Current Position: 33 01.433’S 27 53.843’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 9; TWD: 133; Current Speed, 0.2 kt; Current Direction, 180 Distance to Waypoint (East London): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 15914 nm; Engine Hours: 321; Estimate Fuel: 58+10+50;
Comments: It is 5:30, I am 72 nm from South London, and I am 7 nm offshore. I am flying the Yankee and storm staysail in a dead run. The main is lashed, in part because it would not be very productive, but also because it needs some repairs. The wind js 10, driving the boat speed 2.5, but I have a 3.5 kt current that is giving a SOG a little over 6. Between now and noon, the wind is supposed to build to the mid-20s and the current to 4.5. I expect to anchor at East London before sunset at 18:42. After my tea, I am going to try to sort out the anchor chain, which I expect to be a mess as it has not been used since Rodrigues. There are a couple of rain showers SE of me, but I expect them to pass S of me. I notice the first of the ARC cruisers will arrive in Richards Bay today (I got out just in time) and the last of the 5.80 racers will arrive in Durban today/tomorrow. It is 6:00 and I have passed the deep water of the sea cliffs and once again entered the shallows … currently 430’ (130m). I should see the current pick up from the present value of 2.9. Also, as expected, it has started warming up and the wind is back in the double digits. The chain was not as tangled as I expected it to be. By 9:00 I was still only averaging 5.3 in 8-10 wind and 3.7 current. At noon, right on cue, the wind showed up and the SOG jumped from 5 to 8 kt with 30 nm to go (30/8=4h). Now that the wind was strong enough to keep the sails filled, I changed course for the waypoint. It is 14:00, I am averaging 7.3, and I have 17 nm to go, so I expect to drop the sails about (16/7.3=2.2h) 16:15, giving me plenty of time to motor into the harbor and anchor before dark. I have decided to drop the sails two nm upstream from the harbor entrance should I have any difficulties furling the Yankee or dropping the staysail. It is 15:00 and I am less than 10 nm from the mouth of the Buffalo River. There are showers ahead, so it looks like it will be a wet one. The current is starting to drop off as I get closer to shore. I am 2 nm from shore and 5 nm from dropping the sails (about 16:00) and the current is 2.2. Waves are breaching the cockpit. The rain showers are reducing the visibility at the coast to zero and I cannot spot any features except the white beacon. I will need to use Navionics to find my way in … an “instrument landing.” Everything went according to plan. Sails were down 2 nm out, I had 2 kt current all the way to the opening of the river. There was still quite a bit if wind at the anchorage. I dropped anchor downstream from the moorings about 17:00. I was met by Mark, a Frenchman, who rowed over from his catamaran, the only other boat at anchor. I was messaged by Major Tom, who was moored at a “walk on.” After a bite to eat and a beer, I fell asleep early and woke up after sunrise (5:01) at about 5:25. I had awaken only once during the night, when I heard the river water flowing by the hull. I checked Anchor Watch and the boat had stayed within a 25’ radius all night.
Comments: It is 5:30, I am 72 nm from South London, and I am 7 nm offshore. I am flying the Yankee and storm staysail in a dead run. The main is lashed, in part because it would not be very productive, but also because it needs some repairs. The wind js 10, driving the boat speed 2.5, but I have a 3.5 kt current that is giving a SOG a little over 6. Between now and noon, the wind is supposed to build to the mid-20s and the current to 4.5. I expect to anchor at East London before sunset at 18:42. After my tea, I am going to try to sort out the anchor chain, which I expect to be a mess as it has not been used since Rodrigues. There are a couple of rain showers SE of me, but I expect them to pass S of me. I notice the first of the ARC cruisers will arrive in Richards Bay today (I got out just in time) and the last of the 5.80 racers will arrive in Durban today/tomorrow. It is 6:00 and I have passed the deep water of the sea cliffs and once again entered the shallows … currently 430’ (130m). I should see the current pick up from the present value of 2.9. Also, as expected, it has started warming up and the wind is back in the double digits. The chain was not as tangled as I expected it to be. By 9:00 I was still only averaging 5.3 in 8-10 wind and 3.7 current. At noon, right on cue, the wind showed up and the SOG jumped from 5 to 8 kt with 30 nm to go (30/8=4h). Now that the wind was strong enough to keep the sails filled, I changed course for the waypoint. It is 14:00, I am averaging 7.3, and I have 17 nm to go, so I expect to drop the sails about (16/7.3=2.2h) 16:15, giving me plenty of time to motor into the harbor and anchor before dark. I have decided to drop the sails two nm upstream from the harbor entrance should I have any difficulties furling the Yankee or dropping the staysail. It is 15:00 and I am less than 10 nm from the mouth of the Buffalo River. There are showers ahead, so it looks like it will be a wet one. The current is starting to drop off as I get closer to shore. I am 2 nm from shore and 5 nm from dropping the sails (about 16:00) and the current is 2.2. Waves are breaching the cockpit. The rain showers are reducing the visibility at the coast to zero and I cannot spot any features except the white beacon. I will need to use Navionics to find my way in … an “instrument landing.” Everything went according to plan. Sails were down 2 nm out, I had 2 kt current all the way to the opening of the river. There was still quite a bit if wind at the anchorage. I dropped anchor downstream from the moorings about 17:00. I was met by Mark, a Frenchman, who rowed over from his catamaran, the only other boat at anchor. I was messaged by Major Tom, who was moored at a “walk on.” After a bite to eat and a beer, I fell asleep early and woke up after sunrise (5:01) at about 5:25. I had awaken only once during the night, when I heard the river water flowing by the hull. I checked Anchor Watch and the boat had stayed within a 25’ radius all night.