News

Saturday October 2, 2004
After getting IT organized and liveable for 2 people, Bev and I had a hearty breakfast at the Yacht Club restaurant. Dad and Oom Charl van Rensburg joined us later. There were articles and pictures in both Die Burger and Argus news papers, about my solo journey.
Soon my old university friend, Nico de Kock called. He was on his way from Swellendam, a 3 hr drive from CapeTown. When Nico and his 14 yr old son, Nico jr. arrived, we hugged like long lost brothers! Nico and I had studied agricultural management together at the University of Stellenbosch in 1979 and 1980. During the holidays I had invited Nico over to my Grandfather's ranch in the bush and I acted as his guide as he felled his first Kudu bull and an Impala. After 25 yrs he still carries the pictures aroundn proudly!
We then left for Newlands, where we picked up Bev's friend, Steve, as we had tickets for the Currie Cup rugby match between Western Province and the Natal Sharks. Vodacom sponsored us and we had a lovely view from Vodacom's private suite high up in the stands! My cousin Matthew was there too!
And what a rugby match it was!! Bucketsfull of tries from both teams, hard hitting and awe inspiring passing and running rugby! We enjoyed ourselves and after the match the news came up on TV and there both Bev and I were on the tele!
Back at the Yacht Club we said goodbye to Nico and Nico jr and they left for Stellenbosch. We will join them later this week for a braai and sleepover on their irrigation farm near Swellendam.
Another joyful day it was!

Friday October 1, 2004
We were approaching land once again. Clouds and fog were heavy and I had to rely on my radar again as we approached Cape Point. It was still early morning and I could not see land yet but it was clearly outlined on the radar's monitor. At 0800 hrs the clouds dispersed and Cape Point came into view. It was a breathtaking view! I sailed past Cape Point and passed close to it's treacherous submersed reefs, while I shot some video footage. As I passed the Cape flats the winds were howling at 40 knots and once again IT was screaming at 9.1 knots( mech knot meter reading) Gps at 10.5 knots!
We passed the flats, approaching Houtbaai and the wind dispersed once again.
Passing Houtbaai, I was welcomed by a dense fog bank, visibility only 100 meters.
The wind died completely and we were motorsailing at 4 knots. Using my laptop and GPS software, radar and main GPS, I navigated carefully along the coast. It was my first time ever sailing in fog and I must admit it was very stressful and tense! Hearing would be an advantage at a time like this!
Still in the fog, Bev texed me and I returned my position. There was a welcoming party planned but the fog made it impossible for yachts to leave the harbor.
I passed Camps Bay, Sandy Beach (the famous "nude" beach), Clifton, Sea Point and then Greenpoint. Bev texed me and told me to wait there. I cicled around in the fog and on the radar's monitor I could see tankers and freighters passing me within half a mile. Port control knew about me and with their powerful radar they guided those freighters and tankers safely around me. Bev texed again and told me to proceed and I set IT on a course for the harbor entrance, still in the dense fog.
The fog started to disperse and Table Mountain's top came into view. I took video footage, while at the same time tracking my bearing and position on the GPS software on my laptop. Then as if a giant curtain suddenly opened, the magnificent Table Mountain and her city CapeTown, just unfolded in front of my eyes. Oh what a moving moment that was. Never to be forgotten. And I got it all on tape !!
Suddenly something on my port side caught my attention as I had been focusing on the splendor on my starboard side. It was the yacht Wonderchild, and there they were!!!
Bev, my cousin Toni, TV crews and photographers and the skipper and his crew were laughing and waving!
They had been crept up on me and had been sailing on my quarter without me knowing it!! They were just 20 meters on IT's port side!!
Then I was laughing too!! It was a perfect moment! We sailed together into the harbor keeping to the starboard side, letting a huge freighter and it's tugboats pass. A smaller yacht, Endeavour then guided me to my spot and as soon as I docked hordes of cameramen and reporters swarmed around me. My eyes scanned the crowd and there she was! I leapt off the boat and grabbed hold of Bev and I kissed her and hugged her while cameras kept flashing and flashing!! Welcoming me too were my cousins Toni and Deon with their wives, Dalene and Susan and grown children. There stood Oom Pierre Volschenk, (tears streaming down his cheeks) and his wife Marie, the manager of the Royal Cape Yacht Club Trevor Wilkins too.
Also waiting for me were Joy, my mother-in-law and Bev,s friends Jane and Steve Theron. Also Vodacom's reprensative, Michelle. As soon as things slowed down I was briefly interviewed by the local TV news station in both Afrikaaans and English, while donning my sponsor's, Vodacom shirt and cap. Then it was the Argus and Die Burger reporters inteviewing me. Wow!!!
With that all over and done, I took a much needed shower and joined my family on the Yacht's Club's deck where we talked and talked and had some R and R. Later I was introduced to the Royal Cape Yacht Club's Commodore, paraplegic Russel Vollmer, also an excellent yachtsman and I feel honored to have met him. My father soon joined us after an hours flight from Port Elizabeth he was at a meeting. Dad's long time friend, Charl van Rensburg had met him up at the airport and drove him to the Yacht Club.
It was a wonderful reunion.
After a hearty steak supper I said good night to everyone I just had to crash!
After 3 days with almost no sleep I completely passed out on my berth on IT. I slept soundly with Bev watching over me!

Friday Charl is arriving in Cape Town!
Just a quick update for everyone:

Charl will be arriving in Cape Town between 4:00 and 5:00pm South African time today. He will be coming into the Royal Cape Yacht Club and for a few weeks now, Steve, who is very active in the Rotary Club, has been in touch with the Commodore and a welcoming fleet of yachts will be sailing out to greet Charl and escort him in. What a welcome. He deserves every bit of it!
I wish you could all be here to share this with me!

Thursday September 30, 2004
Still pushing IT hard, all day and all night. The winds became fresher and I double reefed the main, furled the headsail up halfway, and poled out. The traffic was heavy, tankers and freighters passing and giving way to us. As I approached Cape Agulhas, I switched on all my navigation instruments and focused on the approaching land, the most southerly point of Africa!! It was soon dark and I could cleary see the lights of the lighthouse.
At 2015 hrs we passed Cape Agulhas and I changed bearing aiming for Cape Point, or as they call it, the Cape of Good Hope, still 80 miles away. This time we had the wind on the quarter and IT was happily galloping on a broad reach again. Sailing away from land once again, I tried to catch some sleep, but the bedshaker kept me awake as ships kept coming into the radar's guard zone. It was a long night for me. As my satphone was out of order I texed my latest position to dad and Bev with the cellphone that dad rented for me. I could only use it when I was within range close to shore.
Checking and plotting my positions, I noted that IT had run her best so far, a whopping 170 miles in 24 hrs in just a one knot current! Well done IT you Beauty !!!!

Thursday September 30, 2004
Charl's satphone is not working at this time. He is making excellent headway and the latest text message I received from him at 8:23pm (SA time) read as follows:
Passing Cape Agulhas now. ETA at Cape Point is 8:00am South African time. Not sure about ETA in Cape Town, probably late Friday afternoon.

Please keep him in your prayers all the way to Cape Town - almost there!

Wednesday September 29, 2004
To my lovely wife, Beverly :
Happy birthday Baby!! Love you lots!

Since late last night I have kept sailing S, away from land and the fishing boats.
Slept very little as the radar kept waking me with oncoming freighters and
tankers.
This morning the SW winds were nowhere in sight alas there was no wind at
all! The seas were dead calm and it was a joy to see the birdlife greeting
the morning sun! Took footage of the birds and a playful seal.
I started the motor and we motorsailed at 4 knots bearing 288 degrees for
Cape Agulhas, the most southerly point in Africa, still 250 miles away. Around
1000 hrs the ENE wind picked up a little and once we reached 6 knots I
shut down the motor.
To the northwest I could clearly see the majestic Outeniqua mountains. I was
about 25 miles from shore.
The winds soon became fresh and we were running, the main out to the port
side and the headsail poled out towards the starboard side.
The winds kept becoming fresher and fresher, gusting at 30 knots, and soon we were going down the waves at up to 10 knots occasionally. No,I ain't a liar, I have it videotaped you jackass!! I can feel the hull vibrating from the
tremendous water pressure when I surpass IT's hull speed. IT's hull speed is 7.2 knots, I recorded the mechanical knotmeter at 8.5 knots, GPS reading 10.1
knots, so, I am in a 1.6 knot current.
I knew I was going at tad too fast but I was in a race and I refused to revert
back to whatever anyone says. I am spurring IT on hard, sorry IT but you gotta show me what you are made of. Go IT, go !!
We have to beat the SW winds to Cape Agulhas. With the wind at our backs, we
must make every minute and mile count. Once the SW starts blowing we will be
stuck and delayed again and for how long heaven only knows!
Right now our ETA for Cape Agulhas is 24 hrs from now. If we can round the
Cape then the SW is welcome and we can use it to sail NW towards
CapeTown.
Lots of whale activity around here .... keep your distance please and let us through......

Pos at 1600 hrs UTC
24 26 S
23 41 E
Cog 290
Sog 8.5 kts
Wind 28 kts (TRUE)
Running,with full main and headsail goosewinged out.
181 miles to Cape Agulhas

GO IT , GO !!! Let' s beat that next SW Buster !!!

Tuesday September 28, 2004
The wind died down in the morning and then the SW started to come up. I was
expecting it and the forecasts said it would be at 8 knots max. Soon it was
blowing 20 knots and I could not make any headway as it was right on the
nose. I started sailing close hauled towards shore and soon it was going 30
knots and the waves were once again crashing over IT. Checking the charts, I decided to head for Port Elizabth, my city of birth, which was 20 miles away. As I passed the point, there were about 10 fishing boats running for
shelter too. I soon texed Bev to let her know my new plans. She got ahold of
my cousin Terence Knott-Craig who resides in PE. Once I entered the harbor
port control waved me through, pointing towards the yacht basin. Dad must have called them to let them knew I was coming. As soon as I docked in the howling SW wind, Terence was there to greet me. He the handed me some cash for diesel
and a hot plate of food as Bev had my bank card and this was not a planned
stop. Terence then had to head back to work while I filled the main diesel
tank then took a shower at the Yacht Club. Feeling fresh I had a beer and a
mixed grill. I went to catch a nap after texing Terence to let him know I planned to leave around 5 pm again.
Terence woke me up at 4:15 and we went over to the club and had a beer, his
son soon joined us and we had a short re-union. At 5:30 we said our byes
and once again I motored out passed the point then hauled up sails and sailed
straight south out to the big blue deep, away from traffic. I texed everybody to tell them I was OK.
Many, many thanks to my cousin Terence for rescuing my butt!

Monday September 27, 2004
Up early,the sun was out. Went over to IT and started checking everything. One battery had fallen over and the acid leaked out. Flushed out the acid with water and filled up the battery with fresh acid and distilled water. Added some
more oil to the engine. Went home and BBQ'd some sausage and lamb chops. Dad
came over from work and it was time for me to leave again.
Bev came with us and she cleaned up my latest mess again!Thanks baby!
At 1230 hrs we said our goodbyes and I motored out of the harbor, took a turn,
unfurled the headsail, hoisted the main and we were on our way again with a
fresh NE wind blowing. Bev and Dad followed me along the coast in the car
as I slowly started to sail away from land.
Traffic was heavy and at nightfall I sailed further from the coast to have more
room and to make the best of the fast westerly current.
I sailed all night on a broad reach every now and then texing messages to Bev and Dad on the cellphone Dad had rented for me.
Slept very little.

Sunday September 26, 2004
Happy Nineteenth Birthday to my Princess, Sharleen.
I am sorry that I am not with you there today, and that Mom is not able to be there either. You know that we love you and are so very proud of you. Have a wonderful day and we will celebrate when I get home!
Not such a good day for us all here in East London. We all came down with a severe dose of food poisoning and spent a most uncomfortable day at home!
The weather looks good and I will be leaving on Monday at noon heading for Cape Town. Bev will keep you all posted as I travel along the coastline. She will be leaving East London on Tuesday and head down the coast, by bus, ahead of me!

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