There is a bright full moon lighting our way tonight. At 16:30 Gryphon II was crossing 12 Mile Bank below Needle Point at Cape Agulhas, the southern most point of South Africa. At 17:00 we were leaving the Indian Ocean behind and we are back in the Atlantic. There is a long way to go before we reach the Caribbean where we left this ocean in 2010. It feels strange to be sailing it again – and very cold!

We left Knysna after discussing conditions for getting out with the harbour master and taking a look at the shots from the fixed camera up on the heads. We had planned for the rising tide and the swell at the entrance looked okay on camera but we heeded the warnings that all can change within the hour here. It was decided to motor over to the leading marks to take a look with a view to anchoring if necessary. Not perfect as there was some swell and the odd breaking wave but it looked do-able and so we ploughed through. We were hefted about a bit as the swell was squeezed in the narrow channel and one wave broke just in front of us sending the bows skyward but with good skippering we got through nicely and at 12:30 p.m. we turned to starboard for the voyage south.

Crossing the outer bar.

And we're through.

In a matter of minutes it became very hazy at the entrance once we were out and we're glad it wasn't like that as we went through.

Off to starboard for the voyage south.

Wind started very well carrying us along at 7 knots, then patchy causing us to alternate sailing with motoring through the rest of the day and into the night. There should have been a good moon last night but it was very cloudy and we had rain which combined with the cold made it feel gloomy. There was a silver lining despite the fitful wind because we had so much current with us that we were covering the miles wind or not. At some points we must have had 3-4 knots of current which feels terrific after all the times it was against us whilst sailing to Richards Bay from La Reunion.

06/12/2014

This is our second and last night on this voyage. Having left Cape Agulhas behind we are now travelling north and have passed Quoin Point, Birkenhead Rock and the lighthouse on Danger Point. Hangklip point is in seven miles then its just 15 miles to the Point at the Cape of Good Hope. Difficult to believe that we are almost there. Simons Town, where we have a berth waiting at the marina, is just another 15 miles after that and at this speed we should arrive there at about 08:30 this morning.

The moon is now directly in front of us and we are soaring forward in its silver stream with 19 knots of following wind and 7 knots over the ground. Perfect sailing.