Nothing to do?

09 Apr. 12


And just like that my kids have gone. They arrived on Friday afternoon at about two and left this morning at ten. A whirlwind visit with very little sleep trying to steal every precious second possible away from father time. Last night we didn’t sleep at all and instead spent the evening sitting in the cockpit talking. By four this morning we were all suffering from sleep depravation and struggled to keep our eyes open with one of us at a time slipping in and out of consciousness periodically. Just to be shouted awake and back to reality by the remaining zombies. As I write this I find my eyes swimming around a little and my view seems hazy. But it was worth ever second of the time. Now I suppose the long suffering misery cycle can begin again and I land up missing them once more. This time however we will see them again somewhere between here and Cape Town.

11 Apr. 12

I opened my eyes and looking around my cabin my thoughts turned towards the day that lay ahead. For the first time in months I felt completely calm and relaxed. I allowed my thoughts to wander and they led me to the realization that this trip could actually take place. My cabin felt cosy and warm then it dawned upon me that I could just stay lying in my bed for the rest of the day if I felt like it. I was under absolutely no pressure to do anything. That thought was inspiring and I felt the stress of the past few months slipping away into the distance. I eventually got out of bed. Not because I had to but because I chose to.

We caught a taxi into town, walked around in the mall and had a disappointing lunch at Maxi’s. I had a good chat to Keagan on the cell whilst Lola rummaged through the underwear at Woolworths. Then we stopped at a few more shops collecting some things for the boat and caught the taxi back. Now I am going to sit outside in the cockpit and have my second cup of coffee, allowing my mind to meander and search through the memories of the past weekend.

12 Apr. 12

I couldn’t get myself motivated yesterday to do anything significant so I didn’t get much done. We went to bed before nine last night and woke up at four this morning. The bed is so uncomfortable that spending time in it makes my body feel like a bus has driven over me twice. We keep saying that we have to make a plan to fix it but haven’t made it a priority. Perhaps it should move up on the list a few spaces.

13 Apr. 12

Friday the thirteenth, always an interesting date if you are superstitious. For me, it’s just another Friday, and since we don’t have to go to work it may as well be Wednesday or Saturday. I am hoping to get a few more things off the list today but with my arms still being in pain and my motivation level being at an all time low I am not sure how much I will achieve. We are still waiting for SAMSA to issue our seaworthy certificate and have left two voice messages for Runa at SAS. She however seems to be ignoring us. We are obviously not high on her list of “favours” to do for strangers that have paid you for some work to be done. The weather has been rather cold for Richards Bay and last night the boat slowly rocked me to sleep as the south west wind created small waves on the water. I love the motion and it reminds me of my childhood, sleeping on a swinging garden chair under a large oak tree, the chair slowly swinging back and forth. One of the better memories from a confused and traumatising childhood.

It is so beautifully calm this morning with the water taking the appearance of a mirror. The sky is covered from horizon to horizon in white clouds that look a bit like upside down woolly sheep grazing slowly on the stars. I like to take a mental picture of this image and store it in my mind. I hope that one day, when I am an old man with a long white beard, I will be able to search the recesses of my mind and find this image. Hopefully the memory of this day comes flooding back and I can relive the emotions that went along with it.