January 1, 2012-A New Year in Africa

wingssail images-fredrick roswold
Did this stork bring the new year?

It was a midnight kiss, lots of fireworks which we could hear but not see, and the sound of big ships horns blasting that brought in the new year aboard Wings. We didn't go out, maybe too pooped from the boat projects we'd been working on all day, but we had a good celebration anyhow.

Last year has been great and we are expecting another one just as great.

In a few weeks we will set out to explore the SW African coastline as far north as Namibia, where we are looking forward to a trip ashore to see the Namib desert, then we'll angle off to cross the Atlantic Ocean to Brazil with stops at St Helena and maybe Ascension Island on the way. It will be a big trip but we are up for it. Randy and Laura are coming with us and they should arrive in about 10 days. We are looking forward to seeing them and sailing with them too.

Here in Cape Town we have very glad to be in our snug marina berth at Royal Cape Yacht Club because it has been blowing nearly every day, often over 35kts and a few times over 40 in the marina. Outside I have no idea but we glad we were not out there sailing. However, we've been watching the local boats go out and we've decided that if they can do it we can too. At least we could go downwind in this stuff, and farther north it should get lighter.

(Sometimes the local boats which go out can't come back in it's blowing so hard. They have to tie off the end of the dock and wait for a lull before trying to get back into their berths. This place blows!)

wingssail images-fredrick roswoldSimonstown

It has been blowing just as hard south of here in False Bay at Simonstown where most of the cruisers go. We visited Jim and Carol on Nepenthe there and not only was it windy but the boats were jumping around in a way which brought back memories of other ports in South Africa we've been to where you have to hold on even down below to keep from falling over.

A side trip we took included Hout Bay and the bird park there World of Birds.

wingssail images-fredrick roswoldHello Big Bird

You can see more of the photos from World of Birds here.

We have a few more boat projects and lots of exploring to do before we leave Cape Town, and we'll keep you up to date with all of it.

For more shots from Simonstown, Hout Bay and the Twelve Apostles, click here.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Cape Town