We reach a major milestone today. One year ago, on 6 January 2010 we left St Lucia to start our circumnavigation. Theoretically, today should be day 366 but as we crossed the international date line and lost a day, it is day 365. I can’t believe that we’ve gone so far and done so much. When I look back it seems like yesterday in some ways and a lifetime ago in others.
The guys turn up again to continue the cleaning – I really don’t know how they work in this heat but they are doing a great job.
Matt takes Mike to get the hire car while I wait for the refrigeration guy to arrive ‘first thing’ but of course he doesn’t. Matt comes back and stops by for a natter and to keep me company until Mike arrives bringing the guy from customs with him. The guy goes through all my receipts and the goods (even my new knickers. He tells me that if anyone else had answered the phone we would have just been able to turn up at the customs office with the receipts and that would have been it. Trust me to get the stickler for the rules. He takes away all our receipts and assures us that in due course the VAT refund will be paid onto one of our credit cards. I have no idea how much is due in total as I forgot to add them all up. Oh well, it might happen.
Mike rings the refrigeration guy but he doesn’t answer his phone and his voicemail is full up. Ever persistent though, Mike keeps trying until eventually, just before noon, he gets through and is assured that ‘he is on his way and will be there in 15 minutes’. Well I don’t know which way he goes but he does, at long last, arrive over an hour later, and to be fair, gets it all going by removing all the faulty joints. He leaves without being paid as he wants to drop by tomorrow and check that everything is still working well.
We have to leave really early for the WARC function as Mike has arranged for Brent and Anna on the boat next to us to visit Tucanon to talk about possible additional things to equip the boat with for a long passage. We get ready and head off to Hout Bay, taking Lee, the new crew member from Ocean Jasper, with us. It’s a lovely journey through the hills and when we arrive in Hout Bay, the beaches are heaving.
We leave Lee to his own devices and go over to Tucanon. Brent and Anna are already there having a look around and we spend some time chatting and catching up with Irene before going to the skippers’ briefing. It’s good to see some familiar faces, most of whom I haven’t seen since we left Richards Bay or Port Elizabeth but sad too to learn that Anna and Udo are leaving Destiny, our Privilege 435 sister ship.
At the beginning of the meeting Paul points out that as we are 6 hours behind St Lucia, exactly one year go to the hour, we were all crossing the start line at the beginning of the rally. I sit through most of the skippers’ briefing, not really taking it in – that’s Mike’s territory. Most boats are now in Hout Bay and the start line is there. Unless we come out of Elliot Basin and head south for an hour and a half just to make it to this start line, we will not be deemed to have started the race and will end up with a DNF (did not finish) beside our boat name. No problem. We are not in this to compete and have far too much still to do to waste a few hours. Anyway, the last time I saw that bit of coastline from the sea I was not enjoying it at all and would rather not see it again!
After the skippers’ briefing it’s back to the bar and then a wonderful sampling of South African cuisine, including a rather wonderful babotie which I have to say gives Heine’s a run for its money. Then more drinks and chat.
The music provided by a local DJ is good too although frankly, I’m too knackered to dance, and after arranging for a delivery of meat for when we come over to clear out tomorrow, we leave for the journey back to Cape Town.
When we arrive back at the marina, there is another party in full swing on the party boat opposite. They are a group of fun guys who won’t take no for an answer when they ask us to join them. We give in although Mike only takes a beer and I ask for water. Fat chance. They refuse to give me water or a soft drink. I end up with some strange concoction which is tequila mixed with something like strawberry Nesquick (that’s what it tastes like anyway). The lads even conjure up some fruit for it too, and laugh as I drink it. If I’m not ill in the morning I’ll be very surprised.
We leave after one drink – probably one drink too many, and get back on board our gleaming Jeannius ready for a good night’s sleep.
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