Chasing the current, dodging the wind.
Fleck
Wed 28 Nov 2012 11:10
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Wednesday, 28th November, 13.00 ships time,
11.00GMT
Position 31:2S 30:46E. In the Agulhas current, more
or less.
Perhaps with the wisdom of old salts, perhaps in a
moment of sheer stupidity, we left Durban yesterday afternoon, in pursuit of 5
of the World ARC boats who had a big conference, consulted all the weather maps,
and the local witch doctors, and decided that it was time to move on from
Durban. We wanted to remain in radio contact with them, despite their being
much bigger and faster boats. S--- law operated straight away, we were then
sixth in line at the fuel station, and the ARC boats cleaned out the store of
diesel. Fleck was left fretting in the fuel berth, awaiting the next consignment
of diesel, whilst the others romped off!
Anyway we finally got out here, expecting to pick
up the strong Agulhas current to whip us down to East London, but it has
wandered 30 miles offshore, and we have only just found it, and the forecast
favourable wind. So as we write all is well. Unfortunately there is a small
challenge looming in the weather window: just a little blip in the isobars,
but enough to put a southerly wind in our path. This will make our position in
the middle of the nice current very uncomfortable, and we will have to escape
inshore, and drift backwards towards Durban, hove to. Ah well, the paths of true
love and of sailors etc etc.!
Durban was OK, but just a big city really, and
apart from the opportunity to restock on food and chandlery, not a huge amount
of interest to hold us there.
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