Port Elizabeth to Mossel Bay
14 February 2015 | Mossel Bay
Izak
Arrived in Mossel Bay at 04h00 on Saturday 14 Feb 2015.
Our engine blew a head gasket as we passed Plettenberg Bay about 10 minutes after it turned Friday the 13th. Mmmm. Well, better to sort that problem out while still in SA and with the Perkins agents in Cape Town.
So, we had to sail as opposed to motor sail into the wind (to save some time) to Mossel Bay and that took time as the wind was against us. We had to tack back and forth to make headway which of course added many miles to the journey.
After sailing through a thunderstorm we were also completely becalmed for hours rolling around in the still angry sea.
We sailed to the habour mouth where we met with NSRI Rescue 15 who then towed us into Mossel Bay so that we did not have to try and get in against the wind. Thanks guys. Sorry to have had to get you up so early, but the wind has no care about the sleeping times of humans. Better get towed in than try and tack through the harbour entrance. Port Control would not have been amused and with a 20 ton yacht and a tired crew taking their sweet time to work their way to their mooring.
Sassy and Soleil are fine but we had to say a deeply sad goodbye to Bosun. She was diagnosed with terminal diabetes in Port Elizabeth and had to be put to sleep. She is very deeply missed by us all.
Well, we will get some rest and then tackle the engine, see our friends and get on to Simon's Town en route to Cape Town next.