South Africa - Hondeklip Bay

SV Meshugga
Nicholas & Deidre Mace
Thu 5 Jan 2017 19:07
33:18:92S 017:16:39E

We left Lamberts Bay on Wednesday 4 January at about 10am with a light wind with the intention to stop at some small bays along the coast, and overnight there.
We arrived at Donkin Bay a few hours later, and anchored. Only 3 or 4 houses ashore and a really remote bay, but the protection was very little and we were unhappy to leave Meshugga to even go ashore to the beach, let alone risk going to sleep. So we had lunch aboard and then up’ed anchor and set sail north to Doring Bay. Huge rollers and breaking waves and even less protection, so we continued north but there are no bays or headlands with protection for the next 100miles. Our problem now was that we’d purposefully chosen a day with little wind to visit these remote bays, and now found ourselves with little to no wind to sail with. As the day progressed to night, the wind fell to nothing and we were forced to motor, the wind only filling in at about 5am. We then sailed and reached Hondeklip Bay at about 3.30pm and anchored amongst 2 local diamond boats in the small but good area of protection.
Nicholas says I should tell you all that I slept most of the way, and he had to stand watch….
We’d last been here, by car, about 20 years ago and had fond memories of the village, and again it did not disappoint.
Soon after anchoring a local row boat came out to ask if we needed any assistance, and going ashore we were welcomed by locals and visitors alike. A restaurant called Dop en Kreef is right on the beach overlooking the bay, and we had excellent cocktails and muscles for an early dinner.
Now back aboard - hot showers and a good nights sleep.
Photos
1 From Meshugga looking at the ship wreck on the reef & lighthouse to the north and on the side of our anchorage
2 From shore looking at the small bay with Meshugga, the Diamond boats at anchor, and the shipwreck and lighthouse
3 Dop en Kreef restaurant

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