Exody was first of the fleet to leave Richards Bay on the evening of Monday16th riding the short weather window southwestwards to Durban with a robust NNE'ly taking us there rapidly under very well reefed genoa alone. Arriving early Tuesday in this substantial and busy port, we had to negotiate large vessels on the final approach and were barely anchored before the marina launch came to direct us to a berth. We spent about two hours doing our clearances which are required at every port here. After lunch at the Point Yacht Club we were soon snoozing off the night's passage - the rain and wind both rising on schedule at nightfall. We were happy to be securely berthed!
We took a guided walking tour of the Durban downtown Warwick and Victoria markets in the pouring rain on Wednesday morning - several thousand traders accommodated under motorway flyovers, in the main train station and also in some historic and more recently built covered areas. A rich and sometimes startling insight into aspects of African culture and customs - viz recently severed cow heads being trollied in for cutting up and boiling, rows of traditional healers with all kinds of potions/powders, stalls with every kind of dead animal part for medicinal purposes- all alongside tailors working busily two to a stall, the more typically touristy clothing, artefacts and curio sellers plus, of course, the usual fruit and veg. We learnt of the interesting local politics behind maintaining this vital aspect of the trading economy in the face of other more glamorous commercial and developmental pressures!
By evening we were in a different world, having driven 90 minutes inland to the small genteel town of Howick with several large gated retirement estates nearby. Here we are generously hosted by my second cousin, a recently retired South African MP and cattle farmer, whom I last met in Scotland around the time I launched my first dinghy 50 years ago. The weather here is cool and damp just like home and we look out of his conservatory (or stoop as they call it) onto colourful birds, zebra grazing, wildebeest on the hill beyond and reed buck. Warthog seem to have breached (or be immune to!) the electric fence and make their way incongruously along the perfectly manicured lawns and neatly paved roads. The house is filled with colourful, characterful art, furniture and fabrics - all locally conceived and produced - a great place to enjoy a short spell of shore leave with proper beds, showers, sofas, a huge kitchen and reliable internet! Thanks Graham!
This 'midlands' area of Kwa Zulu Natal is well served for the visitor and we followed one of the marked 'meander' routes taking in the upmarket Piggly Wiggly craft shops, Michaelshouse school and finally the Mandela 'capture site' where a new exhibition building is under construction. At this spot began the events leading to his long detention. It is marked by an incredibly creative computer-aided piece of sculptural design: a series of maybe 150 vertical steel cruciform columns about 8 metres high with apparently randomly cut profiles on all four edges. From the right view point, a symbolic 'long walk' from the main exhibition site, they suddenly 'read' as a huge head profile of Mandela.
Next day under clear blue skies and bright sunshine we drove out to the Drakensberg - the 3000 metre ridge forming the boundary to neighbouring Lesotho. The N3 motorway and then the empty side roads took us through rolling fertile cattle farms with expansive vistas as the craggy sandstone mountain range drew closer. Leaving the car at the Giants Castle resort within this world heritage site, we walked in to the caves to see the bushman's cave paintings similar to those we had seen in Australia. Returning by the side of the crystal clear fast flowing Bushmans river, we lunched at the resort - a subtle grouping of thatched buildings secreted in the landscape. A superb but all too short walk and visit.
Saturday early our host walked us from the house down to the local farmer's market. We bought super fresh home made local products - yogurt, cheese, mustard, and a great breakfast. We drove the few minutes into town to do a couple errands and to see the 95 metre Howick Falls. The lightning and rain closed in later so we were happy to be indoors chatting, learning something of South African politics, and tackling internet-friendly activity like completing tax returns. We took a break to help our host and the artist hang a recently acquired portrait of Mandela in the study.
Today Sunday 22nd sees us back on board Exody at Durban Marina having visited the Karkloof falls and driven through Pietermaritzburg en route 'home'. All is well with the boat as we reacclimatise to our miniature environment and look forward to joining up with Ayama, Garlix and Tulasi now anchored off the marina.
Peter (Skipper)