Location: 34° 26.3 S, 18° 52.0 E
Friday 12:00, 10.06.2006

The Schooner Maggie B’s Noon Position on October 6th was 34° 26.3S, 018° 52.0E. We have just passed the beautiful Kaap Hangklip, en route to Durban. We are making 8 knots on a course of 150 degrees for Danger Point (really!) and then on to Cape Argulas, which is about 60 miles. We have gone 25 miles since leaving Simons Town this morning and 81 since Cape Town. Durban is about 700 miles away. The wind is a perfect 270 at 12-15.

We were almost unable to leave Simons Town this morning because the Southern Right Whales had come in to play. There are strict rules to keep at least 300 meters away. The whales were so thick that there was almost no way to get past. We had a significant part of the SA Navy watching us leave as well as houses full of whale lovers with telescopes. We slipped through.

False Bay and Simons Town are also famed for their Great White Sharks. Seal Island is in the middle and is the sight of the usual seal whelping carnage each spring. Many of the National Geographic photos of Great Whites breaching are taken here. We thought that it might be some exaggeration until we met a local sailor who came over to talk to us about the Maggie B, but had a funny handshake, which he explained was due to having BOTH HIS ARMS IN A GREAT WHITE’S MOUTH! His arms were quite scarred but somehow still attached. He had been catching lobsters and was attacked and put his arms up in defense. Yike.

Yesterday we did a lot of preventative rigging work. We also found that the genset wasn’t pumping raw water for cooling any more and changed the impeller with some help. There is a “before and after” impeller shot up on the web site. Not sure how long they are supposed to last, but this one made it to 335 hours.

All the loveliness of Simons Town was somewhat marred by a very bad case of Red Tide. But, perhaps associated with the Red Tide, there was incredibly lovely phosphorescence at night.

The False Bay Yacht Club was incredibly welcoming, with lots of interest and appreciation for both the Maggie B and the Reep. Besides mostly hot showers and a very active sailing program, the Club had the marvelous institution of offering huge glasses of great cold beer for only 7 Rand (@$0.90) during happy hour. The Vice Commodore of FBYC, Colonel Lionel Dyck and his wife Clair, had the whole crew up to their lovely house for apple pie and lively conversation.

We are pushing to get around the corner of Cape Angulas before dark. It is supposed to get very lumpy in all conditions. We have been advised, depending on conditions, to stay inside the 100 foot depth line and within 1/2 to 3 miles from shore. We should be there right at dusk, at current speed.

All is well.