BOUND FROM: Reunion Island, France, Indian Ocean
TOWARDS: Cape Town, South Africa
TIME ZONE: GMT +4
NOON POSITION: 23°07.0’S / 052°17.8’E
DAYS RUN: 141nm
PASSAGE DISTANCE RUN: 213nm
DISTANCE REMAINING: 2,059nm
COURSE AND SPEED: WSW 216T, 3.6 knots
WIND: Wind Force 2-3, NE
WEATHER: overcast, 7/8 cloud, good, barometer 1019 millibars and falling slowly
SWELL HEIGHT & DIRECTION: ENE 0.5-1m
SAILS SET: All sails set
SHIPS WORK: We’re continuing to get the ship ready for any possible weather around the Cape – the main job has been inspecting the rig carefully, and replacing plenty of running rigging with brand new rope. The port fore upper topsail foot rope was sent down for overhauling today; and the main royal sail too.
REMARKS: Still underway from La Reunion to Cape Town, the weather is less sunny today and squally, though so far there’s been no strength in the squalls, just heavy rain showers and a slight wind shift. Abandon ship drills took place this afternoon followed by a talk from Captain Moreland on our plan for this passage: we will be heading south of Madagascar in the south equatorial current and then passing round the tip of Africa, passing close by Durban to pick up the strong Aghulas Current. It’s the best time of year to be rounding the Cape, so we have a pretty good prospect of fair winds and good weather, but we’re busy making sure all is ship-shape just in case.
Kelley on lookout at sunset