Winter is coming to Cape Town

Monday, 30 April 2012

 

Not many of the long-distance yachtie boats are left here in Hout Bay near Cape Town, South Africa.  Most have gone across the Atlantic by now and are in South America, the Caribbean or even farther away.  It is getting noticeably colder, the frequency of storms has gone up drastically – as I write, it is blowing 52,5 knots (Force 10) – and most of us are huddling inside.  One storm is following another, so that we will have a respite of only one day before the next one starts this time.  Outside the bay, there are recorded wave heights of up to 17 meters.  Except for the residents there are only very few people left, as almost all the ones which haven't sailed, have flown away to see their families and left their boats behind for the time being. 

 

 

 

We had intended to be long gone as well.  We had waited for seven weeks for the mechanic Charles to start working on our saildrive.  Then he decided to tell us that he really didn't have the time to do the job.  We don't have enough time on our visas to go through the same routine twice and so we will head for Brazil with only one functioning saildrive.  Doesn't really matter as we use the engine only to get in and out of harbors anyway.  We were toying with the idea of leaving the boat here and visiting my family for three months.  My mother is suffering from cancer of the lymphatic system and is receiving chemotherapy.  Also, it wouldn't have been half bad to spend June/July/August in Germany to resume our trip when the winter here is over.  The school in our little village had already agreed to take Aurora Ulani in so that she could get used to the German school system.  Unfortunately all our plans fell through. 

 

We had applied for a South African visa-extension as soon as we got to Hout Bay more than two months ago.  We still haven't got it.  Things are going very slow around here and if it weren't for the approaching winter, we wouldn't mind at all.  It is a friendly little yacht club and marina here, and it is a busy fishing harbor as well.  We've befriended a few of the locals and we have met lots of people from Taiwan.  They have become very good friends by now.  These guys seem to make our life sometimes like a fairytale and they treat us like kings.  Thanks so much, guys! 

 

 

 

We did get a few things done and that is mostly thanks to the efforts of other people.  Steve Meeks, one of the sail makers of North Sails (Cape Town) has been very good from the beginning.  For a brand-new fully battened mainsail of 52 square meters, the repairs of the old main, the genoa, and the stackpack/lazyjacks he charged us less than US$ 1,900!  Even our local sailor friends find that price amazingly low.  We haven't been able to see whether it all fits properly, as the wind has simply been too strong.  According to Steve, he used the best cloth that North Sails (New York) had to offer. 

 

We have applied for a visa for Brazil and Wednesday Liping is going to apply for a new Taiwan-passport.  Don't want to get caught in the wrong place without one.  We've already had that happen twice with our German passports.  The first time it took four months and the second time it took about two months to get a new one.  Here it is supposedly only taking three weeks and since we have to wait for the visa for Brazil anyway, it makes sense to get it here. 

 

 

 

 

We got Aurora Ulani's Calvert School materials for 4th grade, which she will start in the beginning of August.  It was quite an act to get them as they were held by customs and they neglected to inform anybody.  Also, Cape Mail is in the middle of nowhere in Epping so that I was very happy indeed when our friend Anna offered me a ride in her car.  Things are moving along slowly and I fear that it may well be June and the beginning of winter when we finally get on our way.  We will try to go due north to take advantage of the Benguela current, although that means it will be cold and foggy for a long part of the trip.  The next update will probably from Brazil or the Caribbean, depending on how things go.  You can always see where we are at http://pangolin.co.nz/yotreps/tracker.php?ident=WDC7641 . 

 

OK, ciao for now and cheers!

 

Holger, Liping & Aurora Ulani
Catamaran DHARMA BUM III
Hout Bay Marina, Berth No. 90

Cape Town, South Africa

34°03.02'S 018°20.85'E
Phone 1: +27719749347 Holger

Phone 2: +27719284443 Liping