Year 3 -26 July 2026 -Cape Town -South Africa

It was another beautiful warm blue-sky day when I woke. After breakfast I finished my packing and got rid of any items likely to perish in the next week when I am away.

I then prepared the lines for a quick departure which is quite tricky when on one’s own but doable. This meant converting the bow and stern lines into slips. This is when you realise depending on cleats that your lines are sometimes not long enough. However, I did it and then I was ready.

Alex was landing at 11.00am and he messaged me when he landed and then got in a taxi to the marina. Whilst waiting I tidied up and prepared life jackets for those helping even though it is only a few hundred yards. I know it sounds unnecessary but the water is cold here and if anyone fell over then the shock may get to them and if they hit their head then in either scenario the life jacket should keep them afloat.

Alex arrived about 12.20pm and we walked to the boat. Chris Bock arrived at 12.30pm with a colleague called Nathan who would take our lines as we arrived at the pier. Alex, Chris and I put life jackets on and then we took in the electricity lead.

I got the engine on and Chris said the bridges open on the half hour so at 12.40 am I called on the VHF ch 71 the Bascule Bridge and said we were going to come through at 12.45 pm. I had already rigged lines on the starboard side and all Chris and Alex needed to do was to swap some fenders over to the starboard side as we were going starboard side too.

We got the engine on and slipped the lines and I slowly reversed and then went forward slowly. Alex and Chris got the fenders over and then the bridge raised slowly and we eased through the bridge and into the next basin and swung round toward the East Quay. We eased passed the Vinson of Antarctica and along the pontoon where we were to moor. Nathan took our lines and we were soon moored where they will bring the crane alongside.

Once settled we grabbed our bags and used a shopping trolley to wheel through the V&A and over the Bascule Bridge to as close as we could to our hotel-The Commodore. We checked in and dumped our bags and then went out for lunch to the Fish Market. The restaurant and V&A was the busiest I had seen it. We had a good fish lunch and then walked around the V&A and I showed Alex around.

We walked out West and came to the big wheel and decided to go back to our childhood and have a spin. The big wheel took is up about 40 meters up and we could see all over the V&A, Granger Bay, Robben Island and along the coast. There were a number of sailing boats out and other pleasure boats and we got some great views. We then continued along the coast and walked to Moule and Green Point and we saw whales some way off with the spume from their blow holes.

We had a good walk and it seemed everyone was out and about enjoying the good weather.

We returned to hotel for a rest and watched some sport on the TV and then went out for an enjoyable supper.

It had been a good day and Alex and I enjoyed catching up. We will head off tomorrow to explore.

 The picture of the day is of the view from the wheel over the V&A and table mountain.

 Need/Opportunity Year Three

I am now on the way to Durban and will then head for Cape Town and then on to St Helena, Azores and back to the UK. 

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com