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American Spirit II - Day 332; We Enter the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Aghulas & a Wild Last 15 Miles Into Cape Town; Thursday, December 4, 2014



Up at 5:00 AM. Relieved Jeanine at 6:00 AM. Seven ship around us, going east and west; and we're 15 miles from Cape Aghulas. The wind is 15/17 knots and we're moving at 6.7 knots thru the water and 7.3 knots over the land. Its 85% overcast with 6-8 foot waves.

At 6:44 AM a pod of porpoise pass us heading east (we're heading west). Half of them turn off to swim off our bow and the other half kept going east. I turned the boat 15 degrees to the right and towards Cape Aghulas. We're heading for an area between 6 Mile Bank and 12 Mile Bank.

We pass Cape Aghulas at 7:35 AM, leaving the Indian Ocean and entering the colder Atlantic Ocean. We're 21 degrees East and 6.7 miles offshore. Once we pass 6 Mile Bank we'll turn 20 degrees right. There are mountains and white sand dunes visible along the shore just west of the Cape. We're heading 264 degrees.

At 8:05 AM Vlado from Civetta II calls on the VHF radio. He's 5 miles away.

At 8:12 AM the wind is down to 12 knots and we're moving at 6 knots thru the water and 6.6 knots over the land.

At 8:23 AM I call Russ on Nexus on my cell phone. They're in clear skies with 20-25 knots of wind from the SE. At 8:30 AM we're 35 miles from Danger Point, our next waypoint. I wonder why its called 'Danger Point.'

During the 9:00 AM net Folie a Deux and Civetta II communicate with us.

Breakfast at 10:10 AM consists of eggs, potato, chilled fruit cocktail and bread.

Civetta II is on our port bow 45 degrees at 10:35 AM, 2 miles from us. The sun is starting to come out a little bit. The wind is 10 knots and we're moving at 6.9 knots thru the water and 7.3 knots over the land. We're motor sailing with the main and jib out.

We see a 'bait ball' 200 yards to port at 10:40 AM. A 'bait ball' is a huge ball of small fish that you can't see thru. A large pod or school of dolphin are having a feeding frenzy eating the fish.

At 10:45 AM we just miss some tree debris 10 feet to our port. Three thin branches like palm frond's. Not enough to damage our hull but enough to damage our propeller.

A seal jumps like a dolphin 12 fee from the boat, right out of the water, at 11:02 AM, going east. We see seals continuously, usually laying on the surface on their backs with all four flippers out of the water.

Our noon position is 34 degrees, 37 minutes South; and 19 degrees, 15 minutes East.

Lunch at 1:30 PM is freeze dried Honey Soy Chicken.

I take a nap from 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM. Joel throttles the engine down from 2000 RPM to 1600 RPM when the wind increases to 16/20 knots. We're 70 miles from Cape Town. Its still cloudy and cold.

During the 6:00 PM net no one tunes in; or at least we can't hear anyone on the SSB radio. The wind is 18/20 knots and we're moving at 7.1 knots thru the water and 8.0 knots over the land. The waves are 8-10 feet. We're starting to get a lot of rock and roll.

The sun sets at 7:45 PM. Due to some clouds on the horizon, there is no green flash. But a pretty sunset nevertheless. We pass the Cape of Good Hope at 8:00 PM. A pivotal moment.

Dinner is freeze dried New Orleans Rice with Shrimp and Ham; and red kidney beans. No canned fruit tonight as what I have left is stored in the 'hidden' storage area and we're not going to go there until we get to the marina.

We jibe the main and jib at 8:25 PM from port tack to starboard and turn right 20 degrees.

At 9:00 PM the sky has finally cleared and we can see stars and almost a full moon. The wind is 18 knots and we're moving at 7.6 knots thru the water and 7.1 knots over the land. We're no longer getting a push from the Aghulas Current.

At 9:55 PM there is a loud 'thud.' We hit something in the water. The propeller is still turning, so nothing is wrapped around it and it doesn't appear to have been damaged. I check below looking for water, but no hull breach. We're actually heading north now for the first time since we sailed up the east coast of Australia months ago. We can see Table Mountain now, with clouds rolling down its sides, like dry ice boiling out of a pan of water. That's not good, as that means wind. Our cruising guide says that winds over 40 knots are common when the wind is from the southeast and the clouds are rolling down the mountain. Our wind is from the southeast. Great.

At 10:38 PM the wind increases to 31 knots, then to 42 knots. And instead of being behind us its now on the starboard beam. We shorten the main and jib so that only a little said is out. Even though we're only a few miles offshore, the waves are hitting the boat and throwing water into the cockpit. We're 15 miles from Green Point, which is where we turn east to enter the Cape Town harbor. The cruising guide says the winds will increase like they have at Green Point. I guess the cruising guide is off by 15 miles. We have a fishing trawler coming up behind us, on a collision course. I call them up on the VHF radio channel 16 and they acknowledge that they see us and say that they will stay clear of us. Once we turn right at Green Point we go thru an area that our chart says is full of many wrecks. A nice thought. Its 2 miles to the Cape Town breakwater. I call Cape Town port control on VHF channel 14 to ask permission to enter the port. I have a hard time understanding the port control person, but I think she says its OK to enter the port. After 2 miles we pass the breakwater and a green flashing light and turn 70 degrees right. Unlike the US, where when you enter a port its 'red right returning,' in all other countries in the world its 'green right returning.' Next we have to find an entrance into the V & A marina area; an entrance about 100 yards wide. With a lot of lights along the shore, and with the wind howling at 40 knots and water blowing all over the place, we have a hard time finding the opening to the marina basin. However, I've got my I Pad out and just follow the course I've previously set on it. Once we're thru the marina harbor entrance the waves and wind die down. A lot. Next we get on the radio and call 'Swing Bridge' on channel 71. The swing bridge attendant answers and says that he will open the bridge. We have a hard time finding the bridge, but eventually we do. After entering thru this bridge we have to wait for a bascule bridge to open. It opens and then we're actually in the V & A marina area. Russ and Laurie from Nexus; and Margaret from Avocet, and on a dock, flashing a light at us, and telling us on the radio where to go. At 12:50 AM we're tied up.

Civetta II comes into the marina at 3:00 AM. We waited for them, give them directions in finding the two bridges; and then catch their lines as they tie up next to us. Vlado offers us a celebratory drink, but we decline. We have to get up at 7:30 AM in the morning to move the boat to another slip and to clear in with Customs and Immigration, so no one is getting a lot of sleep tonight. Vlado says that he had no wind coming in, like we did. I guess the 42 knots we had just dissipated. I'm not surprised it did, because I expected it to some time in the morning before sunrise.

Brian Fox

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