South Africa to Namibia

 Ann, from Cat’s Paw IV, came to see us off and watched us try to reverse from our berth with a spring line still attached! No damage done, except to our pride, and off we went on a short 35 mile passage to Dassen Island. The anchorage was very sheltered once we’d found our way past the numerous crayfish pots and fishing vessels. We were not allowed to go ashore as Dassen Island is a bird sanctuary. We enjoyed watching the penguins waddling along the shore in the evening. Jeremy spent 40 minutes in the freezing water cleaning the hull.

Fishing boats at Dassen Island

It was about 60 miles to Sandy Bay in the corner of the huge St Helena Bay. We motorsailed into a head wind. The swell was quite big but not breaking so we were reasonably comfortable. On our approach we heard a severe weather warning on the VHF radio. We could expect dangerous swell of more than 4-6 metres. The only refuge port on this stretch of coast is Port Owen and we were quite close. Jeremy phoned the marina explaining about the severe weather warning. We were turned away. The man said, “We’re full. There’s no room.” Great. So much for a port of refuge! We anchored just outside the fishing harbour in Sandy Bay where there was good protection from the SW swell. As Jeremy had predicted, no swell entered our anchorage. Guess what follows an unusually big swell. Correct. Unusually strong winds. The anchor dragged and we had to re-anchor in winds of 42 knots. Later, when the wind was gusting to 49 knots, Jeremy let out all 50 metres of our anchor chain, more than 10 times the depth. The anchor held.

We stayed in Sandy Bay for 3 nights. Jeremy went to top up the batteries and found that our oldest one was very hot. Fortunately, we had a spare from Malaysia. Jeremy took the old battery out, replaced it and reconnected the wiring. The bendix on the starter motor had been making a grinding noise so he removed it, inspected it, found it to be OK and gave it a good clean.

Dutch Reformed church at Lambert's Bay

On the way to Lambert’s Bay the next day, motoring in calm seas, I saw a school of whales and counted 8 tails upended as they dived. Ashore we could see signs of cultivation in the desert and learned later that Red Bush tea is grown here, the only place in the world apparently. There were groups of seals sunning themselves. We’re now quite used to them lying on their backs with their feet in the air and sometimes appearing to wave a flipper. We stayed for one night in Lambert’s Bay and as it was our last night in South Africa, we celebrated by eating ashore and sharing a bottle of wine at Isabellas. We met an Englishman called Andrew and he was very helpful to us, explaining where to tie the dinghy, where the supermarket was and where to eat. Thanks Andrew.

Looking down on Luderitz

The trip to Luderitz took three and a half days. You won’t believe how cold it is on the edge of the desert. Inland it’s 40 degrees C. The sea temperature is 6 degrees C. At night fog rolls in from the sea and waters the desert. When there’s no wind, visibility is less than half a mile. We wore several layers of clothes, woolly hats, socks, boots, and even thermal underwear at night. Often we came across huge branches of kelp which would wrap themselves around the prop, so a good look out was needed. One day Jeremy swatted a fly with a piece of rope and put a hole in the windscreen of the sprayhood. He patched it within the hour so at least water cannot come in and soak the instruments, but the view ahead is not quite as good as it was. A ship with two cranes appeared out of the mist so we put the radar on. The next day the middle lazy jack caught on its cleat and snapped. Three lines called lazy jacks on each side of the boom hold the mainsail in place when it’s down. This repair would have to wait a while. As always happens along this coast, the wind gives you all or nothing. We’d been motoring for a while and just as it was going dark the wind started to blow and carried on blowing all night. Jeremy must have done about five sail changes as the wind swung from N to W to SW to S and to SSE, increasing to 27 knots behind us. By the end of the next day, we were motoring again in light winds.

Scary bows in the mist

We met two more ships. I called one on the VHF and received no response. I watched it overtake us and pass within half a mile. Soon afterwards another ship called on the VHF, “Sailing vessel in position ……….I am just ahead of you. How would you like me to pass”. A huge bow was coming out of the mist ahead. I had not seen it. I replied, “Steer to starboard. We’ll pass port to port.” It’s very rare for a ship to call us. I think this is only the second time in three years. We need to buy an AIS, which warns us of ships nearby and gives their name, position and course. We changed our course and moved inshore away from the shipping. A few hours later we were tied up to a mooring in Luderitz harbour having been helped by another Andrew. Good luck with your trimaran, Andrew.

The bakery at Kolmanskop

We had a fright in Immigration as my passport was missing. It was last used to clear out of Cape Town. Fortunately, a return to Sal Darago revealed my passport in the chart table. It must have slipped out of our documents file. Back we went to Immigration to clear in, followed by Customs and Port Control. There were no charges. Tagish arrived that evening with Dorothy and Brian on board and Cat’s Paw IV arrived the next evening with Ann and Barry on board. We celebrated with beers at the yacht club and arranged to visit the ghost diamond mining town of Kolmanskop the next day.

The Manager's house at Kolmanskop

The six of us went in Marion’s minibus for N$50 each. The permit to the ghost town cost N$55 each. That’s about £8 each in total. We were driven 10km into the desert – nothing but rock and sand – to Kolmanskop. Most of the houses were still intact although some of them were almost filled with sand. The main hall/gym and a few houses had been restored. There had been families, single men, labourers, managers, a shop, a bakery, a butchery, an ice house and a hospital. The town was built by Germans using wood and machinery sent out from Germany. After the guided tour we were free to wander around the site and go in and out of many of the buildings. It is said that once diamonds could be picked up from the sand. Not anymore. The whole town was abandoned when a huge deposit of diamonds was discovered at the Orange River mouth. It was strange to walk around and see the empty houses, gaining  an insight into life during the diamond rush.

Sand dunes at Hottentot Bay

On Saturday 19^th January 4 yachts left Luderitz on passage to Walvis Bay. These were the German yacht Mango, the Canadian yachts Tagish and Cat’s Paw IV and the British yacht Sal Darago. We were last to leave at 0745. We had a look at Boat Bay just 12 miles north of Luderitz and carried on to Hottentot Bay where we stayed the night. The wind blew hard and when I dropped the anchor the chain jammed with only about 2 metres overboard, not enough to reach the bottom. Jeremy came forward and could not shift the chain either. He had to go down below, empty half the front cabin and untangle the chain in the forward locker, while I kept SD as steady as I could under engine with her stern into the wind. It was important not to drift as there were crayfish nets and pots nearby. After several minutes Jeremy freed the chain and we anchored securely. We were almost surrounded by beautiful curved sand dunes. There were a few remains of buildings and one or two fishing boats.

Wreck and seal colony at Spencer Bay

 The next day we motored in misty conditions to our namesake anchorage – Spencer Bay. There was a wreck on the headland surrounded by hundreds of seals. As we entered the bay the wind doubled in force but we anchored this time with no problems. We both wanted to go ashore but the surf was surging up all the beaches making landing risky. Jeremy had hurt his leg the previous day when he was caught in a gybe. The mainsheet nearly put him overboard, but he held on and was smacked into the rear bimini upright pole. Was it worth risking possible further injury being flung out of the dinghy? We were miles from anywhere in a remote, wild and beautiful place on our own. If we damaged the outboard we couldn’t row back against the gale force wind and the desert is not the best place to spend the night! We had lunch and spent 4 hours on anchor before continuing our journey of 2 nights and 1 day to Walvis Bay.

Strange rock formation at Spencer Bay

The first night the wind gusted to gale force from behind, the swell increased in size and waves broke on top descending in waterfalls against our hull. One came right into the cockpit. I was so glad I’d put a board in the companionway or the saloon would have been drenched. Jeremy put on his thermal underwear and I was wearing 4 layers of clothing on top and 2 pairs of trousers. The southerly wind blew straight from Antarctica. Our thoughts went out to Nick Bubb doing the Shackelton Re-enactment in the Southern Ocean. We motored all of the second night. The engine revs kept going up and down and we expected it to cut out at any minute. However, the good old Vetus Mitsibushi did not let us down and we reached Walvis Bay, picking up a yacht club mooring at 0800 hours. Nearby were Mango, Tagish and Cat’s Paw IV.

We’re here until Saturday 26^th January;  then we’re off to St Helena, a British island about 10 days’ journey away in the South Atlantic. We are looking forward to being in the SE Trade Winds again. Perhaps we’ll be able to take our fleeces and thermals off soon.