JOURNAL HOMEPAGE
Ronel01/01/2002
in Madagascar.
A Circumnavigation on yacht "PRRRFECTION"
Updated: Sept.'04
Our dream to circumnavigate started on 5 July 2001. We sailed from our homeport Durban, South Africa on a clear, sunny day, very excited and very nervous. We headed towards Madagascar and Mayotte Island - our shakedown cruise. It was the start of a wonderful time - full of adventure, fun and excitement. Paradise however also has sad endings!
Deon, our beloved dad and husband died less than 3 months later from a massive heart attack in Mayotte whilst jogging, leaving us on this idyllic island, without a father, husband.... somewhere in the Indian Ocean. He died on 11 October 2001.
After returning to Durban we, Ronelle and the children, decided to continue our sailing (a circumnavigation) in loving memory of Deon van Rooyen (born 19.12.1959).
We are cruising on a Wildcat 350 catamaran, built in South Africa by Charter Cats, Durban. "Prrrfection" is 35' with four spacious cabins, two heads and galley up in the saloon - the most perfect cruising vessel for us.
The name "Prrrfection" was a family decision and the beautiful logo and stripes on the topsides were made by Deon as this was our occupation in South Africa.
I am Ronel, mother of Riaan (now 18 years) and two daughters, Mariska (now 11 years) and Rochelle (now 8 years). We are home schooling on the boat and using the Calvert Home School system http://www.calvertschool.com with which I am very happy. We school about 4 hours a day, usually in the mornings when it is cooler and then it is off exploring, swimming, and having fun, as that is what life is all about. We have school basically every day of the week so as to make up for the days when we cannot meet our schedule whether due to the weather, making passage or Mom having to run an errand or two. Riaan decided to do his two final years at his alma mater, back in South Africa. He left the boat in 2003 and we enrolled him again in Hoerskool Roodepoort where he will be writing his finals at the end of 2004. The girls love the schooling and we have many field trips (because of our life style) and schooling is a subject that binds all boat children with moms, exchanging ideas, books and information.
I have had much assistance from my family, friends and fellow yachties and the decision to continue sailing is my way of coping with our loss. After losing Deon, I realised that you alone are responsible for your happiness and contentment in life. We have only one life and I learned with a shock that it is indeed very short and might suddenly end. The journey home is never a direct route. It is in fact, always circuitous, and somewhere along the way we discover that the journey is more significant than the destination. The people we meet along the way will be the travelling companions of our memories forever.
I have been fortunate and blessed again to have met Claude Hall. He has been a supportive friend since I met him and I am lucky to have him in my life.
This journey is in memory of Deon, who gave me a dream to live. We planned to be together forever but this was not meant to be. Our travels will take us round the world, across oceans, through storms and calms and will give us "New Directions".
"I want to travel as far as I can go,
Want to reach the joy that's in my soul,
And change the limitations that I know,
And feel my mind and spirit grow.
I want to live, exist, "to be",
And hear the truths inside of me".
(Doris Warshay)
Follow our progress. Our logs are listed in the left column (red text) and are in reverse order. Click on "Contents" and start reading from the bottom up (Durban to Durban).
Please sign our guestbook - we love to read your messages.
Have fun, hope to see you here again soon!
Ronelle
Current Position: Into the Pacific.......
"Welcome to Durban - a Sailor's Guide". Free Download
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