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American Spirit II - Day 333; Getting Aclimated in Cape Town; Friday, December 5, 2014



Up at 7:30 AM after only going to bed at 3:00 AM. Folie a Deux arrives at 8:00 AM. We catch their lines along with Civetta II. We move our boat to another slip right after 8:00 AM. A couple hours later we have to move it again. We're on a dock with Nexus and Folie a Deux. The American dock is what we call it since all 3 of us are US registered; and Pearl Harbor Day is two days away on December 7.

At around 8:30 AM Zandra from yacht management company stops by and introduces herself and says that she is working with or on the behalf of the World Cruising Club. Breakfast at 8:35 AM consists of eggs, potato and bread; plus an apple or orange. The sky is blue, something we've seen very little of the last month.

After breakfast we go to the marina office and get directions for going to Customs and Immigration. Even though we cleared into the country weeks ago in Richard's Bay, we have to do so again in Cape Town. Once at Immigration I give them some previous paperwork, and fill out some more paperwork. However, the official I deal with won't clear me in until I stamp my paperwork with my boat stamp. It's on the boat, so Joel goes back to get it. A mile away. Joel and Jeanine have joined me in the trip to Customs and Immigration because unlike most countries, and unlike Richard's Bay, we all have to be present in clearing in at Cape Town. I find out later that some boats don't have a boat stamp. So much for consistency in processing.

Once we're done its back to the marina office where I fill out some paperwork and get some magnetic and swipe card keys. Then its shower time.

Back on the boat, I call Zandra and get another quote for my bottom job. This quote is 40% less than the first quote; so I take it. Jeanine goes to the V & A mall and gets a ton of brochures. Later I call and set up a 1/2 day tour of Table Mountain and Cape Town.

At 4:00 PM I call the US and talk to another hydro generator distributor, this one in Bath, Maine. I order another propeller, so I have a spare. Then I call the wind turbine company in the US and explain to them the problems we're having with our unit. They give Joel and me some advice on how to determine what the problem actually is.

I'm having a hard time walking because my right thigh leg muscle isn't working right. I think its because I'm dehydrated or I traumatized it coming in to Cape Town. Its painful, like a cramp, but it isn't cramping.

Dinner at 7:45 PM consists of blackened chicken legs cooked on our grill by chef Joel; baked micro wave potato; and corn on the cob cooked on the galley stove in boiling water. Since we're having the boat hauled on Monday to have the bottom painted, we have to eat all the food in the freezer and refrigerator as the boat's electricity will be off when the boat is out of the water Monday thru Thursday next week. After dinner we go to the mall for ice cream, and are back at the boat at 10:30 PM.

The marina we're in is the best marina we've been in since Australia.

Brian Fox



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