23^rd & 24^th October

Our first day out of the estimated 9 on our sail to Richards Bay was fairly uneventful and progress was slow. Due to very light winds we had to motor. Ted had volunteered to make dinner that evening and due to the lack of sail out, the motion of the boat was very rolly so made for difficult cooking conditions. Regardless he still produced an awesome spicy tomato fish dish using some of our vast supply of tuna.

The next day was more of the same. No wind and rolling around. Luckily during this passage we are making the most of the South Equatorial current which flows from the east of the Indian ocean across to Madagascar reaching up to 3 knots in strength. The theory being the closer we get to the coast of Africa the more benefit we will get.

Roger and Ted made sushi for lunch using some salmon and some of our tuna stock. Obviously being a tricky process it took them a little while but the wait was well worth it, very tasty indeed.

25^th October

The winds increased during the morning and we managed to sail albeit slowly throughout most of the way with the South Equatotial current nudging us kindly in the right direction. During the evening as the sun was setting, a large mass of black clouds started to build on the horizon but being downwind of us we thought we were safe, how wrong we were! By midnight we were well into the storm and Don made a tactical decision to start heading south, the plan being we would just stay on the edge of the storm rather than right through the middle. Unfortunately, weather always unpredictable, we were right amongst it within a few hours. I have been in a few good electrical storms during my sailing, but this one topped them by far. There was a constant barrage of lightning all around us accompanied by a generous helping of savage rain. I find being in an electrical storm a bit like walking around a darkened house where you know someone is hiding and are planning on jumping out suddenly to scare you. Waiting for that enormous crack of thunder to scare the hell out of you is much the same feeling of anxiousness, but for hours on end.

26^th October

By Around 6am the storm had subsided and we began to move slowly away into clearer skies. By midday it was roasting hot and we had between 0-5knots of wind. There could not have been a more extreme contrast. The storm had clearly whipped up a lot of rubbish, perhaps from the coasts of Madagascar. Nets, bottles, feathers, a flip flop with a crab riding on top, dead Humbolt squid (Giant squid species) and all manner of general waste.

With the flat conditions it was quite easy to spot feeding fish in the distance and wasn’t long before we tracked some down. As we approached Roger and I actually saw a Large Mahi-Mahi swim alongside the boat and with a “Go on mate there’s a tasty pink squid trailing behind the boat!” he was on. More fish for the plate!

27^th October

We have spent most of today on a close reach sailing into the wind. This is when the wind is at an angle of around 60 degrees from the bow of the boat. When sailing this close to the wind the boat tends to ‘heel’ which is when it tips to one side anything up to 30-40 degrees, with this, everyday tasks become much more of a challenge.

For starters just moving around the boat is a nightmare as the rolling motion and heeling throw you around. As soon as you become confident with the motion of the boat there will inevitably be a quick sharp flick in the opposite direction throwing you into a wall or making you pour your drink down your face.

Cooking on a stove that constantly moves back and forwards to keep level usually results in spills, having your shins wacked or burning yourself on the oven and I now have a few scars for memories sake.

Water from the tap seemingly defies gravity swinging back and forward and generally missing anything you are trying to wash. Using the toilet is much like riding a mechanical bull except a premature dismount in this circumstance has much higher consequence.

Sleeping is also an issue as each wave attempts to throw you from your bunk. Luckily the boat has ‘lee cloths’ which you can put up to help you stay in bed. Often if the boat is heeled heavily you actually sleep more on the lee cloth than the mattress. You would also probably be upset if your cabin didnt have an excellent ocean view!