Richards Bay to Durban

Tuzi Gazi Marina in Richards Bay had suffered considerable damage during a storm that whipped through it at over 50knots about a week prior to our arrival. Repairs to the pontoons were well underway but there were no vacant berths. We tied up in the international harbour alongside a catamaran called Ballyhoo. Paul, the owner, was very helpful and gave John a lift to Meerensee so that he could fill his diesel cans. Jeremy and I needed some exercise and walked for 45 minutes to the supermarket for provisions. We didn’t buy much as there was a choice of about 5 restaurants in Tuzi Gazi, all of them offering reasonably priced meals. The laundry washed our clothes, Wi-Fi was available in the restaurants and there was no charge for the berth, electricity and water. We had to be careful using the water as this region of South Africa was experiencing a severe drought.

We tried to leave Richards Bay on Friday 13^th November (not an ideal date) but we were unable to complete the lengthy clearing out process before the five offices closed for the weekend. The next weather window was 16^th November. John had completed the Flight Plan and a taxi took us to all the offices until we had 5 stamps and permission to leave. We started the process at 0800 and finished about 1030. We left Richards Bay that afternoon and motored out of the harbour and into a big, long swell with light winds. We passed through a ship anchorage for the first 10 miles

The wind went round to the north and freshened during the night. John and I poled out the genoa and we ran before the wind with the mainsail on a preventer goosewinged. Jeremy put a companionway board in as the following sea rose higher and waves started to break behind us.

Boat crane, Durban Harbour

We approached Durban Harbour just before 0600 the following morning.  John called the port on VHF 09 and a very friendly controller took our details and sent a launch to guide us into the small boat area. We were given the phone number of Durban Marina so that we could book a berth. Someone answered John’s call, even though it was only 0630, and told us we would be telephoned at 0800 and helped into a berth. We anchored off and had breakfast. The phone rang as we’d been told, a berth was allocated and several members of the marina staff helped us tie up. I suppose there had to be a glitch and there was. Minutes after tying up we were asked to move across to an empty berth opposite. We did this and tied up again. After about an hour when John was ashore, a very apologetic berthing officer asked us to move to the adjacent berth. They used a launch to pull Sara II over and Jeremy and I secured the lines for the third time in as many hours. Thankfully, we are still in the same berth after 5 days.

There are many warnings about the dangers of walking in Durban, so we are careful not to show wallets, handbags, phones etc. and we keep to the busy main streets. It seems to us to be just as it was 3 years ago. Both yacht clubs, Point YC and Royal Natal YC, are friendly and we have joined them for free for 2 weeks. Both clubs have Wi-Fi, showers, bars and restaurants, so we are very comfortable.

We have been out twice with Jeremy’s cousin, Pat, enjoying lunch at the Pirate Arms on Wilson’s Quay and in the huge, out of town, Gateway Mall. It was great to catch up with each other’s news.

We are now waiting for a 48 hour weather window so that we can sail further south to East London. This is proving to be elusive, but there is a chance that we can leave here late on Sunday 22^nd November.