Smoke and Roses - Starting The Journey Around The Cape

Logged 335 Nautical Miles – 46 Hours

35.25 hours sail, 10.75 hours motor

November 23 – 28

Richards Bay, KZN to East London, Eastern Cape

The strong Agulhas current that runs along South Africa’s coast, the frequent changing weather with high winds and the meeting of two oceans can make the voyage around the southern coast of Africa a challenge. From November 23 to December 10 we sailed 835 nautical miles around the coast of South Africa from Richards Bay on the southeast coast past Cape Agulhas and the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Town on the southwest coast. Breaking up the trip, we made two stops, waiting for good sailing conditions and to do some exploring. Our first leg was a two day trip, 335 nautical miles to East London.

This was our first ocean passage with our daughter Alicia; I took comfort in knowing we had an extra hand on board. We left with “Cayuse” and “Misto”, two other catamarans. “Misto” went a little farther offshore to get into a stronger three knot favorable current but also had bigger swell and seas. Along with “Cayuse” we stayed closer to the coast and had a .5 to 1 knot beneficial current during the day but it turned against us at night. The wind was light the first day so we did some motoring, it was cloudy, cold and the swell was making Alicia a little seasick. We were thrilled to see a turtle, whale, dolphins and sharks. The next day was sunny; with following seas and a good three knot current. We sailed downwind going a smooth and fast 12 knots. It was different to be able to see land while sailing and hard to believe we had such nice conditions. We tried to slowdown that night so we could reach East London in daylight.

In the providence of Eastern Cape, East London is South Arica’s only true river port and has built up around the mouth of the Buffalo River where we tried anchoring. It took 1.5 hours to find a spot to anchor with good holding and enough swing room. Later we moved, with Matt and Alicia in the dinghy we tied to a can mooring in front of us and put out a stern anchor. During our four day stay in East London, we enjoyed several gatherings at the very friendly Buffalo River Yacht Club. Along with several other cruisers we attended Happy Hours, a Braii BBQ and a Lasagna dinner. The meals were $6 per person, very reasonable. We also rented cars and did some touring. One day heading east with “Cayuse” we drove to the Barefoot Café for pizza and then to Chinst Beach as well as back to Nahoon Beach. The beaches were unique as they were surrounded with sand dunes that were several stories high. The water was cold and the air was brisk so we did not swim, although some people were swimming the inlets. Nahoon Beach had a long boardwalk for spotting the Southern Right, Humpback and Killer whales that migrated through the area during the past couple of months.

For a little more adventure Dan, Alicia and I went on a quad bike game viewing ride on a trail through the Areena Game Reserve. The trail was not for beginners, it had deep ruts and large rocks on a rugged, hilly terrain. Riding through the 350 hectare reserve we saw giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, kudu, and a variety of deer, ostrich and ostrich eggs. Lavender Blue is a strawberry picking, restaurant, coffee shop, fruit and vegetable store that came highly recommended for lunch. Stopping there on our way back to Buffalo City we enjoyed a sweet chili chicken wrap made with fresh pineapple, peppers, and veggies. It was so good we have made it several times on the boat.

No stop in East London’s Buffalo City would be complete without a meal at the Sea Spirit Fish Market which was a short dinghy ride from our anchorage. On our last day, lunch at the fish market included some the biggest, most tender calamari we have ever eaten, it was very good. After some unsettled weather while in East London, we now have another 2 to 3 day weather window to make our next leg to Mossel Bay.

Agnes Long