Position                    33:00.93 S 016:52.10 E

Date                          2359 (UTC+2) Thursday 19 January 2017

Distance run             in 13hrs 97nm over the ground, 94nm through the water

Passage total            97nm over the ground, 94nm through the water

Distance to go          1595nm

Planned distance      Cape Town to St Helena 1697nm

We thought that we would never leave.  Whilst we were in no hurry to leave Cape Town it would have been good to leave with some of the World ARC fleet, who themselves spread their departures over 5 days.  However, a combination of a water maker high pressure pump that required extracting, stripping, cleaning and rebuilding with new seals and the subsequent  repair required to the skipper’s back by a chiropractor as a result of the engine room gymnastics required to achieve the former meant that Caduceus was the last one out.

Thursday is the day that boats in the marina are allowed to wash decks, restrictions are in place due to a general water shortage.  An hour spent pressure washing the marina grime from the decks was time well spent and we were eventually able to get away in good order on the 1045 bridge opening.  We could not have had a better start as the wind quickly filled ib from the south giving us a steady broad reach in bright sunshine.  The wind feels as if it is blowing directly from the Antarctic, definitely a day for warm clothing.

Farewell Cape Town and Table Mountain