Current Position: 33 01.433’S 27 53.843’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 9; TWD: 195; 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: The Talia is offloading vans, probably Mercedes manufactured somewhere else for South Africa, before loading the sedans. The 30 kt gusts came about 3:00. The chain got stretched out in a new direction, but the anchor seems to be holding. I still don’t have the bridle on (in case I had to move the boat fast), but I will put it on in the morning. It is 5:30, a half hour after sunrise, and the anchor held overnight. The wind will not be a strong today as it was last night, so I am confident enough to leave the boat to do some shopping. At 5:50 the Port Control contacted Talia and told them the wind was 30 kt offshore, too strong to pilot out the vessel. At 7:00, convinced the anchor was finally going to hold, I deployed the bridal. I went for a “spa day” and shopping today. The Talia was guided out of the harbor at 16:00. I have been studying the weather patterns on the south coast. While the windows to Port Elizabeth have been narrow, the windows for the rest of the way to Cape Town appear to be longer. It seems to me that a departure on Sunday midday and motoring early on and later when I am about 50 nm from Port Elizabeth would put me into a nice westerly wind pattern that would be strong except perhaps Tuesday night that could see me into Hout Bay Thursday morning.
Comments: The Talia is offloading vans, probably Mercedes manufactured somewhere else for South Africa, before loading the sedans. The 30 kt gusts came about 3:00. The chain got stretched out in a new direction, but the anchor seems to be holding. I still don’t have the bridle on (in case I had to move the boat fast), but I will put it on in the morning. It is 5:30, a half hour after sunrise, and the anchor held overnight. The wind will not be a strong today as it was last night, so I am confident enough to leave the boat to do some shopping. At 5:50 the Port Control contacted Talia and told them the wind was 30 kt offshore, too strong to pilot out the vessel. At 7:00, convinced the anchor was finally going to hold, I deployed the bridal. I went for a “spa day” and shopping today. The Talia was guided out of the harbor at 16:00. I have been studying the weather patterns on the south coast. While the windows to Port Elizabeth have been narrow, the windows for the rest of the way to Cape Town appear to be longer. It seems to me that a departure on Sunday midday and motoring early on and later when I am about 50 nm from Port Elizabeth would put me into a nice westerly wind pattern that would be strong except perhaps Tuesday night that could see me into Hout Bay Thursday morning.