Port Elizabeth - better than Durban, just.
We eventually got a forecast for a one-day weather-window on 28th November. But it was a very small window, not enough to get us to Knysna, which was the next destination on our agenda. What to do? On the 27th it blew a hooly - over forty knots in the Marina of Port Elizabeth, and it was forecast to do the same again on the 29th. But we had had enough of Port Elizabeth. Although a great improvement on Durban, it was still a commercial port, and next to us was parked a giant Bulk Carrier, which was about to load 50 or 60 thousand tons of dirty manganese ore. The boats were getting filthy every day as it was, and anyway, the marina had more than the usual number of neglected yachts, with some of those with live-aboards a depressing disgrace.
Then in the Pilot for South Africa, we noticed details of a little private marina about 40 miles away at a place called Port St Francis, so we set off after breakfast. It was a delightful place; a friendly little combined fishing and yacht harbour. Sure, it was surrounded by mostly empty holiday appartments, but there was a lively collection of bars and restaurants at one end. We took advantage of the organisational skills of Quasar V, and travelled with them into the jungle in hired cars and walked along the rolling sand-dunes to visit the local light-house, the tallest stone light house in Africa. Only one of our group, Ian from Quasar, dared the Bungee Jump; the rest of us settled for a decent lunch and a peaceful walk through the jungle. The day to the light house was a wonderful walk through the rolling sand-dunes around a magnificent bay. It was overlooked by a jumble of well-kept holiday homes, and in the far corner we stopped to admire the surfers riding the big rollers that curled onto the rocks and sand. Built in 1878, the lighthouse is now automatically run and monitored from Port Elizabeth. The resident keeper no longer has to wind the mechanism every two hours and check the generators; his duties are confined to checking the bulb and keeping the windows clean and the rest of the place spick and span. For the visitor, there is the satisfaction of seeing the original Fresnel (sp, please, WRA) Lens and mechanism still in operation. A pinion has been lifted to disconnect the clockwork and two electric motors installed to drive the lens, but the drive-weight and clock-work are all still there, and all in working order. Though used constantly until the late 1980s, none of this British-made machinery showed any sign of wear. In the 1880s the lens cost £5000; the mind boggles at the cost of replacing it today. What a great example of the economy of the Victorian philosophy of design for life - ie for ever.
We set off just before ten last night, and hope to arrive at Knysna late this afternoon. More details to follow.
And we are still looking for volunteers to take Chris's place!
All well on board, and best wishes to all
James & Marcel.
Yacht Cleone
34o09'S 023o29'E