Heading North!

Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Tue 19 Jul 2011 16:51
Tuesday 19th July 1757 Local 1557 UTC   
 
34:52.719S 019:46.090E
 
At 1636 today we "rounded" Cape Agulhas. This cape is the most southerly point of the African continent, not its more famous neighbour Cape of Good Hope, which we hope to round before dawn tomorrow.
 
We rounded on latitude 34:53.207S and Longditude 020 degrees East of Greenwich. We continued West on this latitude actually heading directly for the Rio de la Plata and Montevideo in Uraguay but just after an hour we got fed up of that idea and at 1746 we turned to starboard in a northwesterly direction towards Capetown.
 
This point is the most southerly point on our 13,000 mile detour to avoid Somalian pirates and the start of our (my) long six or seven thousand nautical mile road north and home.
 
Speaking of Somalia I see that David Cameron pledged £50Million of our money yesterday to Somalia. Oh really? Now I hope he pledged British farm produced food, not cash, directly to those that are starving. Which if sent in food not cash aid could be reduced to £25Million for example, and spend £25Million on a mission to eradicate and arrest the bank accounts and assets of those that are perpetrating the piracy there and release the 650 hostages they hold. Then there will be plenty money to spend on food which can make up the balance of the pledge? Charity begins at home Mr Cameron not in failed lawless states in Africa.  
 
On a lighter note I celebrated rounding the Cape and the most southerly point of our circumnavigation ( because Trish refused to swim over the line in 16 deg C Great White infested waters) by .................................................... stripping off naked while helming across the line and having a stiff Macallan whisky, stiff nips all round you might say, and drinking a toast to all those that have helped us on this adventure and to celebrate heading north for home.
 
Don't let the blue skies in the photo fool you - it was freezing. You will see how Trish was dressed in one of the images - four layers, scarf, hat etc etc. while I suffered the cold in my birthday suit. There are another couple of images there too the sunset on Trisj's round the world sailing and a goodbye kiss as this is her last night at sea.
  

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