Made it to Durban

The wind turned exactly one mile out! Talk about close. It is starting to get a little unnerving, how the wind works on this coast. I need a minimum of at least three days for this next hop which is the longest. I will leave as soon as there is a window.

I made it into the media again. I was called over to the boat Tantrum for a photo opportunity so the vanity in me won out. I had no idea what the article was about... Apparently the South African marinas are all taking over the Port's role in handling international arrivals. This is bad news for us because it means it will cost more. Here in Durban there is no longer a grace period on the "wall" and they have eliminated the anchorage. Great... We are forced to pay.

Headed towards Durban soon

There is talk of trying to make Knysna for new years but plans change daily. It has been getting harder to leave Richards Bay as the cruiser's "village" has grown in size significantly. A lot of the recent arrivals are younger. So many young cruisers in one spot is something almost all of us have never seen. Of course, quite a few older sailors seem to be getting younger everyday, like Henny (video), who is well over seventy.

Madagascar Flashback

Still here in Richards Bay waiting for the weather to improve before trying to get underneath the southern tip. Summer is supposed to arrive any day but it sure doesn't feel like it. I haven't seen a window more than about two to three days long. The plan (which seems to change everyday) is to not spend too much time in South Africa, and instead jump to Brazil from the Capetown area in January. A stop in Namibia only if weather forces me (I haven't heard anything that great about Namibia).


Here is a collection of videos I put together a few months ago in Madagascar. The guy giving me a hard time from the Imfolozi video is in a few of the clips. He is one of the very few members of the "under 40's club" I have met since I left California (John and I are both under 40 and have less than $40,000 US invested in our boats. He bought his Ranger 32, Dancyn, in California for $15,000 US). The clips also star another American singlehandler, Napolean, on "Ana Paula". I've put together a different video of Napolean and I in Baramamay, Madagscar that I might edit before I post so I don't risk the blog being labeled "adult content". Napolean says quite a lot when he drinks which can be considered entertaining depending on how you see it. A local Malgash guy who named himself after the American hip hop musician, Tupac, is in a few of the clips. He is infamous around the entire Indian Ocean amongst the yachtie scene. Stories abound about this "ruthless boat boy" who is to be avoided at all costs when in Hellville. Tupac's reputation comes from having done things like plant marijuana on cruising boats and then tipping off the local police or mixing seawater with diesel and selling it to refueing foreign boats. He is the one dancing on Pelican's stern.

The track is by Docteur J.B. (pronounced zhi-bey).