After much pacing of the docks on the part of many of us, it is the general consensus that tomorrow is the day we have waited for, presenting us with a possible 4 day window. It was like a seesaw - hope then disappointment as the weather reports filtered in during the day. For instance upon awakening, we were all surprised to see a SWester in full progess, something entirely unpredicted and a reminder that we are in a part of the world were very little can be predicted. But....by the end of the day the consensus built that this is a good window and so in the morning about 6 of from Richards Bay will set out to round the famous Cape of Good Hope.

I am delighted as I persuaded to female crew members to come with me and so will relish the company so starkly absent for so long and also the extra hands at the ready to face any unforeseen challenges.

We will set out.....at Durban approximately 80 miles from here we will solicit a weather report....if that still looks good and the window is still open we will set out on the longest leg, 250 miles, to East London with absolutely no harbor or refuge before that harbor. If that goes successfully and we are once again approaching the harbor entrance, we will, once again, solicit more weather. If the window is still open we will attempt to get to Port Elizabeth.....I dare not think further than that for the moment.

So tomorrow we put Shearwater in the middle of the Agulhus Current about 15 miles off shore and ride that famous river down....southwest...paralleling the South African coast with as much as 6 knots of speed added to what ever Shearwater is doing. It should be a most interesting ride.

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