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.