Wind: 8 to 10 knots SW.
Engine: 1140.4 hours.
The Flight Plan was lodged
with the Police the day before. Called up Port Control on VHF Ch 12 for
permission to depart the harbour. I had logged onto Peri Peri Radio Net the
night before - periperiradio@gmail.com.
The residual SW swell and light wind left a nasty 2 to 3 metre, choppy sea. Both skipper and crew felt decidedly ordinary again. The skipper's breakfast threatened to make an unpleasant reappearance.
Noon 27-11-12 – Tuesday
Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0
Lat: 33 14.62 S
Lon: 027 53.74 E
COG: 240 Deg M, Speed 3.5 kts, SOG 6.0 kts
Winds: 10 to 12 Kts S
Swell 2-3 m SW
Engine: 1143.4 Hrs
Barometer: 1028 Mb steady.
The seas started to settle
and be a little more friendly.
Wednesday 28/11/12 At 0615
hours
Wind was 12 to 15 from the NE.
23 miles due south of Port
Elizabeth
Lat: 34 24.91 S
Lon: 025 40.88 E
Current around 1 knot SW and
dropping. There was an abundance of sea birds about.
Noon 28-11-12 – Wednesday
Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0
Lat: 34 23.87 S
Lon: 025 40.88 E
COG: 290 Deg M, Speed 5 kts, SOG 6 kts
Winds: 12 to 18 Kts SE
Engine: 1143.6 Hrs
Distance covered since noon
yesterday 161 Miles.
Barometer: 1017 Mb.
We had hoped to make it
through to Hout Bay, Cape Town on Saturday, December 1 doing an average speed
of 5 knots. I had downloaded a weather GRIB file and was concerned with the increasing
easterly wind around Cape Agulhas up to 40 knots. I spoke with the ever helpful
Roy, Paul and Norman at Peri Peri net at 1700L and was advised not to go near
Cape Agulhas in easterly winds of 30 plus knots with SW swell of 3 to 4 metres.
They suggested I shelter in Mossel Bay. Had I been closer to Port Elizabeth it
was suggested I go back. However, sailing back 70 miles was not really an
option. There are not that many places to shelter from a south easterly wind on
the south coast.
1800 hours
Winds 5 - 10 knots SE
Sails slatting in light airs
and not going anywhere in a particular hurry. It did not look like there would
be much wind for the next 24 hours, then there would be too much.
Started the engine.
During the night we decided
to head to Knysna instead of Mossel Bay. The winds were getting lighter and the
seas flatter. The problem with Knysna is it is a narrow entrance with a fairly
shallow bar. The entrance should only be negotiated in calm seas about one or
two hours before high tide - slack water.
29-11-12 Thursday at 0600
hours - motoring.
Winds: 5 to 8 Kts ESE
Lat: 34 20.83 S
Lon: 023 28.80 E
Knysna 26 miles about 5
hours motoring.
Mossel Bay 66 miles about 12
hours motoring.
 |
| Knysna Entrance |
Noon 29-11-12 – Thursday
Time: 12.00L UTC+2.0
Lat: 34 07.18 S
Lon: 023 07.51 E
COG: 330 Deg M, SOG 3 to 4 kts
Winds: 5 to 8 Kts ESE
Engine: 1159.0 Hrs
Distance covered since noon
yesterday 95 Miles.
Barometer: 1019 Mb.
Thursday 29-11-12 at 1330
hours arrived Knysna Yacht Club
We managed to safely
negotiate the entrance and navigated the narrow channels to the town of Knysna.
On nearing the Knysna Yacht Club a good few crustaceans on the bottom of the
keel where crushed when Sadiqi ran aground twice. I dropped the anchor instead
of parking the boat on the mud again. I phone the yacht club, apologised for
putting dents in the mud and asked for some guidance, which was happily given. Sadiqi
spent one night tied up to the Yacht Club jetty before moving to the private
marina near by.
 |
| Alongside Knysna Yacht Club |
Knysna is a very pretty,
affluent, tourist town nestled near a beautiful lagoon.
