Leopard-46#026 is nearly completed and ready to go. Since the last posting she has had a mast installed complete with all the necessary rigging and sails. The boat was handed over on Wednesday the 7th for John, our skipper, to inspect and draw up a snag list. Most of those items have been attended to and we have been doing the required preparations for departure.

It was our plan to leave today but due to some unforeseen delay with documentation and registration plus some incomplete work we will have to postpone. We are holding thumbs that all will be done on Monday so that we may leave in the afternoon.

Whilst working on the boat this afternoon I was visited by some friends who was expecting to bid me farewell. Eddy and Anya Johnson came along with their three kids Raiko, Akira and toddler Kiyaam. They were accompanied by Eddie our friend (gets confusing doesn't it, two Eddies being close friends). They were surprised to learn of our delay. Anyway they used the opportunity to a look around the boat, wish they could go along as well and share some conversation. The kids had a ball playing on the pier and before long it was time for them to leave.

I spent the rest of the time marking some of the can foods with a permanent marker, this serves two purposes. The most important being that should the lockers take water there is the risk that the labels could come off leaving us with some nifty guessing what to eat, the other is that with all the cans being placed in a locker under one of the bunks it is easy to find what you looking for if the cans are all labeled on top.

The picture above was taken from the cockpit of our boat. The large red vessel in the background is the Sarah Baartman, she is one of South Africa's Environmental Protection Vessels (EPVs). Amongst other operations these vessels are used by law enforcement officers to track down and arrest illegal fishing and abalone poachers the bane of our coastal areas. I am hoping that the next update on this blog will be sent from sea. Until next time.