“I Bless the Rains down in Africa”

Monday November 1, COVID test done, Health, visit from port Health Officer done… Oh, and the salt was washed off Trance today too. Still waiting….

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Tuesday November 2, gray chilly, windy day with rain in the forecast. Immigration arrived at the boat at 8:30 am, passports stamped! In the afternoon, we went to customs office to complete the check in process. Later we moved Trance over to the Zululand Yacht Club where we’ll stay a few weeks before continuing around the coast of South Africa.

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After walking around the club grounds, we stopped up in the Pelican Bar at the club. We met a few members, shared a couple drinks with them. Later went out to dinner with friends Simon and Jeff, it was a great night.

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Wednesday November 3, laundry day

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Another rant on our code sail. Cody is off to the North Sails loft in Cape Town to be looked at, hopefully it can be repaired there. How does a two year old sail that is barely used delaminate? Oh, and it tore, in two places, again along the leach line that has thinned (the foot has also thinned) where the Dacron luff tape is sewed, it supposedly has UV protection painted on the foot and luff. “3Di is stronger, lighter and more resistant to environmental factors than laminate string sails” says North Sails, not believing it!

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In the evening at the bar, every Wednesday they recognize the new international yachts that have arrived, presenting them with a bottle of champagne. This acknowledgment is just before they give awards for Wednesday night racing.

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Thursday November 4, Lunch with Michael and Priscilla from s/v Hylite. He’s from Australia she’s from Malaysia, however they lived in the US for many years. They departed on their journey in 2017 from San Francisco. In the evening we spent time at the bar with Jeff and Simon, they are leaving Friday.

Friday November 5, * Sourdough Notes* I officially ran out of King Arthur bread flour. When we departed Hawaii I had 50 pounds of it on the boat. I purchased a few kilograms of a high protein flour T-65 on Reunion Island. My dough is wetter than with the KA, next loaf I should about 30% less flour. The bread turned out great with a nice oven rise.

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Comedy night at ZYC was delayed an hour from a blackout. The show was funny, lots of “local” jokes, the crowed enjoyed it.

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South Africa has an Energy Crisis. It is an ongoing period when South Africa experiences widespread rolling blackouts as supply falls behind demand, It began in 2007 and still continues. Load shedding is used to relieve stress on a primary energy source when demand for electricity is greater than that power source can supply, demand is distributed. Energy here is from coal burning.

Saturday November 6, Trick or Treat on the docks, for those who wanted to participate a black balloon was hung on your boat.

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Sunday November 7, Dan went racing on a local boat s/v Sea Scape with Robin and Charlotte, it was their first time racing. The race course was 20 miles out and back around an anchored freighter, as the mark.

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