Windhorse Sailing

I haven’t been in Cape Town a week yet and already so much has been done. Out of worry I jumped right in on the tasks ahead. My sightseeing has been limited to rounding up supplies in various parts of the city. Jet lag has sapped my energy or at least confused it. I’m awake when I don’t want to be and I can’t keep my eyes open when I need to. The Elliot Basin where Shangri-la is birthed is far from town and any comfort sources.
Alone on the boat at night, wide awake, it’s hard not to be homesick and think maybe all this is too hard, too much.  But I’ve passed many a test before and the rewards are always so great.

Seals in Elliot Basin near Shangri-la

This week I have joined the close group of sailors and technicians at the Royal Cape Yacht Club who have begun helping me pull all this together. The engineer, who lives on his yacht nearby, is helping with a few jobs and has introduced me to the carpenter. Francis set up the electrician who has installed a stereo, upgraded our power sources, and is teaching me much in the process. He then introduced me to the rigger working on the yacht next door. I have rented a car and driven to every corner of the city on all their recommendations to find the best equipment. In four days I have covered a lot of ground. Bottom line - the work is getting done. 

Francis met me at the airport on Tuesday night. It had been a long flight and anxiety wouldn’t let me sleep.  I hadn’t seen him since Fiji in August, he looked the same. I think he was wearing the same threadbare t-shirt. Though, there was a jump in his step.  I felt an excitement about the trip that I had lost in all the preparations at home. We took a cab to the Shangri-La where we talked and organized a plan of action till 2am. I was overwhelmed by what needed to be done. We bought a boat that is “ready to go", but that is a relative term. As for Francis, he had to be ready to go at 6am back to Saldhana an hour and half north for his navigation course as part of the Ocean Sailing Academy Yacht master program.  At 6 I was already awake and said goodbye until next Tuesday. I would attack our plan as agreed.

Wednesday, my first day, I took it easy making a few phone calls to connections Francis had made.  One was the electrician William Mabe who had been recommended by the owner of a super yacht doing a refit. William has done complete electrical systems for much larger vessels.  He is accustomed to much larger jobs, but is in between jobs and has decided to see if he could help us. He agreed to show up Thursday at 10am and we are lucky to have use of his talents. The next call was to engineer Derek Graham. To my surprise he said he would be by in a few minutes, and he was. We discussed some things we thought the engine needed and he agreed with some ideas and disagreed with others and in the end it looks a lot less expensive a job to me. He’ll have the job done on Monday and another job done the day we haul the boat out to paint the Hull. “What else do you need, I know everybody. A carpenter; meet me at the Royal Cape Yacht Club tonight. Marchal is your man.”

Well, I had to call and cancel so I could meet with Dirk Kotze and his wife Nicky, the former owners of Shangri-La.  It was good to see the way Dirk looked at Shangri-La. He still loves her. He showed me a couple quick design points such as the rounded edges everywhere for minimal toe stubbing. And the water outlets that don’t go through the boat, they will never foul or plug. He talked about the magic he felt on the boat. Alright enough, but I got to say, as guy going on a voyage I like hearing this shit. I declined an invitation to their weekend house (until next weekend), but we made plans to get together and discuss the boat in detail next week. I went to bed at 8:30pm.

View of Table Mountain from Shangri-La

On Thursday Derek called with the number for his carpenter friend who said he would come on Monday. At 10am sharp William showed up.  We discussed what needed to be done. The stereo needed to be replaced with one I bought and a 12 volt outlet for the ipod needed to be set up. He finished that in 30 minutes and started on the mast and deck antennas for the sat phone, vhf radio, and ssb radio.  By Tuesday he will be done with the job that includes diagrams, maintenance schedule and electronics 101 for me. Then Derek showed up for some measurements.  He found a leak on the chlorifier behind the engine, which I knew about thanks to Francis, but hadn’t gotten to. He gave me a guy to call about it.  Then he started talking to William, and because they know people in common, Derek will recommend him for a big job coming up. So far it doesn’t seem like just talk with these guys. 

Friday, William is back at 8am rewiring the water maker, and installing the new wind generator with me.  Things are moving along and I feel oriented. No routine yet, but I am settling in. I do know that I like the people and I look forward to meeting more and learning about what makes Cape Town tick.  William worked till 4pm, but as Derek promised the Cape shuts down early on Fridays. He finished his day at noon, “none of that American work til you die rubbish.”  Kudos to Cape Town. In that spirit I went Panama Jacks for beers. “Close the hatch when you leave, William, thanks.”

Panama Jacks is a popular seafood restaurant right here at the Elliot basin. It is the only thing around. It fills up, but with an older crowd. Perhaps I’ll make myself a regular at the Royal Cape Yacht Club a mile up the road. There is quite a bit I could learn from the salty dogs that hang out there. But for the weekend I will spend my time looking for a place to watch NFL playoffs. There is a sports bar at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

The Clock Tower at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.

I’ll see if they don’t close too early for me to be able to watch the whole game. Perhaps I will check into a hotel. There is no need to be without ESPN during playoffs.

In a short while I have learned so much and I am feeling good about things here.  The people have been warm and helpful and the sun is shining.  I look forward to the characters we will meet and the challenges we will embrace in the coming weeks. If we do things properly now, the voyage will be a cruise.
 

Shangri-la from above.

Cait and Neil - Email if I should contact your friends here.  Neil I promise to work on my writing. I’m a bit stretched right now.

Doc - close one for the Steelers. You must be unbearable right now.

Bart and Lily - thank you, thank you, thank you.

Roe - I used the sat phone for this email. Good stuff.

Justin - wine is too expensive to ship, but quite affordable to drink. It will take up a lot of spare time.

Red - What else you got?

HL - Shangri –La is a tank and quite comfortable inside. Ask any questions you want, I can answer now.