15 November 2010
The Durban to East London passage is the one which causes the most consternation. It is 260nm along the coast with nowhere in between to seek shelter. The timing has got to be right. At 7.40 am Cat from Basia came knocking on the hull. She had just received the WARC forecast and was certain we should leave straightaway. We had a quick crew consultation and agreed. Although the wind was still blowing out of the south west and we faced a hard motor sail into the wind and waves, it was due to back to the south then east later on. A high pressure system had sent the barometer soaring to 1025millibars and the advice is to leave on the back of a high pressure system. Another three different sources confirmed it was the optimum moment. The grib files, the WARC weather forecast and a local Durban based weather guru, Tony Herrick. There were now four of us, Voyageur, Lady Lisa, Basia, and now Destiny who had moved on to Durban from Richards Bay a day earlier.
Coming out of the harbour the engine beat suddenly changed. Our hearts skipped a beat as well. We recognised the sound instantly. Something was caught round the prop. David did an about turn thinking we would have to return to the marina. Putting the engine into reverse the cutter must have done its work and things returned to normal. We swung round again and headed out to sea. Progress was painfully slow as we crept parallel to the coast. The huge port control tower which sits high on a hill at the entrance to the harbour never seemed to get any further away and we could still see it at lunchtime. Our log recorded 23.3nm in five and a half hours.
We were looking for the Agulhas current to sweep us southwards but instead a counter current held us firmly in its grip. This went on for hours and we despaired of reaching East London before the wind turned to the south west. We decided to head further out to 20nm offshore. The weather was grey and overcast. Our mood was now growing increasingly pessimistic about staying within this weather window. We cheered ourselves up with dinner, chicken fillets wrapped in Parma ham in a mushroom sauce topped with breadcrumbs and cheese. The boys declared it to be delicious. At long long last I saw the current we had been seeking all day at around 08.30pm in the evening. Voyageur gradually picked up speed, 10, 11, 12knots SOG, the current now 4knots in our favour. She flew on through the night, goose winged with poled our genoa and mizzen, swooping down the waves at up to 15knots. It was a new record for Voyageur as well as the 226nm we covered in a twenty four hour period. Bravo to Voyageur but I am certain Donald's influence aboard clearly had a lot to do with it! Now our ETA looked a whole lot better, in fact at these speeds we could count on being in much earlier.
The barometric pressure topped at 1025 and then we watched its gradual decline. The new low was on its way. By complete contrast the weather was sunny and warm, the ocean glorious colours of turquoise and azure as the crests broke in a fury of frothing foam. It says it the pilot book that you should start your approach to East London 25nm to the north as you can swept past. The Agulhas Current is strongest in this area. We jibed into the coast and could feel the current pushing us sideways. The haze over the land was so intense we could see nothing until about 13nm away. Dolphins and whales welcomed us in. We surfed in behind the breakwater, big rollers at our back. A huge car carrier, Palmela registered in Panama taking up half the space in the river. Ocean Jasper and Crazy Horse were already here at anchor having sailed nonstop from Richards Bay. Anchoring space was tight but we found a space mid channel. The hook went down in thick mud and we heaved a sigh of relief. The timing of our arrival was perfect with the sun was just going down. What luxury to cook and enjoy our evening meal lying quietly to our own anchor rather than on a heaving sea. Lady Lisa, and Destiny arrived a short time later. So now we are six.....
Susan Mackay