Year 3 -7 August 2026 -Cape Town-South Africa

It was a beautiful blue-sky morning and hardly a breath of wind. I enjoyed my usual breakfast and wrote the blog.

I cleaned the upholstery inside and hoovered and tidied up. I then went through every cupboard in the galley and threw out old stuff and cleaned. I then did a difficult job which is to list all the food and provisions you have on board so that you have a full list from which to work with so that you can start a list of what you we need. You get an idea from experience what to get-what lasts and what does not. This trip is quite a long one although we should be able to get some provisions in St Helena and Cape Verde. This took most of the morning and the winch people came to put back the winches in the cockpit. Another tick in the box of something completed.

I had bought some nice avocadoes so I one for lunch mashed on toast with olive oil and balsamic vinegar- delicious and so nice to eat it in the sun. It was warm and I felt like a reptile soaking up the sun.  

David Smith, one of my new crew, had messaged me and said he would come by at about 2.30pm. I therefore met him and it was great to finally meeting him after arranging this trip many months ago and a brownie point as he brought me a bottle of Talisker which I will enjoy. He also later gave the boat -for double points a fruit cake which he had baked – which I know the crew will enjoy. What a good start and very thoughtful.  

I brought David to meet Stormbird and to introduce him to her. She does not quite look complete without her mast. I showed him round and we had a beer and a chat in the cockpit and agreed we would meet for supper at about 6.00pm. He had taken a small apartment about 20 minutes away. He will now go off tomorrow for a few days to the wine regions at Stellenbosch and then return via Hermanus and join the boat on about the 11th. He left to go to his apartment and I carried on with a bit of sorting out and cleaning marks of the deck that the riggers and workmen made.

We met for supper at 6.00pm and had a nice meal at the Fish Market where we had two South African specialities – Kingklip Fish and Malva Pie- both delicious.

It was good to chat and get to know each other better and I look forward to him joining properly next week.

 I meant to take a picture of the two of us but I forgot so the picture of the day is of a Dragon Boat in the marina where they regularly practise for racing.

 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