Sula of llangwm: 11/2014

We sailed from Dampier (NW Australia) on 20^th August 2014 and embarked on the 1,200 mile passage to Cocos Keeling. We managed to average 100 miles per day, so the passage took us the expected twelve days. The start was very slow and quite frustrating. For the rest though, it was trade wind sailing, with 10 to 15 knots of wind from astern.

Cocos Keeling

We arrived at Cocas Keeling on the 2nd September and it proved to be a very pleasant, almost shark free group of islands, and we delighted to be able to swim from Sula once again. The water was clear and warm and very inviting.

There were though, several Black Tipped Sharks! They are reputed to be human friendly and indeed showed no interest in us. Shark and friendly aren’t two words I would normally use in the same sentence. I prefer to swim when there are no sharks to be seen.

Cocas Keeling

The principal islands in the group that make up Cocos Keeling are Direction Island, where we anchored, Home Island, South Island, and West Island. In order to clear customs we had to visit West Island.

We therefore caught the ferry that went first to Home Island, and then on to West Island. Simple enough you might think. Fortunately, we discovered before it was too late, that the ferry returned to Home Island, but not to our anchorage at Direction Island.

We were unable to find out why they didn’t do so. Apparently the only way to get to West Island and back in a day is to take ones tender to Home Island, then catch the ferry that returns and terminates there.

Simple enough if you have a large motor on your tender, but out of the question for us to paddle the 1½ miles directly into the trade wind blowing 15 to 20 knots. We explained the problem to the customs officer by VHF radio. He was most helpful. Don’t worry, he said, we will come to you. Well, he did, eventually, on the day before we sailed for Reunion!

Passage to Reunion, 14^th to 30^th September.

The weather was good and the trade winds blew us along nicely most of the way. On the 25,^th 26,^th and 27^th though, it was a tad too strong and we had to put the 3^rd reef in the mainsail. We arrived in Reunion in the early hours of the 30^th, so chose to heave-to and await day break before entering harbour.

Port de Galets (Reunion harbour).

Reunion harbour was rather a disappointment. Our berth was opposite the local fishermen’s ice making plant. It ran noisily for much of the day and evening. However, the mountains in the distance winked at us immediately.

Jerome, the harbour master, was very helpful. He turned out to be a fell runner and was to join us for a walk on the mountain in the photograph above.

There are certainly many splendid parts of Reunion, but there are many rather grotty parts too. The dense traffic was also a shock to us.

The only sea swimming in Reunion is in a few reef pools.

Once we had settled in and found our land legs, we joined up with Chris and Fi from the yacht Three Ships, for some hill and coast walks.

Our first outing was to the Grand Basin. It came as a bit of a shock to discover that it wasn’t a climb at all, but a descent to a Roadless, remote village, whose only access was by helicopter or on foot. It was a very hot day, so we only went half way, sensibly saving some energy for the climb back up.

The Grand Basin

Our next two outings were to the Grand Etang, a gentle walk around a rather pretty lake with a fine waterfall.( In the rain) Then Le Roc Ecrite, a long hot walk, in the mist at first, but eventually above the cloud.

So now we were finding our land legs, though the muscles were conspicuous by their absence.

Jerome, the harbour master and fell runner, and his wife Jesse, joined us for an ascent of the Grand Benard. It was cloudy as we set out, but we eventually climbed above the cloud and were rewarded by spectacular views. We climbed a long, but not too steep ridge to the summit and descended by the same route.

Grand Bernard 1

Grand Bernard 2

Grand Bernard 3

Grand Bernard 4

Climbing Sailors /Sailing climbers

Our final expedition was rather less strenuous, but required a 0430 start, to avoid the traffic. We were to visit the islands largest volcano. The Piton de la Fournaise, an active volcano that last erupted in June 2014.

To be honest I wasn’t particularly looking forward to this trip. I much prefer doing things, rather than just looking at them. Well, I’m so glad that I went along with it. It was a grand day out. The views were spectacular, and the scale of the volcano’s original rim astonishing. There were large secondary craters within the original massive one. I was also astonished with the speed that plants were re colonising.

New growth on the lava fields.

The main volcano rim.

We waited for some time for a fair weather window for starting the 1,500 mile passage to Richard’s Bay,, South Africa. It is a bit tricky because of the frequent bad weather south of Madagascar. The trick is to watch the forecasts carefully until a series of gales have passed through. Then to dash off in an attempt to reach port before the next set of gales arrives.

As it happened we had a good passage, with only one stiff blow and then, surprisingly, calms as we approached Richard’s Bay. At one point in the wee
small hours I decided to heave to and put the 3^rd reef in the main sail. There was a lightning storm and heavy rain and our speed over the ground was a good seven knots. We had obviously found a favourable ocean current. It was so peaceful being hove to that I, rather lazily, stayed that way until dawn and had a good rest.

The passage to South Africa.

As we approached South Africa, in very light and sometimes head winds, I picked up transmissions from Peri Peri radio net. They forecast strong winds for our entrance to Richards Bay. Disappointing news indeed. However luck was with us. The next day they told us that the forecast low had filled and that we could now expect fair weather for the rest of our passage. We celebrated that news.

We entered Tuzi Gazi Marina (Richard’s Bay) at 1am on the 3^rd of November and tied up to the customs wharf, then had a wee dram to celebrate our arrival in South Africa.

Lawrence and Lorcan, husband/daughter of Ann, the Ocean Cruising Club Port officer, helped us to a berth in the marina. Customs, Police and Immigration officers visited us in turn, and dealt with the paperwork most efficiently. Then Lawrence arrived again and took us to the supermarket and on a conducted tour of Tuzi Gazi. What splendid people.

Fi and Chris from Three Ships, who had arrived a few days previously, invited us aboard for an evening meal. We gratefully accepted the invitation, but warned them that we might fall asleep at their dining table.

A few days later we joined Fi and Chris for a three day tour of Hluhluwe & Imfolosi National Parks. It was just wonderful. At one stage we stopped the car a safe distance from a group of elephants who had chosen to walk on the road. We had been warned not to get too close to them. But then we noticed that the rest of the herd had joined the road behind us! We were surrounded by about thirty elephants. There was nothing we could do, so we just sat there snapping away with our cameras and trusting that they would walk round us, rather than over us.

We have been back from that safari for just three days, and Pippa, bless her, has organised for just the two of us, to visit some other parks in the vicinity.

We like South Africa and are in no rush to move on. But when we do, it will be to make relatively short hops along the coast to Cape Town.The idea is to allow one low pressure system to pass through, then to sail to the next port before another arrives.

For the very latest news of our travels, check out the “Where are we now” and “Post Script” sections of this blog.

Here are a few ahhh photos.