself, she was at the airport when we went to fetch Nicole and Henko who arrived for a visit. 

That face says it all, its damn cold!

 There were presents and a beautiful, huge carrot cake organised by Chrissy and the ladies in the office at Yachtport and I was made to feel very special and spoiled by all, including visiting sailing schools and the skipper of one of the ARC boats.  

We had a super cruise/sail down to Kraalbaai again with champagne brunch and swimming followed by dinner at Kokomo’s in Langebaan, a huuuuugge day.  A big thanks to everyone who took time to call or message with wishes, they made me feel very special.

 

Kokomo's for dinner

Wine tasting in Darling

How to track buck

Making fire with 2 sticks

After sending Kevin and Gaynor on their merry ways Nicole, Henko and I paid a visit to Darling Wine Estate for wine tasting then a trip to !Khwa ttu a San Cultural village – what an amazing and educational experience, I now know a number of uses for ostrich egg shell and Springbok hide, how to make fire using two sticks and what the very poisonous Melkbos bush looks like and so many different ways to click my tongue to make words.  What a wealth of information the San people are, thank goodness there is a drive on to ensure that their heritage and customs are protected.

Des and Jenny and Sungazer have arrived to join us in this little piece of paradise for a couple of months.  The water is still so clear, the seals provide non stop entertainment with their adept fishing skills and quirky little expressions, the birds are amazing, so many cormorants, a goliath heron, unspoiled beauty at its finest.

I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas day, in the morning…

So, from us and ours to you and yours, have fun, stay safe and may the best of 2017 be the worst of 2018.  Cheers all…..

August - September 2017 (RCYC Cape Town)

As the end of yet another year barrels toward us we are finally glimpsing the end of this interminably long tunnel which has seen us almost completely refit our entire yacht.  The fibreglass dust has come to an end, we’ve almost finished drilling holes and finally we are starting to see some sailing and fun in our future.

Bolt rope channel on deck

Bolt rope channel on
the roof

The roof over the cockpit has been well and truly bolted down, neatened up and bolt ropes installed to facilitate the installing of the new canvas surrounds.  

Making template for spray dodger

Spray dodger almost complete

We were so fortunate that Steve of North Sails had time available so our surrounds were professionally manufactured in record time.  

Making template for side

Steve and his colleague Bertine have an amazing working ethic, 

Steve is an experienced sailor and seamster and Bertine is a brilliant seamster, between them and with Kevin’s input, they designed and manufactured custom functional canvas sides which totally enclose our cockpit and shelter us from wind, rain and most insects.  We couldn’t be happier!!

Kevin and TC at Nissan Yokohama

Yokohama

Gaynor teaching her blind pupil

Gaynor riding "Roo"

Kevin had to make yet another flying visit to Japan, only two weeks this time and I made a quick trip to Pretoria to catch up with the family.  

Little Renault

Even littler Renault

Kevin brought back a really nice little Renault that we can take with us on the yacht - a neat little fold up bicycle. 
 Will get another one in the near future as he could only bring one back on the plane.

Cape Point Vineyard

We also managed to squeeze in a night at Cape Point Vineyard for a catch up with Eileen, Gerry and Judy, love this place.

Cutting yet another hole in the boat

Template for new hatch

Just the job

Seeing the set of the sails and rigging when you have a fully solid fibreglass roof over the cockpit proves to be a problem, Kevin cut another big hole and we installed a sliding hatch that gives a beautiful view of the sails while sailing.

Water drains off roof
into 100lt container

Using high pressure cleaner plumbed
into the mini jojo container

100lt mini jojo container

Kevin’s design of the roof included a raised edge which allows for the capture of rainwater.  This then pours down the two drains installed in the front corners, down two custom made hose pipes which join and into whatever receptacle we decide on.  Ideally the water will flow through a filter and then into our water tanks, but with the extreme water restrictions we are experiencing in Cape Town at present, a more workable solution is a collapsible 100lt capacity water container which we then use to wash the boat.

My excitement at making new cushions, covers, rope bags, etc etc (long list) was cut short when the poor sewing machine made a dreadful crunching noise and stopped working.  A dash to sewing machine hospital, Singer agents in Wynberg, resulted in a swap for a new, heavy duty sewing machine.  The poor lady was horrified that I was putting a pretty, light duty embroidery sewing machine through the abuse of heavy duty boat materials and she had someone who would buy it from me.  So now starts a new sewing era with a much simpler, more robust machine, or at least it will when we are able to get all the little bits and pieces that come with the machine.

Old corroded gas solenoid

New gas solenoid

The push was on as we were moving to Saldanha and a couple of things had to fall into place before our departure.  Graeme once again arrived to help and did plenty of that.  

Up again

Ready to be beautified

We once again hauled out onto the hard for a weekend, cleaned the bottom and applied two coats of anti-foul and drilled one new through hull hole for the eventual installation of the first electric toilet.  The anti-foul we use was not available in red so we went with a new colour and we are pretty stoked with the result. 

Making her look pretty again

Servicing props with Dave doing his
inspection for our safety certificate

Rope and plastic found wound round
the two propellers - this harbour is so dirty 

Making another hole

Thru hull for outlet for toilet
to be converted

That ladder wasn't a heap of fun

We had Alfred and cohorts helping us with the work, which was great as we managed to get the last of the gel coat repairs complete and the yacht polished, she was looking beautiful.  The end of the weekend was a sad affair as we bade Alfred farewell, he has become an institution on MaXScene, he has put in so much work over so many weekends in helping to make her look fantastic.  

They let him take the pipe he blew in
with him

Poor Kevin got pulled over in a road block on his way to dropping the guys off, had to blow into the tube and thanks to a small gin and tonic that Graeme and I had forced on him he registered.  Although he was way under the limit, they wouldn’t let him drive himself away and Des and Jenny had to come to the rescue, so annoying but one doesn’t argue with the fuzz.

Gary and a portion of his British family came to join us for a sunset cruise.  It was pretty chilly but really beautiful, then a fun and final jaunt through the V&A Marina ended the trip off in style.

Linda gives Kevin his birthday pressie

We planned to go sailing for Kevin’s birthday but sadly as the weather was closing in the evening turning into drinks and snacks in the cockpit on our mooring, good company, food and wine still made it a memorable evening.

Last 3 old batteries - out

And Michelle gets put to work

New Lithium Ion battery - in

We pass our safety inspection and are legal to sail for another year and Michelle arrived to join us for the birthday celebrations and the passage to Saldanha.

New solar panels

Complicated work connecting batteries

Now the final preparations before we leave.  Our buddy Eugene slides in at number 99 with the stainless tube that encloses the wires, installation has to wait til Saldanha.  

The new lithium ion battery gets connected and the solar panels, cockpit lights, nav lights and aerials are wired up and we have contact, all works and is happy, including #1 and the Chief Engineer.

Someone had to do the real work

Now we are ready to go, except the Cape Town south easter in true style had its say and our planned trip to overnight at Dassen Island on the way to Saldanha had to be cancelled, instead we waited the blow out and hopped on the back of it straight up to Saldanha in 10 hours.  

Farewell Table Mountain

The sea was much like a washing machine and the swell was often large causing some fun surfing but the wind stayed pretty consistent and from behind, nice trip.  Graeme caught a nice tuna which provided yummy sushi on arrival at Yachtport.

We were joined by a huge pod of dolphins as we passed Yzerfontein and they stayed with us for ages, racing along in the bows and leaping and jumping through the waves in front of us.  There were a large amount of seals swimming and jumping as well, the swells and waves seem to be a regular water park to sea life and to top it off a superb show of breaching by three whales, awesome.

Eugene's stainless pipe installed next
morning

Champagne brekkie to celebrate a
good trip

So here we are in a little piece of paradise.  We feel like we are on permanent holiday, the water is sparklingly clear, the walkon’s are sturdy and the bathroom is mere meters away.  We have little shoals of fish swimming around our yacht, we spotted an owl last night and seashore walks are right on our doorstep.  We have a couple of things we still need to finish working on, then we get to use this yacht for the purpose we bought her, to have fun and learn whilst sailing.

So bye for now from an incredibly beautiful, rugged West Coast