Kasuje - Slowly getting closer to AFRICA...!!!
Hi from Skipper Steve
We thought that this would prove to be an eventful passage and so it is proving to be with very changeable and strong conditions.
So I thought you might like to read a couple of entries into my personal log detailing the last couple of days.
Mon:
Yesterday the benign conditions of the first couple of days developed into storm conditions rounding the Southern tip of Madagascar. We had 24 hrs of strong winds very high mixed seas but fortunately no rain. I shall never complain about the overfalls and rough seas when rounding Portland Bill again !! The East flowing current, was pushing us along at 10/ 11 knots and that was with 2 reefs in main and Genoa. Pretty hairy at times. Fortunately now all has subsided and we are trundling along in nearly flat seas!!!! We incurred some damage during the strong blow, the hatch to the main cabin has been destroyed whilst jibing, the forward and rear cabin bunks are soaked and the side hatches are leaking badly. It appears everything down below is either damp or in disarray, the radio got wet and has packed up, but miraculously the oven which had become temperamental is now working fine. Also the batteries are definitely on their last legs as we have to recharge regularly to maintain operating voltage. All in all a pretty miserable day with next to no sleep and damp conditions.
The forecast from Bruce for the rest of the passage is unfortunately not all good. It appears there is a SW blow coming up Thur/ Fri and we must be sure to be out of the Agulhas current when it hits. Our present progress would put us slap in the middle of the current at that time so we will be slowing up and trying to miss the worse of the blow.
Tues:
We are now making slow steady progress. After the strong conditions of yesterday we had a period of near flat seas and warm sunshine, which gave us a chance to sort out Kasuje. All dry below now and clean....!!!! Radio and main cabin hatch are completely knackered, we now have tea towels, cut down green rubbish bags, gaffa tape and silicon between us and another dosing in salt water, so far though our Blue Peter type repairs are holding out. ( The main hatch looks just like Tracy Island). The conditions have changed again and we are now close hauled in 15-20 knts of South Westerly, We have slowed right down as there is a SW buster due up the east coast am on Friday, just when we would be in the Agulhas current and some pretty hairy seas...!!!! ( stories have it that in the current you can get 20 metre swells.....!!!) So we are down to under 5 knts and are trying to time our entry into the current at the back end of the blow, this will then give us diminishing winds for our run into Durban and an eta of Sun/Mon. So a very slow passage but hopefully the safest strategy.
Love to all
Skipper Steve.
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