The Picton Castle had a fine classic sailing ship passage from the lovely island of Reunion in the western Indian Ocean off the coast of Madagascar, all the way around the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Town, South Africa. Twenty days and about 2,000 nautical miles. Good sailing all the way to Africa. Once along the coast near Durban we made great time getting around southern Africa. Four days and 850 nautical miles. Even making 266 nautical miles in one day noon to noon. A record for us.
The change in conditions as we sailed southwest out the tropics was striking. Sailing along in warm balmy tradewinds for days on end, even after we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn at 23 degrees south into cooler, much cooler winds. Changes in colour of the seas from bright blue to a dark sea green. And a change of smell, richer, brinier, much like the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Strong fair winds and a strong current moved us right along. Albatross and sea lions made appearances.
And we were mixed in with massive ship traffic. Little 300-ton Picton Castle in amongst ships of over 100,000 tons. We saw ourselves over 300 ships between Reunion and Cape Town. These are just the ones we saw with our own eyes and on AIS and radar. Many more just out of sight, over the horizon, no doubt. These days the Red Sea is being avoided by these sometimes huge ships of over 1,000 feet long. Some of the ships could take Picton Castle on deck athwartships and none of her 180 feet would stick out over their sides. It was like we were on the ship super-highway. West bound ships passing the Cape and then on to Europe, Texas, Brazil and New York. East bound ships headed for Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, and onwards to Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and elsewhere. Tankers, car-carriers, bulk loaders and plenty of huge container ships. Quite the parade of ships.
We made the Cape of Good Hope at about four AM on a starry night with fresh cool winds – we came within 5 miles of the Cape. Crew on watch took up station on the quarterdeck and were in some awe as we passed that famed cape under sail on a moon lit night. We watched a sunrise over Table Mountain. And sailed quietly along until the wind gave up on a sunny day some hours later. We had a 1200 pilot time off the entrance of Cape Town. So, with wind down to zero, we fired up to be in position to take the pilot on time. Did not want to be late for that! Calm winds and flat seas with an undulating swell. Patches of kelp drifting about, sea lions swimming in the cold water, a few big ships at anchor deep in Table Bay, silhouetted in the bright morning sun. Robben Island a few miles off to port. Once a prison like Alcatraz, now a national park and museum reflecting on the former regime of Apartheid. The first time I was here in the Brigantine Romance I believe Nelson Mandela was incarcerated there.
Very busy are the Cape Town pilots these days. Ours showed up in due course, and she guided us in to Duncan Dock, the big commercial harbour, for us to clear in to South Africa. She was one of the best pilots I have ever had aboard the Picton Castle. With the outstanding help of our ship’s agent Dave Crossley (Supermaritime South Africa), Customs RSA cleared us in swiftly. The plan was to shift the ship away from the gritty and industrial basin called Duncan Dock, over to the more secure Victoria & Alfred Basin as soon as we could. This needed to wait a day for some reason. But the next day a new and equally excellent pilot joined us as we shifted over to the V&A. Now we are moored at the old original harbour bulkhead well inside the V&A across from the grand Cape Grace Hotel and near to any number of attractive spots to visit. That story will have to wait. The idea is to spend a good three weeks here to get a good visit to Africa in for all hands – and to get a little loving work done on this wonderful ship that never lets us down and takes such good care of us as we sail the seas of our water world.
