Current Position: 28 54.500’S 32 04.988’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 6.5; COG: 220; TWS: 15; TWD: 85; Current Speed, 1.2 kt; Current Direction, 240 Distance to Waypoint (East London, 246): 327; Total Miles Sailed: 15583 nm; Engine Hours: 318; Estimate Fuel: 58+13+50;
Comments: The main items on my punch list on Friday (besides returning the car and getting my flight plan stamped) is getting a very long hot shower and ordering a full peri-peri chicken dinner with veggie sides to go. I went to sleep at 20:30. I woke up at 3:30 and could not get back to sleep. I downloaded the latest GRIB. No changes … southerlies starting this evening until Tuesday morning. High tide will be 16:22, so the sand bars will not be a problem for my planned departure at 16:00. It started to rain at 5:45. I returned the rental car at 7:30 and Eric the taxi driver picked me up. We went to immigration, customs, and the water police, and finally back to the marina. By 9:00 I was finished and eating breakfast while I waited for the paperwork to be processed by the marina. By 10:00 I was back at the boat, readying the interior. By 11:15 the boat was prepped inside and out. I am going to run with the same sail configuration as I came in on, so the storm staysail was hanked on the inner stay and lashed to the deck. I slept for an hour, waking up just before 13:00 and about that time it started raining again. I got a shower before returning the marina keys. I picked up a full chicken dinner to go at the restaurant, which should take care of the next couple of days. I was back at the boat by 15:00 and the wind speed is almost zero (1-4 kt and still from SSW). By 16:30 the wind had started to rotate to the E, still 3-6 kt, and I readied the boat to leave. I tossed off the lines about 16:30. By 17:00 I was approaching the breakwater, the fenders and lines were stowed, and I had permission from Port Control to leave the harbor. Major Tom, also headed for East London, is about 4.5 nm ahead of me. By 17:44 I am in a 1 kt SW current and motoring almost 7 kt at 2100 rpm with the storm staysail up. The depth is 60’. Once I am past the mooring field of cargo ships, I will shut off the engine and assess the wind. I count 15 ships anchored offshore. By 18:30 I had cleared the last ship and had the main hoisted with two reefs. That helped with the rocking. Unfortunately, I could see that the first baron pocket is torn. I sewed the second, but did not notice the first, I will have to fix it when I get to East London.the wind seemed to be picking up as I motorsailed and it started to back to the E. The SOG was not 7.5 as the current increased from 0.9 to 1.1 kt. PW says I am supposed to have 10 kt from the E by 22:00, but it looks like it is early. I turned the engine off at 18:30. There was 14 kt wind from 80 with a 1.2 kt current. I am doing 6.8 kt with half the Yankee, the storm staysail, and a double-reefed main. I am on my way. I have added current speed and direction to the data.
Comments: The main items on my punch list on Friday (besides returning the car and getting my flight plan stamped) is getting a very long hot shower and ordering a full peri-peri chicken dinner with veggie sides to go. I went to sleep at 20:30. I woke up at 3:30 and could not get back to sleep. I downloaded the latest GRIB. No changes … southerlies starting this evening until Tuesday morning. High tide will be 16:22, so the sand bars will not be a problem for my planned departure at 16:00. It started to rain at 5:45. I returned the rental car at 7:30 and Eric the taxi driver picked me up. We went to immigration, customs, and the water police, and finally back to the marina. By 9:00 I was finished and eating breakfast while I waited for the paperwork to be processed by the marina. By 10:00 I was back at the boat, readying the interior. By 11:15 the boat was prepped inside and out. I am going to run with the same sail configuration as I came in on, so the storm staysail was hanked on the inner stay and lashed to the deck. I slept for an hour, waking up just before 13:00 and about that time it started raining again. I got a shower before returning the marina keys. I picked up a full chicken dinner to go at the restaurant, which should take care of the next couple of days. I was back at the boat by 15:00 and the wind speed is almost zero (1-4 kt and still from SSW). By 16:30 the wind had started to rotate to the E, still 3-6 kt, and I readied the boat to leave. I tossed off the lines about 16:30. By 17:00 I was approaching the breakwater, the fenders and lines were stowed, and I had permission from Port Control to leave the harbor. Major Tom, also headed for East London, is about 4.5 nm ahead of me. By 17:44 I am in a 1 kt SW current and motoring almost 7 kt at 2100 rpm with the storm staysail up. The depth is 60’. Once I am past the mooring field of cargo ships, I will shut off the engine and assess the wind. I count 15 ships anchored offshore. By 18:30 I had cleared the last ship and had the main hoisted with two reefs. That helped with the rocking. Unfortunately, I could see that the first baron pocket is torn. I sewed the second, but did not notice the first, I will have to fix it when I get to East London.the wind seemed to be picking up as I motorsailed and it started to back to the E. The SOG was not 7.5 as the current increased from 0.9 to 1.1 kt. PW says I am supposed to have 10 kt from the E by 22:00, but it looks like it is early. I turned the engine off at 18:30. There was 14 kt wind from 80 with a 1.2 kt current. I am doing 6.8 kt with half the Yankee, the storm staysail, and a double-reefed main. I am on my way. I have added current speed and direction to the data.