Back to Richards Bay

21 Apr. 10

We will be going down to Richards Bay this weekend to hopefully study the boat and check the condition of the sails, rigging etc. Last time we were at Zululand Yacht Club we didn’t really check this and so we are going to check. I am hoping to take her around the harbour for a test run on the motors and perhaps a short sail to ensure that all is working. As we all know boats are never all working so perhaps we are actually going to check what needs to be placed on the list for repairs.

29 Apr. 10

We left at 04h00 on Saturday morning as opposed to the planned 02h00 leaving time because the weather was too wet and we didn’t want to spend to much time travelling in the dark, we also wanted to avoid crossing over Van Reenen mountain pass in the dark as it can be quick foggy in the pass and visibility is very limited. Arrived at Zululand Yacht Club just after lunch time and convinced the security guard at the gate to allow us entrance by telling him that our yacht was on the marina. Technically it is not our yacht yet but we have paid about forty percent so far so it wasn’t a total lie.

The weather in Richards bay was cold, wet and miserable, and the weather forecast stated that the seas would be rough with 5 metre waves at 6 second intervals.

The current owner of our soon to be new home Greg met us later on the yacht and we met his girlfriend from Thailand, Pooye. I am not sure how to spell her name so I hope I didn’t offend her with my attempt at spelling.

Staying on the yacht for the weekend with Greg, his son Nathan, Greg’s Girlfriend Pooye and Nathan’s Fiancé Dominique was surreal, because we didn’t really know any of them except for the previous visit when we made the offer on the boat, and we sort of invited ourselves down for the weekend as we had to join the yacht club and make arrangements to take over the walk on mooring. So every now and then I would tell Lola that maybe we should have booked into a bed and breakfast, and she would agree, but then we convinced ourselves that it was only for a short period of time and that we would survive.

We went down to the pier to look at the ocean as I wanted to see how rough the conditions were. The harbour had been closed to small craft due to the conditions. A small swell was coming into the yacht club marina and you could see the water breaking on the breakwater walls. So we drove down to the beach, parked the car and went for a walk on the pier. Kyle was petrified as he watched the waves coming in as they seemed to be rather large and it looked as if they would sweep you off the pier into the ocean. It took some convincing and persuasion to make him walk onto the pier and I had to assure him that the worst that could happen was that a wave would break over the pier and he may get wet. After we walked about halfway down the pier a large wave broke over the side and all of us got soaked, all except Rauen, the wave seemed to go over him and connected the rest of us on the opposite side of the pier. At this point Kyle realised that I wasn’t lying to him and suddenly he was the bravest kid in the world.

The rest of the time Rauen tried to get soaked but it was as if he had water repellent spray on him and no matter how hard he tried the spray just managed to avoid him. People all around him got soaked and every time he moved to a new spot the old place where he had been standing got soaked.

We spent the evening in the bar at the yacht club with some very festive people. Luckily for me Lola kept some sense and dragged me away from the festivities at about midnight, before my behaviour got out of hand. I had a few brandy’s and a couple of something called a Handgrenade. Whenever I drink shooters I tend to get memory loss and can’t remember what I got up to. This has led to some embarrassing situations in the past as I tend to make promises to do things with someone the next day and then can’t remember even meeting them, let alone going on some or other rock climbing or mountain biking expedition.

On Sunday morning we met a long term cruiser called Ian on a steel boat called Ocean Spray. He and his wife had just got back from Indonesia through some rough oceans around the southern tip of Madagascar where they broke some of the rigging on their boat. He told me that they had 11 metre swells for about 22 days, not the type of conditions that allow for pleasant sailing. Ian said he would keep an eye on our yacht whilst we were away, thanks Ian.

The office at the yacht club was open on Monday morning so we went to sign up as new members. This is not as simple as it seems, someone has to propose you as a new member then someone else has to second this. After these people have done this you have to attend an interview with the committee and then a decision will be made if you are allowed to join. How you would join the club if you don’t know anyone, I don’t know. Anyway Greg said he would propose us and he would find a second for us, thanks Greg. Our meeting with the committee has been set for the 21st June.

Hopefully we fit the criteria.