Farewell dear Lady!

       

We have sold!  I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, though the latter is definitely taking over at present.  We've sold to a wonderful couple who, along with their daughter, are hoping to follow in our wake.  I can think of nothing better than knowing our wonderful Calypso will be out there again pursuing another circumnavigation.  How special would that be!

Thirteen years of living aboard, over twelve of them experiencing people, places and adventures most cannot even dream of.  We have truly been blessed.  We'll definitely miss this lifestyle , in so many respects, we are already.  We daily receive blogs and emails from those who left us behind and a tinge of jealously does tend to creep in occasionally.

One era ends, another begins.  We are now busy packing up and as we endeavour to empty the boat of over 13 years of possessions, we have offloaded bags upon bags of "stuff" at my sister-in-law's.  She promptly took one look at her home being invaded more and more by the day and moved out!  Well in truth, she thought (very wisely so) that it would be best if she just visited a good friend for a few weeks, giving us the space and time to get our act together.  Thanks Jen, don't know what we would have done otherwise, you've saved the day!

Two things I'd been desperately wanting to do over the past couple of years were to have a thorough going over by a dermatologist (constantly living in the sun does take its toll) and also to see an opthamologist about my contunally deteriorating eyesight.  Until we sold Calypso, I really dared not spend the money but as soon as the funds were in our account, both specialists received a call from me.  Skin: I now look a little like a dalmatian - black blobs all over my body but, fortunately, nothing serious enough to be cut out.  Eyes: well, that's another issue; cataract surgery is on the cards but again, fortunately, nothing more serious than that.  So, no time like the present, I've already booked for both eyes to be attacked in July!

Fare thee well to our lovely lady, may you bring the same joy to your new owners as brought to us.

Life continues aboard

                          Enjoying a braai at the club under an incredible sky!

We continue to live aboard at the marina but it's getting mighty chilly now.  The water temperature is very cold (10-11°C) which of course, affects conditions inside the boat as the living quarters are primarily below water level.

We've had an offer; one that we turned down as it was far too low but we're still negotiating.  This couple want to leave to go cruising this year and need to make a decision soon but there is another couple who are planning on setting off in a year or two's time who are also interested so we wait to see what develops.  We are hoping things come to a head sooner rather than later as we wish to get on with the next stage of our adventures while it's still the so-called 'summer' in the northern hemisphere.

Cape Town has been suffering under severe drought conditions for the entire summer and the winter rains hadn't been forthcoming.  However, we've just experienced the worst storm in over 40 years!  The winds got up to 65 knots (75 mph or 120 kph) so there was a mad rush around the marina battening anything and everything possible.  Although it did bring some much needed rain, it was totally iinsufficient to have much of an affect on the dry dams.  Sadly, there were a few deaths and many people in the low lying flat areas have been left homeless.  The nearby Cape mountain ranges are covered with snow, even parts of Table Mountain.  Yup, it's cold!

No sooner did this pass than horrendous fires broke out up the east coast devasting Knysna and Plettenburg Bay.  Reports are still coming in of loss of lives, homes, animals etc.  Just disastrous!  On the positive side, the surrounding communities and businesses are really jumping in with food, clothing, shelter and medical assistance.  We just pray that they can get the fires under control and that there are no more lost lives and homes.

I've 'borrowed' a few of these amazing photos as I'm still without a computer and I can't manipulate pics on my iPad.  I need to win the lottery so I can afford a new lap top but someone mentioned that you actually have to buy a ticket to be in the running!

Before the storm:

The storm brewing over Skangkop (above) & looking out over Green Point, Cape Town (below)

During:

                                  Kali Bay Harbour

                                                               Cape Town

After:  Ooooops, False Bay Yacht Club - we can't walk ashore!

On the hard again and thoughts on SA

Probably for the last time before she goes to new owners, Calypso is up on the hard having her bottom painted and repairs to the scratch I managed to decorate her with the night of our calamitous arrival.

Paul has worked non-stop to put all things back into working order.  There were several issues that we weren't able to resolve due to the inconvenience or the inability of obtaining materials or parts in remote areas of Indonesia and Madagascar but fortunately, here in South Africa, most things are available.  The one annoying item that was not available was our blue anti-fouling paint.  Sorry folks, in that particular make, you have a choice of red or black; no blue.  Damn, so black it is.

We now have the option to return to Panama to live in our little casita in the mountains. We tell ourselves that we will not be leaving South Africa for political reasons but saying that, I have no desire to live in a country where corruption has become the norm and it's run by a thieving idiot!  At long last, it looks as though his support base might be crumbling but the country is showing major signs of following in the footsteps of every other defunct African nation.  When one sees that there's massive admiration for the likes of Robert Mugabe, it's time to think that hope is fading.  When Mandela came into power, there was unity and positivity but it couldn't be further from that ideal now.  Zuma has managed to create such major divisions between the races and I for one, don't wish to spend my remaining years constantly looking over my shoulder and apologising for the colour of my skin.

As one erudite columnist stated, "South Africa has reached its tipping point.  It is a stark choice.  Sack a president who has just removed the last obstacle to the plundering of the country's wealth by a network of ministers, officials and businesss; or fail to remove him and watch the nation start to disintegrate as investors flee, prices soar, jobs vanish, taxes rise and desperate people do whatever they can to survive."

For those of you who haven't been following this debacle, Zuma fired the one and only person, the finance minister, who had stood up to him and refused to allow him to plunder the nations resources to meet his own greedy ends.  He has been branded a thief, a liar, a narcissist, a mysogynist, a crook and a rapist and yet, he's still here!  He has pillaged and raped the coffers, placed his own cronies in the top positions and rid himself of anyone who disagreed with his tactics.  The Rand has plummeted once again and he sits in parliament giggling like the idiot that he is.  It has to be seen to be believed!

On the positive side, watching the parliament channel is more amusing and entertaining than most of the TV programs.  This could also be as a result of the fact that SABC, a previously very profitable entity, can't afford to purchase any decent programs and is currently holding out its hand to be bailed out of total decline due to squandering and corruption.  The same goes for SAA, the previously successful national airline as well as Eskom, the supplier of the nations power, which is now in a completely diabolical mess.  The radicals want to nationalise all banks, mines etc and occupy all land without compensation.  Farm murders are increasing at an alarming rate but rarely get mentioned in local news let alone in international media.  Time to move on!

And yet, I have to admit, South Africa is still one of the most beautiful countries I've ever had the privilege and pleasure to experience and hope lives eternal.  It's getting late but there's still a chance to turn it around but we're not exactly in our formative years anymore so yes, it's time for a change.

Wined, dined, entertained and spoiled rotten!

We've been back less than two months and what an incredible welcome we've received!

We have definitely been spoiled.  It's been non-stop eating, drinking and making merry from the moment we returned; greeted with a myriad of invitations from old friends and family with the added advantage of just happening to time things extremely well to be included in various celebrations.  So much for the diet I'd been planning embarking on after all our Christmas/New Year activities.

Besides all the local friends, we have met with both our ex next door neighbours from Durban 30 years ago which has been amazing and have had numerous get-togethers with departing cruisers.  It's been an incredible period of time but now the diet MUST start!

Our wonderful cruising friends, Bronte and Helmke, invited us to stay with them a few times and took us for a fabulous drive around the peninsula just to remind us how absolutely beautiful this part of the world really is.  There is little in this world that can compare to the drive along Chapman's Peak or the stunning views over Ou Kaapse Weg dropping down into the southern suburbs.  The sight of Table Mountain never ceases to amaze nor does the entire range of the Twelve Apostles with the nearby brilliant white sandy beaches and turquoise waters with houses to rival anything California has to offer poking out of the steep mountain sides overlooking them.  Just WOW!

One by one, the remaining international cruisers have left us behind.  Little by little, we are leaving an amazing way of life in the past.  In some respects I want to cry, in others, we are enthusiastically looking forward to new places, new challenges and new adventures.

The winds until very recently have been horrendous.  This is supposedly the best time of the year; beautiful sunny summer days, light breezes, warm (well slightly warm) waters - you know, perfect conditions.  Nope, not happening!  It's freezing out here on the boat, the water temperatures should be around 18° - 20°C but can't seem to make it past 14°.  The winds are howling a hoolie more days than not e.g. 35 to 60 knots which makes it impossible to work on the deck and we're huddled under blankets with thick socks on our feet!  Weathermen? come on guys, get your act together!

We'd been trying to find a small car to allow us some means of getting about (Simon's Town is a bit out of the way when it comes to getting boaty things).  We eventually did find a cute old Smart car with a very high mileage on the clock but we simply weren't in a position to buy anything fancy.  Our original foray came up with nothing but utter rubbish, things that I certainly would have been very wary driving around on my own but we just weren't finding anything suitable.  Suitable in my eyes would be a nice looking zooty vehicle with an aircon, good music system, electric windows, cruise control, etc. etc.  To Paul it would just be anything with four wheels that doesn't leave us stranded on the side of the road every other day.  An old friend, Eric, had lent us his little car to help us look which was fantastic and we eventually found the little Smart car which even has aircon, electric windows and a radio!  We simply couldn't get over how expensive second-hand cars are here.  My last new car cost less than this one which is 10 years old!  However, we hope to be able to sell it for about the same price prior to leaving South Africa.

When the wind occasionally subsides, the work projects get a bit of a boost on board Calypso and we've now officially placed her on the market with two agents.   We don't know whether to laugh or cry; she's been our home and transport for 13 years, taken us around the world and kept us safe.  How does one give this up without major sentiment?  Worldwide, there's an absolute plethora of boats on the market so we've tried to price her for a rapid sale.  In our eyes, she's worth a lot more but we have to be realistic and just pray we can find someone who will love her the way we have.  The Rand had improved just a tiny bit recently but took a major dive this past weekend when Zuma pulled a fast one by firing the well-respected finance minister and his deputy.  When we look at how drastically it has dropped since our departure in 2004, it's absolutely frightening to think how little we'll clear in Dollar or Euro terms.  However, we have to respect that she has been such a huge part of our lives and given us the means to see the world; we cannot complain.

More on the woes of South African politics and finances later.

PS:  sorry, still no photos; I desperately need a new computer but....... let's just say the purse strings are a bit tight at the moment and I'm still trying to salvage my drowned hard drive.

 

I guess we didn't come in unnoticed!

Nothing like signing off with a bit of drama!  Thanks to the NSRI, friends and club members, all four boats tied up safely.  Whew!

Around the world in 4459 days!

                                                Home!

OK, so it's not exactly a speed record but we did it!  12 years, 2 months and 15 days.  Nearly 45 000 nautical miles or 83,340 kilometres!

We're back in Simon's Town where it all started in 2004 and what an adventure it's been.  The people, the places, the islands, the seas, the sunsets, the foods: nothing can take away the memories of this amazing journey.  

We set off with five years in mind but it didn't take long to realise we didn't want to rush it and five years wasn't going to be near enough.  Although I really do admire those folk who race around the globe, I have to question the logic.  What do they see, who do they meet?  Do they ever sit on a beach to watch the sun go down?  Do they ever stop long enough to savour the variety of cuisine offered around the world?  To experience the culture and diversity each country has to offer?   To simply observe life from a foreign perspective?  And most importantly, to realise how privileged we were to be there in the first place?  We did all this and more!

We often wondered why more people don't get on a boat and sail away but in hindsight, thank goodness they don't, it would be awfully crowded out there and the solitude we experienced so often was half the charm.

Given the choice, would we do it all over again?  Most definitely and we wouldn't change much, not even the boat, except maybe give us a bow thruster next time and perhaps a nice big sugar scoop off the stern.  And while we're at it, a slightly bigger fridge and freezer and....... nah, leave that, they were just fine.  Calypso did us proud.

For all of you who followed our exploits, we hope you enjoyed travelling with us.  It wasn't always easy to stay in touch but we were fortunate to have so many friends back on the land and blessed beyond measure for all those we met along the way.

And now you ask, what's next?  What on earth does one do to follow on from this?  Neither of us is ready to sit back in a rocking chair to reflect on times and adventures past.  We will create new ones.  And so now, on to the next stage of our lives whatever that may hold.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

And now to tell the last tale of our trip into Simon's Town: this final leg of 214nm was some of the best sailing we've had, especially on the SA coast!  We thought we had ended on such a good note, sunny skies, perfect winds (wing-on-wing), moderate seas, a full moon, seals playing around us pretending to be dolphins and, to top it off, Paul caught a beautiful, big yellow-fin tuna.  Sushi H?

Our fabulous cruising friends, Bronte and Helmke were waiting to take our lines along with Roger, the chap who joined us leaving SA in 2004, and quite a few others.  The winds had picked up quite significantly, 25-30 knots, (NOT forecasted) but it was still lovely out there.  And then we rounded the corner with only a couple of miles to go and all hell broke loose.........45 knots gusting to 50 on the nose, we couldn't fight it!  Engine full on but we were not making any progress, rather we were getting forced closer and closer to the far shore.  We turned back and tried again but no luck.  

In the end, to our chagrin, the NSRI came out to tow us in but even that was a saga of its own.  Once they got us closer in, the conditions were marginally more protected so we made the turn into the marina on our own but got blown side on across the finger.  Not my moment of glory!  It took at least a dozen pairs of helping hands on shore to finally pull us straight and tie up!  Shatter nerves and shattered ego and one hell of a grand finale!  Thank goodness for the bottles of bubbly.

Mossel Bay - our penultimate stop!

We'd far rather be in here than out in those ¥#%*€ conditions offshore.  This looks like a great stop indeed.   

No sooner had we pulled into the harbour than we met a chap who had come to see Sandy, the Scotsman who had arrived at the same time (the poor Dane is still out there in horrible conditions).  He offered to take us to the yacht club, a short drive away, then down the beach a bit further for lunch.  Yup, definitely much better than out there.

Calamari and chips, a couple of cold ones, followed by a hot shower and a few hours kip; no complaints, we'll put up with this for a couple of days.

And so comes the last leg.  Thursday predictions (if we trust them) says we'll make it all the way.  Hope it's true as there's nowhere to stop in between.  Saturday morning should see us berthing in FBYC where it all started!

Somebody PLEASE fire the weatherman!

Forecast: light winds SE to E, changing to very light SW later the following day, waves of no significance, swell of no significance.  

Great, we're on our way, we can make it all the way to Simon's Town!  Hmmmm, yeah right.  I don't think so.

Reality: 30 - 35 knots from the east (right up the backside), humongous waves and swells, shocking conditions and we seriously wanted to wring the weatherman's neck!  If six metre breaking waves are of no significance, I have to ask, what is?

To make matters worse, we were advised by the weather gurus, yes them again, that we should get down to 35° south to avoid a bit of a low so like good trusting souls, we did so.  It turned out to be really nasty, a big mistake, so that when we gave up and decided to bail out to head back up to Mossel Bay, we were literally miles and miles out of our way.  How can they get it so wrong?!  But, do you ever hear them say, "Oops, got that a bit wrong didn't we?  Sorry."  Nope, never.

We were with two other boats, one Dane and one Scots: the Dane just wants to get as far away from the South African coast as he can (preferably back in Denmark) and the Scotsman can't believe there should be any sailboats in SA at all - why would anyone want a boat here to sail in these conditions?  At times like these, I have to admit, I question our sanity.

Oh well, we wanted to check out Mossel Bay anyway.

A few days in Paradise

Paradise came in the form of an invitation to spend a few days just north of East London at Viskop, an enormous farm where our friends, Patti and Harry Salzwedel, have their beautiful home in a magnificent setting. The above photo, taken on my iPad, is the only one I can include until I can sort out a new PC to get the photos off my camera.  This was looking out from our bedroom balcony.  Not too shabby is it?!  Even standing in the shower, we had a view of the sea.

Before breakfast the first morning, we had a lovely long walk along the pristine beaches, then chilled out watching some cricket which I happen to love.  Later on, we drove to the top of Viskop hill which is the highest point for many a mile giving an outstanding panorama of the farm, the surrounding hills and out over the ocean. The following day, we met the whole family when we were treated to Harry's birthday celebration at a nearby restaurant/game farm and just generally revelled in the luxury endowed upon us.  

Only a very small section of the farm has been developed and the area is home to many species of animals and birds as well.  Driving along, we met up with blesbok, impala, warthogs, monkeys, eagles and hawks.  What an amazing place to live in!  Thank you dear Harry and Patti for all your kindness and hospitality, a very special treat indeed, we loved your home.

Time to move on again but not before getting a new compressor for the freezer.  We meet many cruisers on smaller boats who don't even have a fridge or freezer aboard.  I don't know how they do it!  We've only been without ours since arriving in East London and most of that time we were away.  I have no idea how to cook without a fridge!  Tinned or dried food? not my forté.

We left the harbour at three in the afternoon arriving in Port Elizabeth 25 hours later after a good and uneventful trip (I'm definitely in favour of the 'uneventful' bit).  Shipping is quite heavy along this coast so we were more than thankful for our AIS system which informs us of other vessels names, direction, speed etc and shows them where we are in case we wander into their path - very comforting.  Isn't technology grand?!

After a decent night's sleep at the Algoa Bay Yacht Club, the Salzwedels stopped by again, this time on their way home from spending a couple of days in Cape St Francis.  At the rate they're going, we won't be surprised if they pitch up in Simon's Town to take our lines upon arrival.  So kind.

The short weather window we had thought we'd use to get over to Mossel Bay has shortened too much, so now we sit for a while longer.  It looks as though this coming Sunday afternoon may give us one and it may be long enough to go all the way to Simon's Town.  If not, I'm sure we'll make it to Mossel Bay which I'd rather like to visit anyway.  The subject of weather is becoming a sore point with all the other cruisers with us.  Never before have we had to concentrate on conditions as seriously as we've been doing ever since arriving on the African coast and rounding Cape Agulhas is certainly not to be taken lightly so we'll wait to judge the situation later.

PHOTO ALBUM:

Again, no PC, no photos - yet.

Pooped!

Just prior to leaving Durban, we were invited to our friend's son's school to talk to them about yachts and sailing around the world.  There were ten 5 and 6 year olds whose usual attention span lasts for all of five minutes but we took along our balloon globe to show them where we'd been and Paul took some ropes to teach them how to tie a bowline.  It really was really quite fun!  

But it was now time to say farewell.

After checking the weather for nearly two weeks, we and a dozen other yachts, finally found a good long window that would get us further down the coast.  We chose to only go as far as East London as we wanted to see some friends we had met in Indonesia, Harry and Patti.  It was their house in Jepara where we stayed the last couple of months while Harry spent most of his time on business in Japan and we stayed to keep his gorgeous ginger cat, Whiskey, company. They actually have their South African home just up from here and Harry is back here for a brief stay so perfect timing.

The "Wild Coast" of South Africa is named such for a very good reason.  If you were to study a navigational chart of this coastline, you'd see reference to "abnormal waves"; waves that can break an enormous tanker in two.  Therefore travelling these waters is not to be taken lightly which is why we all waited so long to be given a long enough weather window to get down here.

Well, we were given it (or so we thought) about four or five days that could get us all the way down to Mossel Bay had we wanted that.  Yeah right!  Five days turned into about 40 hours at which stage it turned turtle - certainly not what all the weather gurus had predicted at all.  Nevertheless, we made it in 37 hours with good winds but.....(yup, there always has to be a 'but') we were screaming along at 10 to 14 knots thanks to a 4 knot current, with a postage stamp sized head sail up and were thoroughly enjoying it until one damned rogue wave decided to target us and suddenly things changed.  From a brilliantly enjoyable and super fast sail, we got severely pooped!  For our non-seafaring friends, the  definition of pooped is: .....

poop

puːp/

verb

past tense: pooped; past participle: pooped

1. (of a wave) break over the stern of (a ship), sometimes causing it to capsize.

   "off Rame Head we were badly pooped"

................................

Yup, we got pooped - big time!  One lone wave broke over our port quarter and literally flooded the cockpit which had the only open port lights and, of course, the open companionway down to the saloon and galley.  I had just gone down for my off duty rest, brought out my PC to check something when I was suddenly washed off the bed - literally!  As I picked myself up (I thought we'd been knocked down and were sinking), I saw a massive waterfall of water pouring through the port lights into the galley, over the counters and washing through everything in its way.   We were seriously flooded.

In its wake, it wiped out the command mic, the fridge/freezer, the stove, the galley light and the battery management system and my dear little laptop PC which took the full brunt, not to mention the bedding, seating, cushions, clothing, lazerettes, cupboards, drawers and everything else imaginable that was drowned in the process.  

Immediately afterwards, it was back to brilliant conditions so Paul managed to dry out and resuscitate the command mic then proceeded to work on the fridge and stove.  He got one burner working (hallelujah we can cook), but the other two just gurgle.  We got my PC to a shop immediately upon arriving but, sadly, it's toast (damn, double damn) and after another few hours working on the compressor for the freezer, we have had to come to the sad conclusion; it's never going to work again!

We were offered a spot on the walk-on moorings so we could start drying things out which was a tremendous help and in the meantime, Harry and Patti arrived bearing some very welcome gifts - so fabulous to see them again.   They were a tremendous help by taking away our sodden carpets and towels etc to dry out at their home as the weather turned nasty and wet which wasn't a big help under the circumstances.

In all our 12 years, we've never experienced such an event.  We've heard about people getting pooped and now we know, first hand, what it actually means.  Calypso has a central cockpit which is ideal in a cruising boat as it very rarely ever allows even splashes into the inner sanctums but a full fledged dump was something we never expected or have experienced in the past.

The following day, Harry and Patti came over again to take us out for dinner and arrived bearing more gifts whch included two new pillows to replace our sodden, malodourous old ones, as well as all our laundry beautifully washed and dried.  How kind!  We'll need to win the lottery to start repaying so much of the kindness we've received.

Paul has managed to order a part for the freezer in the hopes that that will remedy the situation but we've basically lost all our frozen foodstuffs.  The part will take a few days to arrive so we'll just continue drying things out and cleaning up.

PHOTO ALBUM:

Sorry, none: computer drowned.

More Around Durban

Umhlanga Rocks with Durban city in the background

Having now spent several weeks here in Durban, we have done a complete 360° turn in our thought processes.  We had been warned on many occasions that we should give it a miss: it was a dangerous, dirty and derelict place and, in many respects, the inner city is just that. However, there is a whole other side to the area which is beautiful, charming, upbeat and modern and we can see why it's still such a popular place to live.

 

In addition to the areas friends had taken us previously, we decided to visit the UShaka Marine World aquarium which proved to be a real treat and definitely of world class calibre.  The marine world is a theme park which incorporates the largest aquarium in the southern hemisphere and extends for 500 metres through a series of superbly designed old shipwrecks and each and every display was designed to represent the natural habitat of the sea creatures represented within.  We were most impressed and ended up spending the entire day wandering around the exhibits.

Also impressive was the beachfront region from the southern end of the city all the way to the new sports stadium in Durban North.  Lovely walk and cycle tracks have been built right the way along with well maintained gardens and sidewalk eateries.  This part has come a long way indeed.

Nearby the marina is Wilson's Wharf, a somewhat run down touristy pier but which offers one of the best of Durban's famous bunny chow.  You haven't been to Durban if you haven't had a bunny chow and it's not what you might think.  

In reality, it is half a loaf of bread with the inner cut out, filled with curry (it really should be mutton curry) and topped with the cutout piece of bread with more curry sauce poured over that.  It was always a very popular fast food tradition and still is in most places but it has now become a slightly more refined plate in the more touristy cafés.

The Real Deal

Chilling out in the Lighthouse Bar

Our old Tabler friends, Peter and Lilian, picked us up one day to drive us around Umhlanga Rocks which has developed enormously in the years since our last visit.  The entire town has a very fashionable European-like holiday town feel about it with dozens of sidewalk cafés, trendy shops and luxury apartments but has retained the wonderful old colonial hotel, The Oyster Box, where the likes of Charlize Theron and the Monaco royals have stayed.  We stopped for a drink in their magnificent Lighthouse Bar and felt a world away from our vagabond life aboard Calypso.

With Peter and Lilian

  


After taking in the sights of the town, our hosts treated us to a wonderful lunch at one of their favourite restaurants where we indulged in a delicious curry the likes of which only Durban can offer.  We were really spoiled and loved every second of it.  Thank you so very much Peter and Lilian.

Our friends Joe and Faatima invited us back to their home for lunch so we were, again, treated to a fabulous meal and Joe was able to help Paul with a puzzling computer problem. We must have done something right in our lives to deserve such friendship from everyone. Our sincere thanks all 'round.

On the slightly negative side, we haven't been able to leave as planned due to the foul weather systems that keep coming through.  Several times we thought there's a window long enough to get us down to East London but closer to the time, that shuts down so we await the next - and the next.  We're certainly not complaining as we've thoroughly enjoyed our stay but it really is time to move on.

PHOTO ALBUM:

An old ship housing the aquarium

Umhlanga Rocks waterfront

On the Oyster Box Hotel balcony

Umhlanga Pier

 

Durban

Stopping off in Durban was a trip down memory lane.  For eleven years, (1972-83) we lived in Westville, a suburb in the hills just west of the city.  The inner city has changed dramatically since those days and, unfortunately, not for the best as it's virtually a no-go area now due to crime and decay.  However, we were happy to find that this is far from the case with the outlying suburbs, many of which have grown enormously with beautiful homes, malls, parks and developments. 

Durban is a subtropical city on the east coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal and is South Africa's busiest port.  The population of it and surrounding suburbs is now over 3.5 million.  I can't remember what it was in our day but nothing of that magnitude.

Moses Mabhida Stadium (photo pinched from web)

The World Cup soccer which took place in South Africa in 2010 created a very positive influence on Durban with its enormous Moses Mabhida Stadium (I still haven't found out who he is/was) and a major revamp of the waterfront beaches incorporating the Ushaka Marine World (very impressive).






Despite having being advised not to bother stopping here, we chose to do so primarily as it was the closest marina where we could safely leave Calypso while visiting our friends for Christmas.  In addition, Paul had wanted to meet up with some of the chaps who he was with during his Round Table days way back when and although many of the folk we knew have either moved away or passed on, there were still a couple around whom we wanted to see again.  

Our first social activity was a get-together of the old Round Table group and their wives.  We were collected by Peter and Lilian Benson, who we haven't seen in a month of Sundays (like 30-odd years!) and it was as though we'd seen them just a year ago.  We spent a wonderful evening chatting, getting to know old friends and new, answering questions and telling tales of our adventures. Wish we could meet up more often and make this a regular event.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera.

Peter and Lilian drove us around our old neighbourhood and many of the new ones.  There has been massive developments over the intervening years.  We had thought the area would have stagnated a bit but far from it.  Our old house looked pretty much the same but now with a huge wall built all around it which is, I guess, a sign of the times.  Our upper neighbour's house was looking a bit sad though and the lower one was also hidden behind huge walls.

 

Next we met up with Joe, an old friend who has since remarried and has now got a 5-year old son!  We spent a pleasant evening with them visiting a restaurant in a very imposing shopping mall out in the northern suburbs reminiscing about old times.  Great to catch up.









 

The following day, an old work colleague of mine and his partner, Cliff and Angie, who we'd also not seen for longer than I care to remember, came to the marina to collect us.  They took us to the marine world for a fabulous lunch overlooking the southern beaches.  This region had just been scrub bush in our day but now sports many new and exclusive residences.  They are keen campers, birders, photographers and all things nature, so we could relate well together.  It was such fun catching up with them as well.

Our own dive centre? Nope, pity.

Looking north towards the stadium

 

Celebrating with old friends

Durban Marina

Richard's Bay to Durban was an overnight trip with great sailing for the first half but, due to lack of wind later, the iron genny was switched on for the remainder.  The wind picked up as we arrived outside Durban Harbour but by then, we were right among the huge tankers so preferred to slalom our way through them under motor.

Christmas was a real treat this year.  We spent it with long-time friends down at their summer home south of Durban.  For us, this was the first occasion in many a year that Christmas included a houseful of children.  Our friends, Richard and Hazel, have managed to produce five grandchildren in our absence, all 12 years old and younger, 4 boys and one girl.  I think they thought we'd be horrified at the prospect of all the noise (and there was plenty of that!) but far from it.  It took us back to previous Christmas holidays when our daughter and her cousins were very young and we watched the excitement a visit from Santa Claus would bring.

Kate, Brent, Hazel, Malachi and Seth

Kate and Sebastian

Their house was in constant action as only a house full of nine adults, five kids and two dogs could conjure up: trips to the beach to swim, to fish, to fly kites: making havoc in their swimming pool, and the general chaos created by trying to cater for this lot especially as, several times, the entire region was without water for 24 hours or more.

On the subject of catering, I have NEVER eaten so much, so often and so well for as long as I can remember.  I KNOW I've gained a couple of kilos!  I don't think the constant supply of wine, champers and liqueurs helped either, but you didn't hear anyone complaining, not seriously anyway.

One interesting phenomena we came across was swarms of swallows.  We went off to Marina Beach to visit other friends as they had told us of the thousands upon thousands of swallows that settle down to nest in the reeds each and every night, and they weren't exaggerating.  Just as dusk was approaching, massive swarms appeared in the sky then starting swooping down past us to find their homes for the night in the grassy reeds.  The photo cannot possibly do it justice - it was quite a sight to see.

   


It really was super catching up on all the years we've been away.  A lot has changed here in South Africa in that time, some of it very good, some definitely not so good, but there is still a lot of love for the country and a wonderful life to be had albeit with a little more caution attached.  Our non-stop chats gave us a good insight into life here and each day, each conversation helped to put us in the current picture.

Hazel and I sharing memories

Finally 2017 rolled in without much of a bang from our side.  After the usual day of fresh air, a hearty meal and a few celebratory libations, our beds beckoned.  Llet us take this opportunity to wish you all, cruisers and landlubbers alike, a very happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful 2017.  To the entire Norris family, a million thanks for such a wonderful time.

PHOTO GALLERY:

Richard and daughter, Kate

Storm brewing

Sundowners on the beach

The Boyz and friend

Brent and kite

Jamie, Adam and Carli visit Calypso

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