Month: December 2025

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, my Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 60+15+50;
Comments: I woke up at 5:00. I got ready to go for a hike and it unexpectedly began to rain at about 7:00. This was not in the forecast … it seems to be an isolated shower. I took the time to work on details for my departure. I checked the tracking for the propane solenoids and they are already in South Africa. The package just left Joberg, presumably for Cape Town, so it looks like I will indeed receive the package by Monday. I am planning a departure for Saldanha about 10:00 on Tuesday, before the wind picks up. It looks like very light winds for 24h, which is good because I plan to slow my roll to arrive a Yachtport early Wednesday morning. I have scheduled my outgoing formalities for later that day. Depending on when they are finished, I will either leave Wednesday or Thursday morning. I expect the first leg of the passage, the 1700 nm to my first waypoint, St. Helena, to take 15-16 days, so I will celebrate Christmas and New Years during the first leg. It is 8:00 and the rain clouds are still around the mountains. May not be the day for a hike. I am going to run errands and move some supplies (bottled water, etc.). After doing some shopping, the weather improved. I was at the trailhead by 10:00. The hike was grueling (because my legs were unaccustomed to such activity after nine months on the boat), but the scenery was spectacular. I crawled back to the car about 17:00 after having climbed Chapman’s Peak via the long route. I didn’t feel human again until after a long, hot shower.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, my Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 60+15+50;
Comments: I woke up at 4:00. Heavy fog moved into the bay from the mountains after first light. After tea, I started this morning by replacing zip-ties outside that hold various cables and wires. I then put Tef-gel on the outboard clamp. I have not used the outboard since Rodrigues and I probably won’t use it again until Barbados, if then. I know from experience the steel screws of the clamp cause the aluminum bracket to corrode. That is what has happened to the 2.5 hp motor. I will probably have to cut it off when I get back. At 8:30 I went with Richard in the marina’s workboat to fill my Jerry cans. The fuel is now at capacity. The diesel worked out to $4/gallon. By 9:30 I had all of the Jerry cans secured on deck. I then focused on storing the prepped meals. I put about two weeks worth under the map cabinet and the rest (and some other random ingredients) I put in the bin on the sole of the forward cabin. Most everything is put away in the main cabin. I am going to dump out all the water and refill all the tanks and Jerry cans on Sunday. I will also do a thorough cleaning of the main cabin then. It started to rain about 12:30. The wind is blowing hard from the N and it was driving the rain into the cockpit and cabin. I buttoned the cabin up. It will be nice to get everything rinsed off. It is 14:30 and it is still raining. This is the longest I have seen it rain since arriving in South Africa.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, my Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 60+15+0;
Comments: I woke up at 4:30 and got out of bed at 5:00. After my tea, I got to work, taking advantage of the fact there was no wind. I hoisted the mainsail to make sure it was installed correctly and to measure the reefing line for a Dyneema sheath. I installed the sheath and both lines, hoisting the mainsail a second time to make sure everything was working. After breakfast, I got back to work by lifting the dinghy to get aces to the forward hatch so I could cover it in plastic. I then filled the main tank using the Jerry cans. Just as I was finishing adding the tenth 5 gal can, the tank overflowed, meaning I had 10 gals more in the tank than I thought I did. Since I only guesstimate the amount of fuel from the number of hours the engine has run (and fuel consumption depends on rpm and load), I am conservative when predicting fuel consumption. I’d rather underestimate the amount of fuel than overestimate it. I am going to fill the Jerry cans tomorrow. I washed the outside of the boat. The weather forecast has changed. Instead of this weekend, it is now supposed to rain tomorrow. Accordingly, I will work on the interior of the boat tomorrow and plan to go hiking this weekend.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, my Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 2+15+45;
Comments: The weather was unexpectedly harsh yesterday and it blew very hard all night. I woke at 5:00 and it is still blowing. I had planned to put up the jib this morning, but will have to wait. I will cut the new sheets and cover them with the anti-chaffing material. I was supposed to have the hull cleaned, but I am not sure that is happening with the wind rocking the boat. I made new sheets for the jib, covered them with a Dyneema sheath to keep them from chafing, and raised/furled the jib. I started to transfer fuel when the people arrived to clean the hull. The last time I got the hull cleaned was as in Vanuatu in July, five months ago.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, 0; Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 5+12+50;
Comments: IO fell asleep a little after 7:00, before it got dark and slept to almost 5:00. I got up at and reinstalled the propane system, sans the solenoid and with the new regulator. I will turn the main valve on and off until the solenoid arrives. After my tea (I missed it yesterday), I replaced the defective manual fresh water pump. This is the second pump I have replaced. Both were knockoffs. I used the Whale Pump brand this time, so hopefully it will last. There was a leak under the sink. At first I thought it might be the trap that I replaced in Darwin (which would be bad news. Now I think it might have been the pump I replaced. I am going to let the cabinet dry out and figure out where the leak was coming from, or if it was in fact the pump. I moved on to organizing the new provisions. I put about two weeks of meals in the cabinet, which I figure with the fresh food will last about half the passage. The rest (and some random food items) I am storing in the tub strapped to the floor in the forward cabin. I still have not heard from Viking about the raft. I am going to try to take my fouled injectors to be cleaned and calibrated (rather than try to find new spares locally. I have plotted a potential course to Barbados. It will be about two weeks from Saldanha to St. Helena, hugging the coast initially to take advantage of the Benguela current, about a week to a waypoint just past Ascension, about two weeks due E to Brazil, a few hundred miles N of Recife, then another two weeks along the coast to Barbados.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, 0; Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 5+12+50;
Comments: I fell asleep last night about 7:30, just before sunset. I woke up at 3:30 with the sounds of fishing boats leaving m, but dozed until 5:00. I tried to make tea, but there was no gas. The solenoid isn’t working. I checked at it has 12V. It is frozen … probably because it has not been operated for a week while I was at the house. Tried tapping it, but it is dead. I will try to get a solenoid while at the chandler today. I have a backup regulator. The one in there is looking pretty corroded. The Avis dealer opens up at 7:30. I will leave about 7:00 (30m from now) to try to avoid the 8:00 traffic. The Avis dealer told me to go to a tire repair place around the corner. By 9:30 I was on my way to Cape Town. I picked up Mike at the V&A Marina, then we visited the rope factory Southern Ropes where I bought a 200m reel of 12mm marine-quality rope and a few other things, then Seaport Supply, where I got a replacement shackle for the jib and a replacement foot pump for the galley. While waiting for Mike at the Marina, I ran into two technicians for Viking Life Raft. They connected me with their office. It seems like they will be able to recertify my life raft before Monday. I asked around about a replacement solenoid for the LPG line, but no luck. I found out however that Amazon can ship it here by Monday. I ordered three for $150, including the $45 shipping fee. I thought about ordering more sensors too, but figured they would die right away like the other ones. It is 18:00 and I have not heard if I need to take the life raft to Cape Town tomorrow, so I assume I do not. I am going to work on organizing/cleaning the main cabin, making new sheets for the jib, etc.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, 0; Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 5+12+50;
Comments: Feeling productive today, I stopped work at 3:00 and went to the Lookout Restaurant because it was supposed to be sushi night. Unfortunately the special ended last week, but I had sushi anyway. My sever, Joel, invited me to listen to local music tomorrow night. I was back at the house by 4:30 to do my last load of clothes …’the clothes off my back. I am not likely to see another washing machine for 5 months. I went to sleep earlier than usual and slept until 4:30. After my tea, I finished packing. I was able to pack about 95% of the stuff in the bags I had, and I was at the dock by 7:00. I took five trips to the boat to unload the car and I was back at the house by 8:00 with a few empty bags to gather the last of the stuff … and to take the last freshwater bath I will likely see for the remainder of the trip. I soaked for almost an hour, as if preparing myself for the jerking I was going to experience in the saltwater during the coming months. I was back at the boat by 9:30. The wind was still relatively light, so I installed the mainsail. I struggled for quite awhile to secure the pins in the tack and flew, but by 10:30 I was finished. I organized the V-berth area and cleared out some food that I will not eat (donated it to locals). I worked on the boat until 15:00, then got a shower and something to eat. It is dust and I am going to sleep.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, 0; Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 5+12+50;
Comments: As promised, the winds were back last night and they threatened to wake me up at 3:30, but I managed to sleep until 5:00. This is my last full day at the house, so I need to make good use of it. I emailed Saldanha to begin the process of outbound clearance at Yachtport. I was working on the boat by 7:00. I donated the canned/bottled goods I believe I will not use and cleaned out the fridge. I was back at the house by 8:30, soaking my shopping bags in bleach to remove mold, salvaging one of the four mosquito tents and both hammocks (after throwing away the corroded hardware and treating them for mold), and wrapped the two duffle bags with spare clothes in plastic so they don’t get mildewed again. I need to decide whether to make a special trip to the Avis car rental to have the spare tire replaced or whether I should combine the trip to the one to Cape Town. The car rental place is 25m away and on the way to Cape Town. I printed out copies of the boat’s documentation (officials are always asking for copies of the passport, boat registration, etc.). I made another half dozen meals and when the laundry was ready, I put it in the dryer and took my nap. After an hour I started packing the laundry. I made a few more meals, then took them to the boat. As so hoped, the parking lots were full of tourists, but there were almost no cars on the pier, so I was able to drive right up to the marina gate. That was good because I had four loads of clothes and the wind was screaming. What is now left at the house is more manageable for tomorrow. It will be Sunday so I assume it will be quiet at the pier. I have to be out of the house by 10:00.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, 0; Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 5+12+50;
Comments: I woke up at 4:30 but did not get out of bed until dawn. I packaged several more meals, then went to the boat to take the provision I had prepared and gather some more ingredients. I stopped by Woolworths and was back at the house at 8:00, making another half dozen meals. I returned to the boat at 9:30 to meet with Jonathan from Southern Loft. He said the sails were in very good shape and now could easily go around the world another time. Another stop at the store and another half dozen meals later, I laid down for my midday nap. I visited the hardware store and the boat once more. Tomorrow I will do final laundry, make the last of meals, and donate the cans of food onboard that I will not be using, do I can make room to finish cleaning the main cabin and move back onboard Sunday.

Current Position: 34 02.971’S 18 20.883’E; Timezone: UTC+2; SOG: 0; COG: N/A; TWS: 40; TWD: 182; Current Speed, 0 kt; Current Direction, 0; Distance to Waypoint (Hout Bay): in a slip; Total Miles Sailed: 16487 nm; Engine Hours: 388; Estimate Fuel: 5+12+50;
Comments: I woke up at 4:30. I received a message that the sails are finished and will be delivered tomorrow or Saturday. I will need to find a morning with light wind so I can install them on the boat. I did computer work in the morning before going to the boat. I was at the boat by 8:00, but just for an hour, gathering things to make meal packets. I was back at the house by 9:00. I made a dozen meals packets and then took my 2h nap. Meals included split peas soup with ham and carrots, Greek (dolmades, giant white beans in tomato sauce, couscous, and olives), and corn chowder (made with instant potatoes, cream corn, and “spam bacon”). I figure I need about 30 of these meals because some have multiple servings, I will have fresh food for the first week or so, and I will probably catch fish. I got up and packed two large duffle bags of clothes I do not expect to use for the remainder of the trip. I want to seal them in plastic with duct tape. I made 60 individual servings of my oatmeal recipe this afternoon.