DAY’S RUN March 7, 2019
After a nice long stay in Cape Town the Picton Castle is off again. As per plan some crew had to go home, they will be missed but we have some new crew all keen to join in. Expeditions ashore and work all done, provisions aboard. Customs and immigration all sorted.
Mid afternoon yesterday we were all ready to sail, engine warmed up, pilot aboard, lines singled up, line handlers standing by but we were waiting for a generator part. It was on its way. We had delayed sailing by three hours once. Still no part. It was on its way. It got here, came aboard, tested out fine.
Let’s go. Drills and exercises were done. Time to sail. Lines off, get away from the big stone wharf, hoist the skiff, get the ship turned around and out of Duncan Dock, Cape Town Harbour we steamed as bigger ships manovered to come in, big ships rolling in the swells. The wind laid down to a calm. We steamed between Robben Island and the mainland and headed north north west, now bound along the “Skeleton Coast” for Luderitz, Namibia. An old German mining town colony at one time. Six year old ship’s boy Dawson thinks Africa is an island. A really big island. But he thinks all places are islands. He is not really wrong.
From: Cape Town, South Africa
Towards: Luderitz, Namibia
Date: March 7, 2019
Noon Position: at 31-40’S x 017° 04’E
Course + Speed: NNW at 7 knots
Wind direction + Force: calm
Swell Height + Direction: none
Weather: high overcast
Day’s Run: 150 nautical miles
Distance to Port: 312 nautical miles
Sails Set: none