Windhorse Sailing

We’ve been drinking Windhoek Lager at the Luderitz Yacht Club. Windhoek is a Namibian beer and we are in Namibia. We left Cape Town March 3rd headed for St. Helena Island and detoured here to the port of Luderitz to repair a leaking stern gland. A mechanic known only as Duppie sorted us out on that score. And Jahn our bartender has made sure that in this town surrounded by dessert we don’t go thirsty. After 3 days we motored out on March 12th. However our batteries started to over charge. So back to Luderitz until we figure this one out. That is when I knocked the elephant off the bow.
 
As everyone knows, sailors are superstitious. I am not and it was an effort to remain unsupersticious that knocked the elephant off the bow. The elephant was a small wood carving about the size of a baseball that we sicoflexed to the bow light. He was our “good luck charm” given to us by our friend and electrician William. When we first pulled up our anchor to leave Luderitz we had a hell of a time. It was fouled in a heavy old mooring chain. It took an hour to work ourselves free. All the while I was noticing the little elephant. Out of anger I whacked the elephant with the gaff I was using to pick off seaweed to see the chain. Later Francis took the rest of the chain off with that gaff and it was so heavy it took the gaff to the bottom. Don’t mess with the elephant.

Look closely (center) for the elephant on the bow
 
After 20 minutes of motoring out to sea we smelled smoke. We discovered the alternator was over charging the battery. That was it. The elephant got it in the form a string, a weight and the Atlantic ocean. We went back to the harbour, dropped the hook and got out our books looking to diagnose our problem. It turns out the starter battery was being charged the same rate as the house bank. This morning, confident we had the right diagnosis we turned to an expert for the solution. An expert named JC. Not the “JC", just a guy named JC. We should have the problem sorted  out tomorrow and be on our way in the afternoon. As for tonight I’ll go drink some Windhoek at the yacht club with Jahn.
 
We are not discouraged by our situation. These are things we need to learn and indeed can only learn by  doing. It is better now close to shore than out at sea where we would be forced to go with out certain comforts. As well Luderitz has a small commercial fishing fleet maintained by some hardcore guys that are keen to show us what they know compared to the prima donnas in Cape Town. And we are keen to learn. (For the gear heads out there I’ll explain in more detail the engine and battery problems later.)

Now about that elephant. William gave us that as a gift at our party. Back on February 10th Francis Stevo and I had a party for all those who helped in Cape Town. Ed and Katy’s friend Alfie suggested a great place called the Woodstock Lounge, a trendy bar in a bohemian part of town. The owners Martin and Beverly gave us the run of the place and made us and our guests feel right at home. We invited everyone from Dirk and Nicky to the rasta guys Wycliff and Tawanda we met at the local craft market.

Stevo and our rasta friends

Unfortunately we don’t have any pictures. We used a disposable and the flash didn’t work so the pictures didn’t develop. Take my word for it, a good time was had by all. We served pizza and open bar. It was a big hit as apparently open bar is rare occurrence in Cape Town and everyone took full advantage including Stevo and I. Francis as usual displayed the sang-frued of someone twice his age as he and our spanish friend Felix chatted up the two Portuguese models.
 
I was very glad that Ed and Katy were there. They brought with them Kirsten and Glenn whose house I had been to for a braai (BBQ). I am especially grateful to all of them for extending such hospitality to me and my friends. Ed and Katy were always game to show us the town on our time outs from work. As well Dirk and Nicky took us to their beach house in Hermanus where Francis and Dirk dived for our Lobster dinner. They served us late night dinners in their home many times as Dirk sorted us out with jobs on Shangri-La. We won’t remember Cape Town with out thinking of all these great friends.
 
As for the rest of the guests; the rastas had a crowd around them in the courtyard. The owner didn’t mind at all. Belinda and Meghan the girls from HoneyBee productions who made our Shangri-La t-shirts were passing out shots to all (whether they wanted them or not.) Dave Anders and his wife Sharon hung with William and his wife Belinda talking I guess about things local or jobs at the Yacht club. Nathan and Tanya from the yacht Birkha made the rounds meeting new friends and having a great time. As for us, I remained the gentleman host (as long as I could). Stevo…well he was drinking Manhattans from the word go. And while our friend Felix drew a masterful portrait of the Shangri-La on the wall in chalk Francis chatted up the two Portuguese models. As the party wound down Stevo lounged on a couch. Wycliff passed out under the bar surrounded by empties on the floor.

William chose this time to give me the gift elephant and warn me about the dangers of the open sea, though admittedly he has never been more than 5 miles offshore. I thanked him then for the elephant and I apologize now for what has become of that elephant. “Francis, where are the Portuguese models?”
 
Good party.