Saturday October 1st, Still hanging around.

ByThe wind continues to blow the wrong way, that is from the south rather than from the north. This link
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=28.87,-38.03,1238/loc=29.592,-32.618
Should show the current wind conditions. Our weather wallah gets our hopes up with "it looks promising in a couple days" only to retract as weather systems collapse and reform. Our single hander shoved off a couple days ago  for Cape Verde, only to duck into East London;  my wind map showed he would have been taking it on the nose. The wind dragons are restless.

We continue to fix things to fill the time. Spinnaker snuffers, obdurate life line fittings, reefing rigging, minor deck leaks, deck hatch seals, hatch dogs, the wind generator, which continues to defy all logical behaviour, the starboard diesel engine. That became reluctant to start and made a right racket while running. Zeke brought in a diesel dude who removed a bucketful of parts to his lair. He brought them back today, pronouncing them good. He'll be back tomorrow to continue his ministrations. We are still not sure what's up with it. Zeke's blog for this trip in 2014 is a catalogue of diesel engine woes; rebuilds, replacements, supposedly matched engines that patently were not. It must be galling in the extreme. We hired a diver to remove the accumulated crud from the props; a local lad who didn't need no steeeenking scuba tanks, nor snorkel for that matter. I'm surprised the harbour water doesn't dissolve him.

Sunday,

The wind is still a resolute southerly, often up to 30 odd knots (35mph). The halyard orchestra is fine voice between the mast slapping tattoo and the wailing in the shrouds. It could be contest between the salvation army's tambourines and a flight of keening banshees.  The wind generator has gone nuclear and we aren't going anywhere near it.

Monday

Diesel dude came and did his thing. Weather Wallah said tonight would be propitious, so we're outta here at 5:00 which leaves us an hour of daylight to clear the harbour and get settled. The winds won't be perfect, but they will be light. We are headed for East London about two days down, but may continue to Port Elizabeth depending on the conditions. One other boat left this morning, not one of ours, and came right back in when they saw the state of the seas. They will leaving with us.

Durban has been fun, but it will be good to get going. We've become friends with many of the people in the yacht club. The always entertaining and helpful Petro van der Spuy who just chucked in a comfortable corporate gig to start her own corporate convention and entertaining business, Indaba Global. If you were ever to meet her you would immediately know that she is going to knock it out of the park,  (knock it for six in cricketing terms). Michelle & Monica who work at the club and who have been unfailingly helpful and knew exactly where to find whatever we have needed. Busi, Lulu  Nichole and Zee, four charmers in the restaurant who have kept me supplied with pots of tea, lashings of toast and don't let me get away with a thing. And Ed, who welcomed us with a bucket of beer, coached us through the arrival formalities and as I write, is making sure that we leave!