Year 3 -29 June 2026 -Day 8 -Route to South Africa – The Southerly Buster

John and I were on 5.00am to 8.00am watch and we were still sailing nicely but not too fast deliberately. It had been a fairly uneventful night and felt as if we were treading water. Had it not been for the imminent front we would have got into Durban today. The Barometer dropped 3 points in an hour at one point which is an indication of a good blow coming and a change in weather. In fact over the course of the day and night the Barometer fell from 1023-1014.

The sun came up and it ended up being a warm sunny and pleasant day as we sailed toward what I call the gyro waypoint around which the wind was to shift from Northeast to South at the edge of the front. The plan had been to get to the waypoint at about 10.00pm to minimise the time in the front which was to start easing by about 2.00am. However, I looked at the weather it appeared that the front would be reaching the waypoint at about 8.00pm and therefore slowing to 10.00pm was not an option. I emailed Des our position.

Des replied. Dear Nick & co Thanks for latest 0500UTC 29\6 at 29 40S 35 18E -260nm last 24hrs?! - Richards bay 175nm\286T - Durban 220nm\267T. The centre of the current gyro is still at 29 36S 34 00E -70nm\270T.With clockwise rotation you should have S1.0kts and once through the centre on the W edge N \NW0.8kts. The gribs show the front edge of the S system front gets to the current wpt at 2000local \1800UTC today. You should see a bank of cloud approaching from S and the wind switch should follow shortly after. The gribs for today show wind N18 gusts 24 -swell NE2.2m@8seconds - cloud sat shows streaky -scattered - light moderate rain from N - current S1/3kts. By 1800UTC wind S23 gusts 30 - swell S2.5m@12seconds - cloud 30% - no current. Tomorrow 0400UTC wind S\SSW18 gusts 29 - swell S3.6m@10seconds - cloud 100% - moderate rain from S - current NW0,7kts. The current will turn W from 32 43E and become SW0.8kts and from 32 00E SW1.7kts - 2kts. Have a safe run in Best wishes.

This confirmed my analysis and so we should aim to get to the waypoint and be prepared to enter the front by about 8.00pm to minimise the time in the strongest part of the front. I suggested we prepared a meal and eat about 6-6.15pm to allow us time to clear up etc. Peter volunteered to cook. We went through our heavy weather procedures and discussed our sail plan and our approach. A number of the checks had already been done in the morning daily checks but everyone had to check their cabin for things that could come out of cupboards and fly around.

We were sailing well but it was difficult to slow Stormbird down to ensure we arrived at about the right time. We had lunch with the sun beaming down and it made the waves and white horses sparkle as we pushed through it. We had made 156nm in the 12.00noon run despite our conservative sail plan. The afternoon wore on and we prepared ourselves. I was not worried as I knew the boat could cope -it was just going to be unpleasant.

We had supper about 6.00pm and Peter had cooked a good chilli we had with rice. We then packed away. John and I were on the 4.00pm-8.00pm watch and we began to see as the sun was going down a line of towering cloud as Des had described indicating the leading edge of the front. Perhaps it was coming early. We continued to sail toward it. It looked rather menacing and as we approached we expected the wind to kick in but no. We sailed on rather eerily and under the line of cloud. There was no change in wind and this was about 6.30pm with some 12 nm to go to our waypoint.

We wondered whether it had blown out? We continued and by about 7.30pm the wind was beginning to vary and it made it impossible to sail further. We took the sails in and motored slowly toward our waypoint. At about 8.00pm there was some 12-14 kts of wind from the Southwest and we could sail again so we put out the full staysail and 3 reefs in the main. We therefore sailed slowly but anticipated any moment the front to arrive with its full force. John and I handed over to Keith and Hisham at 8.00pm and I waited in the cockpit until 8.30pm and still no change. I therefore decided to go to bed.

I had hardly laid down my head when at about 9.00pm the front arrived. We went from 13-14 kts of wind to 25 kts gusting 30kts in seconds and so we quickly reefed in the staysail to the Doyle sign and then took a further reef in the main. The wind was howling and you could hear the whistling in the rigging. Once we had settled Stormbird she just coped and absorbed the wind gusts like a boxer absorbing punches and drove on through the waves.

At this stage there was little swell but as time went on the swell developed which together with the wind strength made challenging conditions. Jenny was hit twice by a growler (a wave hitting the side of the boat) which soaked her as the water sploshed into the cockpit. John and I took over at 2.00am and the wind was still as strong as described. The forecast was for it to lessen after 2.00am but it was not until 3.30pm that I was satisfied that it had lessened in wind strength sufficiently to shake out the reef in the staysail. We were making 5-7 kts even as reefed as we were. By 4.30pm I thought we could exchange the staysail for a reefed genoa as I wanted to make best speed as possible as the forecast was for the wind to die at about 10.00am. The swell had increased somewhat and we were rolling a bit as the swell was on the beam. The swell was supposed to peak about 6.00am and then we were to approach the Agulhas current. More tomorrow about this.

We were through the worst and had had a taster of what a South African Southerly Buster was like. It was not a pleasant experience and we hope not to repeat it. We had no choice on this occasion.       

 The picture of the day is of the line of cloud marking the edge of the front.

 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. 

I have now found additional crew for the moment. If at all interested in joining me at some point please contact me on my email below or WhatsApp +44 7931360372.

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