It was as if the fog cleared especially for us to see our arrival into Cape Town yesterday. All morning it had been grey and misty, like being inside a rain drop. And then, there it was all cleared up except for the famous “table cloth” over Table Mountain- Cape Town, South Africa. Our first continent, very exciting! We anchored for the night and, as it was Sunday, had our usual Marlin Spike—a small punch and lots of popcorn—and celebrated Susannah and Danie’s completed first circumnavigation on the Picton Castle and my second. Joe made a great dinner of roast beef, mashed potatoes gravy and corn—yummy. After dinner Jean-Claude got out his accordion and Zimmer and Brent got out the guitars. Bruce was playing his drum and Jean-Claude taught us a French traditional dance. We listened to Morgan and Kjetil sing a few songs and watched the sun disappear over the horizon bathing Cape Town in a gorgeous pink light. All through the night we stood cold rainy anchor watches. This morning we awoke to fog and a slight chill in the air. This morning we wait. We wait for the port authorities to call us, send out a pilot and bring us in. While we wait we will clean the ship above and below decks, getting ready for visitors. I think I know who our first ones will be, other than the authorities; we can already see the Van Schalkwyks on the end of the jetty waiting to greet Danie. We did a massive wave to them a while ago but we don’t know if they could see us. Just now Bosun Julie from the 2nd world voyage and her husband are circling the ship with the Van Schalkwyks in a charter schooner, and we are waving back and forth. It is all very exciting! Where, oh where, is that thrice-sainted pilot?
