Zhik Spirit of Adventure: ‘Water drenched the foredeck followed by the characteristic sound of water rushing into the boat’

Navigating South Africa’s treacherous coast was challenging for Ivar and Floris, despite almost eight years of sailing around the world

Bang!’ Luci’s bow collided with a steep wave, filling the air with a deafening reverberation. Water drenched the foredeck, followed by the characteristic sound of water rushing into the boat. ‘Oh no, the hatch
of the heads is still ajar!’ Ivar cursed on his way below deck. After closing the hatch and drying the heads, he re-emerged in the cockpit, half seasick.

Obviously, we miserably failed to properly prepare for our departure from Richards Bay. The Indian Ocean afforded us no trial period and forced us right into sailing mode. The start of our 900-mile passage along the South African coast – notorious for depressions, monster waves and rugged capes – was a rude awakening.

Timing is Everything

After studying the weather forecast and identifying possible safe harbours, we had agreed on the tactic to tackle the daunting leg ahead of us: coast hopping. Rapidly alternating, strong northerly and southerly winds, in combination with stretches of inhospitable coastline, constitute this sailing area’s biggest challenge.

Southerlies are particularly notorious, as they can clash with the mighty Agulhas sea-current and create monster waves. In those circumstances, it is important to be close to a place of refuge, so timing is everything!

Our first weather window was short and only allowed us to reach the next port, Durban. Fortunately, the arrival was much calmer than the departure. By the time we sailed into the bay, the northerly wind that brought us here was almost gone, an omen that the weather was about to change. The following days, we remained safely sheltered at the very hospitable Point Yacht Club while the wind blew strongly from the south.

Thunder and Current

As soon as the wind shifted to the north, we set sail again. We calculated that reaching East London, 250 miles away, was feasible. The Agulhas current was forecast to run close to the coast, so we would only need to keep a few miles of distance from the beach to take advantage of it.

Yet while the wind slowly carried us south, we didn’t notice any current. Instead, feisty clouds built up in the evening with lightning on the horizon almost every second. Soon we were startled by a bright flash and a deafening bang. ‘That was close!’ Floris exclaimed in horror.

More near misses followed. Lightning struck in front and next to us while the thunder rumbled loudly above us. In tense suspense, we sat in the cockpit until we could no longer perceive nature’s impressive forces. It was the heaviest thunderstorm we had ever experienced, so we were relieved to escape unscathed.

Article continues below…

By morning we had only sailed 100 miles. Would we still make it to East London?

At last, the Agulhas current accelerated our speed, first to six, then to a staggering 11 knots. We covered the remaining distance in no time and arrived in East London in the middle of the night. Strong winds sent big waves crashing inside the breakwaters when we entered the harbour.

With a steady hand Ivar steered Luci to the calmer waters of the Buffalo River. After winning a prolonged battle with the current and mooring lines, which are attached to the neighbouring buoys, we collapsed, exhausted but grateful. It marked the end of the longest coastal stretch without safe harbours.

Wind Watching

Overnight the wind turned south again. The weather forecast showed stormy conditions on the ocean, so we considered ourselves fortunate in the refuge of the river. Meanwhile, the yacht club’s commodore, Peter, advised us not to call at the next port, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth): ‘The pontoons are poorly positioned, and your boat will turn black from the soot of the industrial harbour.’

He was the umpteenth person to warn us. However, to sail past it we would need a few days of favourable weather, which was not in the forecast.

Although it was comfortable on the mooring in the river, East London as a town was not particularly attractive. After more than a week we were so tired of waiting that we decided to take our chances.

We reached Gqeberha effortlessly and were content to be 150 miles closer to Cape Town. The Algoa Bay Sailing Marina where we moored was indeed adjacent to the industrial port and some of the neighbouring boats had black-stained decks.

Would the prophecies come true? We made sure to moor on the downwind side of the pontoon, so when strong south-westerly winds blew, we were pushed away from it rather than against it. To our delight, we stayed upwind from the industrial port, so none of the notorious black dust reached us. What a convenient stopover this turned out to be!

Nutrient-Rich Water

We left as soon as the wind turned. Our pontoon was now going to be on a lee shore and the dust would blow our way. Conversely, the easterly wind was perfect to sail overnight to Mossel Bay. As we progressed, we felt our drinking water get colder and colder.

The water tank is in the steel keel, so it signalled that the ocean temperature was dropping. Indeed, we were in the area where the warm water of the Indian Ocean meets the cold water of the Atlantic. With the temperature change, so did the animal life around us. The nutrient-rich water from Antarctica attracted birds, seals, dolphins, even whales! Suddenly, we were surrounded by them. We couldn’t get enough of wildlife spotting and felt like we were in a private zoo.

Mossel Bay’s Yacht Club is not open to visitors and the anchorage is rather exposed, so we asked the port authorities if we could moor at their commercial jetty. They courteously directed us to tie up behind a fishing boat on a rough concrete quay which had tractor tyres suspended from it.

Given the tidal range of 1.5m and predicted strong westerlies, it was not an ideal berth but better than any alternative, and free of charge. The town was within walking distance and didn’t disappoint. Historical buildings lined the main street, and shops, restaurants and parks invited us to linger, while trails along the coast quenched our thirst for some exercise. It certainly was no punishment being stuck here until the wind changed again.

The area has a fascinating past, too. Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias set foot here in 1488, the first European to reach South African shores. A replica of his vessel was the highlight of the local maritime museum. Later, the Dutch who provisioned here called it Mossel Bay after the many mussels that grew here. For centuries, the now famous Post Office Tree was used to leave messages for passing sailors.

It is considered the country’s first post office. Cruising friends Pierre and Ping, who we met in Patagonia, made our stay more enjoyable by taking us on a road trip to the hinterland. We drove through steep valleys, tasted local olive oil, got up close with ostriches, and took in spectacular views of the desert.

We ended our tour at a popular, family-run beach restaurant, where we feasted on some of the delicacies that grow and swim in these cold waters.

Around Two Capes

Thanks to our friends’ hospitality and lovely surroundings, time flew by. We left Mossel Bay under a sunny sky and with a light breeze from the east. We had waited ten days for these conditions. First, we rounded Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa.

A few hours later, we sailed past the Cape of Good Hope. We could hardly believe that we had such beautiful weather in this infamously treacherous sailing area. While sailors who preceded us had to deal with strong gusts, we approached Cape Town under gennaker. Overjoyed, we treated ourselves to a berth at the V&A Waterfront Marina, in the heart of the city.

Hardship and Forgiveness

Soon after arriving, we were on the water again, this time on a ferry to Robben Island, which had been used as a prison from the 1960s. Political prisoners, specifically those who fought against apartheid, were held there under circumstances akin to a concentration camp.

Today it is a museum. An ex-convict tells us about the inhumane conditions under which he and many others, including Nelson Mandela, were imprisoned here. Despite the hardship, the future president of South Africa chose forgiveness and reconciliation over revenge and hatred. Because of this approach, he is widely credited for avoiding carnage once apartheid was abolished. ‘If we fight, our children lose,’ Mandela stated.

Ubuntu in Africa

Mandela’s inspiration was ubuntu, an African way of life that revolves around community and sharing.

We had learned about the concept from Mphile, our guide at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. She explained that to the Zulu people ubuntu means ‘humanity’. It is a deep-rooted African conviction that what makes us human is being part of a community.

It’s about sharing, caring, and helping each other whenever possible. We learned that in Cape Town the ubuntu philosophy is very much alive, too. We heard about people who donate food or volunteer for the community or pay the school fees of their employees’ children. A doctor we met set up a clinic in a remote area to provide medical care to the poorest.

We also visited the Amy Foundation, which teaches underprivileged youths essential skills so they can earn an income or set up a business.

Desmond Tutu, the late Archbishop, was also an enthusiastic advocate for ubuntu. He even extended the concept to planetary ubuntu: ‘I am because we are; and we are because the Earth is,’ he proposed. We couldn’t agree more, for who would we be without our precious planet and fellow humans to live alongside?

Good Hope

We realised that by rounding the Cape of Good Hope we left a notorious sailing area behind us and were back on ‘our’ Atlantic Ocean. It also meant we were getting closer to home. Yet those were not the only reasons we were upbeat. Despite South Africa’s obvious challenges like poverty and crime, examples of ubuntu convinced us that this philosophy could solve many global challenges. You could say that ubuntu has filled us with good hope that a socially just and ecologically sound society is indeed possible.

This article is a part of our Zhik Spirit of Adventure Awards. 

Enjoyed reading this?

A subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price, so you can save money compared to buying single issues.

Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals.

YM is packed with information to help you get the most from your time on the water.

• • • Take your seamanship to the next level with tips, advice and skills from our experts
    • Impartial in-depth reviews of the latest yachts and equipment
    • Cruising guides to help you reach those dream destinations

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The post Zhik Spirit of Adventure: ‘Water drenched the foredeck followed by the characteristic sound of water rushing into the boat’ appeared first on Yachting Monthly.