Diary of Ewoud Rykaart sailing alone from Gordons Bay to ... file · Web viewDiary of Ewoud Rykaart sailing alone from Gordons Bay to St Helena Island and ... Ek dink nie ek het al

Diary of Ewoud Rykaart sailing alone from Gordons Bay to St Helena Island and back

via the Southern Ocean.

February/March/April 2002

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THIS DIARY CONTAINS WORDS APPROPRIATE TO THE CONDITIONS AND SITUATIONS AT THE TIME.

SENSITIVE READERS MUST BEEP WHEN THEY COME ACROSS THEM.

Explanation of some terms etc. for non-sailors:

Jibsheets - Control ropes for the front (fore) sail.Looseluff sail - A foresail not attached to the forestay. Only attached top and bottom.Spinnaker pole - Used to keep a foresail open to the wind. Also called whisker pole.Wind pilot - Auto steering device controlled by the wind.Wheel pilot - Electronic pilot steering in a preset compass direction.Halyard - Rope to raise a sail to the top of the mast.Wind veering - Clockwise change of direction.Wind backing - Anti-clockwise change of direction.Dead reckoning - Navigation by speed and compass direction only.

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Boat details:

Name :DO-IT NOWMake :Tosca 36Displacement :7500KGRig :Sloop

Trip details:

Leave Gordons Bay :Sunday 24/2/2002Arrive Gordons Bay :Wednesday 24/04/2002Time taken :60 Days 21 Februarie 2002 Vrydag

Distance to St Helena :1735 miles (3209 km)Distance - St Helena to Gordons Bay :4403 MILES (8145 km)Total distance :6138 miles (11355 km)

Average daily distance (including all stops) :105.83 miles (195.79 km)Average speed (including all stops) :4.41 knots (8.16 km/hour)

Note: The messages appended to the day’s diary are those distributed by Matt Greyvensteyn based on our radio contacts. The contents of these messages will not necessarily correspond with that of the diary as the times and dates composed and sent could be different.

The diary is written in a mixture of English and Afrikaans. There is no specific reason for it; it just happened.

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Vrydag 22/02/2002

Dis Vrydag voor ek Sondag vertrek. Ek is vol bravado maar ook trepidasie. Die afgelope twee weke het ek baie gedink hoekom ek dit doen, en daar is net nie ‘n antwoord nie. Ek het toevallig na iets op TV gekyk en iemand het iets gesê van “testing your limits”. Dis miskien die naaste wat ek aan kan kom vir ‘n rede. Ek dink nie ek het al ooit my “limit” bereik nie en daarom word iets anders altyd aangepak. Gaan hierdie my “limit” wees? Nietemin, ek is vol selfvertroue dat ek dit gaan doen en slaag. Ek weet nie, kan mens so iets geniet? Dit is ‘n lang tyd om alleen te wees, en alhoewel mense my dikwels frustreer, het ek hulle baie nodig. Ek dink Hélène stres baie. Wens ek kon dit vir haar makliker maak. Ek is bly sy het die “bon voyage” by die klub gereel. Ek sou dit nooit doen nie maar dit is goed so. Sal ook ‘n aansporing wees om goed te doen: ek mag nie so baie mense faal nie! Die belangstelling is so groot ek is skoon oorbluf. Soos gewoonlik is dit vir my “no big deal”.

Ek hoop ek sal al die belangstelling en goeie wense waardig wees.__________________________________

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23 Februarie 2002 Saterdagoggend.

Last night we had the most pleasant party at the Club. All the Summerwood friends, Maritze and Yates, Anton and Hélène. Hélène (wife) did a fantastic organising job. The Strand Choir sang (not for me, purely coincidental) and Alan Dawson (commodore) wished me well. All a little too much for me. I felt a very genuine love and interest from all the people. A very special evening, Barbara Kett said something (when we had dinner with them a while ago) that struck a cord. “ We always hear of people that do strange things, but we never know them. We are now privileged to know one” A nice thing to say.

Date: Sat, 23 Feb 2002 04:58:53 +0200 > >Hi Maritz en Beu > >Beu, dit lyk darem of jy so nou en dan by n e.mail gaan uitkom terwyl Maritz daar bo is. >Ek se net cheers, more is ek op pad. Vandag laai ek alles op die boot, hopelik met Johan se hulp. More oggend eet ons almal (Die Caledonners en Port Elzabetters) ontbyt op die boot en dan ry ek. >Ek het alles moontlik ondersoek en as daar iets verkeerd is is dit nie redelik waarneembaar nie. Anders is ek maar bietjie skrikkerig vir die lank alleen wees - ek weet nie hoe ek dit gaan hanteer nie. >Ek sien julle in Meimaand. Voorspoed met die nuwe kleinding. > >Cheers > >Pa

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Sunday 24/02/2002 Day 1

Vertrek 10h15 nadat Murray en Johan ontbyt maak. Dit was maar n bietjie gesukkel met die wind wat so wild waai. Uiteindelik moes Murray opgee om dit op die kaai te doen, en dit binne die boot doen. Carli was die hele boot vol, en almal moes keer dat sy nie afval/afspring nie. Wind SE 25 knope.

Laaste nag (aand) het Annette en Lien goed gehuil. Ek kon hulle verseker alles sal OK wees. Op die oomblik is alles OK - 12 myl vanaf Kaappunt. Sterk SO wind, 17-18 knope.

18h00. I have a Ham radio on board, and have arranged regular schedules with Matt Greyvensteyn. I made my first contact earlier with him. Its a new thing (Ham radio) to me and I’m not too sure about all the protocols etc. Matt will be my link to the outside world, as he will send regular e.mails out as to my whereabouts and how things are going. He will also pass on e.mails received to me.

Latitude: 33:58 South / Longitude: 018:06 East

Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 20:17:54 -0800 > >24/02/2002 >this is a test to see if the email update works for the >project/ Ewoud's trip to St Helena. > Matt > [email protected]

Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2002 20:24:54 -0800 > >24/02/2002 >From Matt Greyvensteyn, >082 848 2157 tel 021 856 4594 >email [email protected] >I spoke to Ewoud twice today first around lunch time >and again at seven this evening. The first time he was around Cape Point and was doing well with 20/25 knot >SE wind. This evening he was 6 miles from Llandudno. >still doing 6/7 mile s per hour. >We will have a sked every nite, so any one who needs to >send him info or a message can email mail and I will >relay that on the next sked, depends on the radio >conditions. > regards, > Matt >

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Monday 25/02 Day 2

Last night a ship passed close. I gave way - here size does count and I am not going to insist on my rights as a wind driven vessel. The night was quiet with little wind. I slept well (on and off). I have a power problem and must leave the coolbox switched off. All is well otherwise.This is going to be a LONG trip. Can I really do it? I can already feel the isolation as the land has practically disappeared.

12 uur middag en nog steeds geen wind nie. Ploeter voort teen 2-3 knope. Doodstil. Ons het grappies gemaak oor al die kos wat ek saam vat. Teen die pas gaan ek dit nodig kry.

18h00. Idyllic sailing for the last 3 hours. Doing 5 and a half to 6 and a half knots as smooth as silk.

Ek het die boek wat Louis gegee het “Moer die vreemde in” gelees. Interessant geskryf. Feite, net soos ek dit sou skryf, en geen stories om dit meer aanvaarbaar te maak nie. Vanaand maak ek chops en groente. Ek mis geselskap.

Latitude: 32:49 South / Longitude: 016:51 East___________________________________

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Tuesday 26/02 Day 3

Just before sunrise and I have a hitch hiker - a small pigeon- sized bird on the solar panel. Hope he does not shit on it. It was a good night with a steady wind but not enough to make fast progress.The last ship I saw was a tanker yesterday - far off. I must run the engine to charge batteries. The solar panel is not enough. Trying to save on power as much as possible.

Die voël kan ‘n swartbek pylstormvoël wees, volgens die voelboek wat ek het. P.S. He did shit on the solar panel.

I have all electrics switched off to determine what’s wrong with the batteries.

Nou net my eerste soutwater bad gehad. Met Colgate shampoo daarin is daar omtrent nie ‘n verskil van varswater nie. Ek maak darem n waslap nat in varswater en vee dan daarmee af. Dit werk baie goed en ek voel skoon en gemaklik.

Nou net besef dis ‘n mengsel van Afrikaans en Engels. Dit het heel natuurlik gebeur en moet maar so bly. Ek ken in elk geval nie die seil terme in Afrikaans nie, so sal maar skryf in die taal wat die beste by die omstandighede pas.

Decided to put up the spinnaker. The last time I used it was about 4 years ago. It was twisted in the bag and took a good hour to unravel, after it twisted going up and had to be hauled down again. The word “shit” was used often to help. It’s flying well and I picked up plus minus one and a half knots.

The electrical problem is resolved. The cooler box will stay OFF as it uses too much power. Both batteriess are now fully charged. Drank my first beer after the spinnaker was raised. Think I will have another one. Listening to BBC now that electrics are OK.


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Wednesday 27/02 Day 4

Tough night last night. Got plus minus 1 hour sleep. It rained on and off and the wind kept changing. Often. The wind pilot was of no use. My right knee got a bad bump on the cement burn scar - will loose the skin again. A shackle broke on the No 2 reef. Not serious, will see what I can do about it today. Hope there is a chance to sleep. The rain is coming again from the North. Wind backing.

‘n Moerse blaas op my knie van die stamp laasnag. Dit gaan ten minste 2 weke neem om redelik gesond te word.

Becalmed in the middle of hundreds of miles of ocean and not a breath of wind. No point in motoring - how far must one go to find wind? Is this really the life? I doubt it.

Sit nou al vir 9 ure op dieselfde plek. Dis nou ‘n ware toets; ek weet net nie waarvoor nie. Ek dink dit is hier waar ‘n mens maklik kan opgee en nou 140 myl Noord land toe motor. Dit kom nog nie by my op nie. Dis WARM buite en binne en die water lyk aanloklik, maar ek voel nie gereed om n swem te neem nie. As daar nog iemand op die boot was miskien.


Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 1:30 Subject: 26/02/2002 Ewoud 's trip 26/02/2002 14.00 hrs Sast Hi there From Matt. We missed last night's sked but spoke to Ewoud yesterday lunch time and again today. Yesterday 's positions was 14. 00 hrs sast 33deg 12 s and 17deg 16 e. s/e wind and barometer 1010. all well . 30 miles south of Saldanha. 26/02./2002 14.00 sast freq 7065 khz . position 31deg 51 s , 15deg 47 e, 200 miles north of Cape Point, and 125 miles west of Lamberts Bay. 80 percent cloudy and sailing at 4.5 knots per hour .. Not much wind and is complaining about the birds making a mess on the solar panel on the stern on the boat. Well that is the hitchhikers!!!!. He enjoyed the lab tjops supplied by Murry and while it last is eating like a King!...Saw a gaft rigged boat comming down in the wrong direction sailing south east down to Cape Town. Tried to call on vhf but no reply. We will try to find out who are the other yachts in this sector so maybe he could catch them on thew air.....There are the Boat called Modena which left Cape Town a day or so ago and a few boats ahead. Suspected a problem with the solar panel but after checking was actually a flatter battery... All is ok at this stage....He told me he the course will be not exactly 330 deg magnetic but he wants to go east of the Valdena/// bank where all the fishermen hang out and the trouble was last week.... He spoke to the chap on 14140 last nite whom he met on the internet and who was responible for all the "grog " in the front cabin....The world is very small hi hi .

Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 7:58 Subject: Ewoud's trip to St Helena 26/02/2002 Update from Matt Greyvensteyn. 19.00 7065 khz We had comms one more time today and his nite time

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position is 31deg 28 s and 15 deg 26 east, 225 miles from Cape Point ant 145 miles off Lambets Bay, His way point is 25deg south and 08 east. At the moment he is experiencing westerly wind at 16 knots and the boat speed is 5.9 knots. He had the spinniker up due to low wind speed..The batteries is ok and he had to disconnect the ice box. So it will be warm beers for a while. !. The wind vane is ok and no problem. Was joined by Martin,Derike and Tom who did the trip a few times. Tom suggested he steers 330 deg west on a strait line to the island. Signal were still good all around . Next sked tomorrow at 8.30, 13.50 and 19.00 hrs. The big problem will be low winds...and it is cloudy. 73 's Matt

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Thursday 28/02 Day 5

Becalmed again. In the last 24 hours the distance covered was only 45 miles. Last night I was surrounded by lightning and it was lonely and scary. Normally I’m not scared of lightning, but out here on the boat one feels like a target with all the guns trained on you. I must admit I was very uncomfortable about the whole lot. The rain caused localised squalls and once it went from 0 to 40 knots in less than 5 seconds. Fortunately I was prepared and reefed down, but still I did eight and a half knots with very little sail for plus minus half an hour. This was when there was lightning left, right and behind. Fortunately it only lasted about half an hour, but if felt longer. I motored a while to charge batteriess but “parked” at 4 AM and had a good sleep until half past seven. This type of sailing is for the dogs, and I am “gatvol”. There are small waves that make the boat roll to and fro and it’s frustrating. I must remember to tell Matt not to let Hélène know about the lightning - she”ll worry too much.

It’s 12h00, raining but there is a nice 12Knot West wind. Slowly making progress in the right direction. Question: Why does it rain on the sea? Who benefits from it?

6 PM. Had 4 hours of no wind. Took a bath and washed a shirt, shorts and smalls. The rain and clouds are gone. The weather forecast is for more calm days until Sunday 2nd March. I am now way behind schedule. Then again, a sailor should not have schedules. I am beginning to accept the fact that time is not material. Is this going to change my life eventually? I can’t help to wonder what effect it is going to have on me, and others around me. Hope it’s good. It’s dead quiet inside the boat, while I am doing 4,5 knots. No wind noise, just the slight sound of water around the hull. This is when sailing is peace.

Het Louis se Chivas oopgemaak. Ek voel soos ‘n koning hier in my eie wereld met n glas goeie whisky in my hand.

03h45. The world rests. I pit my own peace against that of the ocean and find we are one. I am not cross and not happy. Not sorry nor pleased. I wish for nothing and expect nothing. I am here and I am everywhere. I am alone but not lonely. I AM.

Since last night 10 Pm, there has been no movement. The world has stopped. I am at 29.58S/13.26E; 1350M from St. Helena and 368m from Cape Point. If I was in a race I would be frustrated. But I’m not, so let it be. I am in competition with myself and I’m winning because I’m in control of myself. It is a wonderful feeling.


Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 16:32 Subject: 27/02 Ewoud's voyage 27/02/2002 From Matt Greyvensteyn. Update ; We spoke to him twice today, at 08300 and 19.00. He had some action during the night, wind rain and thunder. He did some good distance. Position at 08300. 30 52 south and 14 47 east. westerly wind at 8 knots. Bar 1009. He had a low ubove him. During the day he had no wind and the boat did not move for many hours. At 19.00 his position was 30 36 south and 14 23 east wind ssw 1-2 knota bat 1009. We tried a new frequency 10135khz which worked better, we have a situation that he is to far for 7065 and to close for 14140 khz. We had Derike ZD7CTO from St Helena on the net as well as well as three stations locally. 73's Matt

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Friday March 01/02 Day 6.

A new day - new month. Still becalmed. In last 24 hours did a grand total of 35 miles. Not exactly sailing.

13H00. No wind. The sea is incredibly clear. I dropped the fishing line with a sinker and a piece of old chicken (from Sunday) from my trolling line and could see it 10 metres down. If one had to fall overboard now you will die of boredom as nothing happens out here.

19H00. Boodskap van Hélène d.m.v. Matt. Alles gaan goed by die huis. Ek is lief vir jou en verlang, mis jou baie. Ek verlang en mis in die orde: Hélène, Carli, Ray. ( Carli net tweede omdat sy so besig is- waar doen sy kwaad?) Daarna al die ander. Matt sê Piet en ander stuur groete. Dis fantasties om te weet daar is so baie mense wat belangstel. Ek sal my “attitude” moet verander wanneer ek weer tuis is. Mense gee vir my om - dis nie net om gaaf te lyk nie.

22H45. Perfect sailing. 20 knot West wind, calm sea and doing 7.2 knots for past hour plus. There is a full moon on the starboard quarter and light clouds. Despite the wind and speed the boat is quiet and stable. I need someone to share this with - its too good for just myself.


Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 6:06 Subject: ewoud's trip 28/02/2002 update 13.30 this afternoon we spoke on 14316 khz. position was 30.12s 13.48 east wind 6/7 westerly bar 1001 visibility fair. 1373 miles to go. all is ok. had a bit of rain and low wind... 19.00 spoke on 10130 khz .had ZS1B and ZS!JM on the feq. position 30.05 s 13.39 east, calm conditions . nw wind 6/7 wind... perfect calm seas like a pond... eat spaggety and bollonaise the eve.....colol box is going again ...well cold beers again. running egine one hour every day... solar panel not quite giving enough power.... distance 1363 to go. next way point. Hope to get big winds south easterly on Sat evening and Sunday. up tp 30 knot if the high moves east as it is doing.... greetingss to all at GBYC Ewoud Regards Matt

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Saturday 02/03 Day 7.

Good sailing last night- not so good sleeping. I went through the top of a high pressure system, which meant the wind started WNW and backed round till it was SE. Still better than standing in one place like the night before.

I rigged the Honda genset to charge the batteries. Its better than the engine (or less precious). Noisy but hopefully it’s going to sort out the problem with power shortage.

Toe ek netnou toilet toe gaan en gaan sit, toe wonder ek vir ‘n oomblik of die telefoon gaan lui. Dis natuurlik die geval by die huis as Hélène nie daar is nie. Verligting toe ek besef waar ek is en daar geen telefoon is nie!

13H00. Dis warm binne en buite. Ek is nakend kaal. Moet net oppas - daar is reeds tien vingers wat soms in die pad kom. Die Suid Ooste wind waai goed. Ek is nou in die “Trade Winds” gebied. In die laaste 6 ure het ek 30 myl gedoen. Aanvaarbaar. Die Honda het die job gedoen maar nou het ek nie genoeg petrol nie. Wat nie op die boot is nie is totaal buite bereik - hierdie is ‘n goeie voorbeeld. Die idee van die Honda was oorspronklik net vir nood sou die batterye kaput raak en die motor nie aan die gang kan kom nie.

17H30. The spinnaker has been playing up the whole afternoon trying to wrap itself around the forestay. It finally got it right by wrapping itself as tight as a virgin around it. I tried everything but in a 15 knot wind it was a lost cause. I was prepared to cut it free but could not reach. And then I got this brilliant “Pa maak ‘n plan” idea. I started the motor and circled in the opposite direction to allow the wind to unwrap it and bravo - it was free and I could get it down. I am now fed up with it and am winging it with the foresail poled out. Will try the gennaker tomorrow- it’s easier. At 6 Pm I’m going to have a Chivas. Thanks Louis.


Sent: Saturday, March 02, 2002 17:03 Subject: Ewoud's trip 02/03/2002 Update on Ewoud's trip. 01/03/2002 08.30 freq 14316 khz , Position 29.59s 13.23e no wind bar 1011,23 deg c 1343 miles to go. done only 35 during the night. Sea is like a dam at the moment. 02/03/2002 19.00 freq 10130 khz had very good signals this evening. position 29.46 S 13.10E Bar 1012 temp 26 deg c. 1332 miles to go . Position about west from Port Nolloth. Wind at the moment westerly 8/10 knots .For most of the time no wind. He read and even tried to catch fish, but this place is like a desert!, no birds no fish, and have not even seen a boat on the horizon since yesterday. It is a very lonely place at the moment.Had a long chat with him and he seems cheerful. Next sked I will have with him will be 02/03/2002 at 19.00 sast. By the next sked time the SE wind should be back in force. The South Atlantic high is moving east as you can see the bar readings are going up. Bar reading should be at 1016 by sked time. 73's Matt

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Sunday 03/03 Day 8

Strong ( 25 knot average) winds during the night. The 24 hour run was 142 miles - pretty good. Very good sailing. This morning I discovered why the boat finds it difficult to return to course in light following winds: A washer I fitted to the wind pilot yesterday caused it to slightly jam when in a certain position. Washer removed (not REALLY necessary) and problem solved. I DID NOT TEST IT PROPERLY AFTER FITTING THE WASHER. A cardinal sin.

Last night I slept too much. But the boat sailed so well.........

12H00. Vanoggend was daar ‘n “squid” (100mm) wat gedurende die nag op die dek gespring het Ek het met hom “getroll” maar niks gevang nie. Op die oomblik is daar ‘n hoek met ‘n “lure” aan. Weet nie regtig of ek regtig iets wil vang nie - dit sal werk wees om dit skoon te maak. Op die oomblik is ek BAIE rustig.

Dis maar vervelig om hier in die blou sirkel te seil. Dis uitkyk, lees, uitkyk, slaap, uitkyk. eet, ens, ens, ens. Ek het dit verwag so dit pla nie. Maar ek kan aan niemand (familie) dink wat dit sal kan hanteer nie. In ‘n groep ja maar nie alleen nie.

Ek voel nog glad nie alleen nie. Die Ham radio maak darem ‘n groot verskil - ek het net nie genoeg voorsiening met batterye gemaak nie gevolglik is alle radio, musiek ens. beperk. By St. Helena sal ek genoeg petrol vir die Honda kry sodat ek meer vry kan wees. Alhoewel dit Sondag is is daar geen “blues” nie. Dis maar net nog ‘n dag.

14h00. The wind has dropped to below 20 knots and I rigged the No.3 jib looseluff on starboard behind the main. It fills nicely, the boat no longer jaws to the left, the steering is easier and I gained at least a knot. And, of course, its easy to control and take down if the shit should hit the fan.

Ek kyk nou net na my handskrif. Ek is seker dit het al verbeter. Ek skryf dit toe aan twee dinge: ek begin weer leer hoe om te skryf en raak die boot beweging gewoond.

16H30. Nou net vanaand se “menu” beplan. Varsvleis frikkadelle, wortels en squash en artappels. Tot dusver het ek nog net vars kos geeet. Agt dae en ek het nog GEEN blik oopgemeek nie. Die koelkas met die bottels ys het goed gewerk. ‘n Briljante idee, Vroutjie. Daar is nog 2 x pakkies wors oor.

Het Louis se boek en een van Anton (Calender) gelees. Louis sin het ek klaar kommentaar opgelewer. ‘Calender’ is baie goed. Eintlik wereld geskiedenis. Dis ‘n boek wat mens twee keer sal moet lees om die regte waarde daaruit te kry.

I was just sitting on the life raft watching how well the boat sails when I thought how much I would really like to be on one of those super fast racing boats. It must be an incredible experience - trying for more speed irrespective of the adverse conditions. Will do it in a next life - too late for this one.

An hour or so ago I heard a clatter in the back but could find nothing. I went on deck now and I found the masthead tri-colour lens; it fell from the top of the mast, landed and stayed on the deck. Remarkable considering al the sea around. That means no masthead navigation lights. I still have the motoring lights - not that I use any of them- too much power wastage. Hope not too many things start falling off.


Sent: Sunday, March 03, 2002 7:14 Subject: Ewouds's trip 02/03/2002 Update to Ewoud's trip. 19.00 this eve position 28.31 S 11.22E bar 1014 wind 18 knots SE !... boat speed 7 knots did 150 miles

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last 24 hrs. boat doing 7 knots... 1211 miles to go. Having a good time at last.... Our info is tomorrow he will have 30 knots of SE wind !... For about 3 days..... Hy se ^ Dankie vir Louis se Wiskey. Dit is lekker!... Ok boodskap vir Helene , bon voyage ! ! vir Dinsdag.... Volgende sked Sondag aand 19.00 sast. 73 's Matt nog battery probleme nie genoeg krag vir alles nie en kan nie te lank gesels nie !......het nog n son paneel nodig....

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Monday 04/03 Day 9

Quiet night with good sailing. Did 152 miles over 24 hours. Now 947M from St. Helena.

This morning the spinnaker pole had chewed almost port through the jibsheet - it was holding with only a few strands. I modified both jibsheets with a piece of hose to protect them from the pole.

The wind is lazy - 12 to 14 knots.

Vanoggend vroeg het ek ‘n lang filosofiese dink gehad oor wat en waarom ons is. Teveel om te skryf - hoop ek kan dit eendag deel. My uiteiendelike besluit was: Ons as mense is deel van die natuur, niks meer en niks minder nie. En die natuur is deel van ons. Ons mense het geen verhewe plek bo ander dinge in die natuur nie. As ‘n vuur ‘n bos verwoes, tesame met die olifant, mier, mens en boom is daar geen wreedheid of wraak nie, want anders sou dit ook wreed wees om die vuur met water dood te maak. Alles is die natuur, en die natuur is alles. Dis eintlik baie eenvoudig; dis ons mense wat alles kompleks maak.

My gedagtes het soontoe gedraai toe ek besef dat alhoewel ek alleeen is, ek niks oorboord gooi nie, behalwe dit wat bio-degradeerbaar is; kos skille ens. Ek kan nie dit op die boot hou nie want dit sal vrot word. Miskien is dit opvoeding maar ek sou graag wou dink dis ook respek vir die ander natuur delers. Ons individuele verantwoordelikheid maak die totale verantwoordelikheid op. Ons is almal in bevel en mag niemand of iets anders soek om te blameer as ons nie ons deel kan of wil bring nie. Die samelewing in sy totaal word aanmekaar gehou deur individuele verantwoordelikheid.

Het vanoggend vir die eerste keer in 4 dae ‘n skip gesien. Daar is geen voëls nie en behalwe vir die “squid” op die dek ‘n paar dae gelede is daar nog geen teken van see lewe nie.

Dis Maandag 4 Maart en my ETA in ST. Helena is volgende Sondag/Maandag.

18H30. Nou net met Hélène gepraat op ‘n mariene band wat Matt bewerkstellig het. Die familie neem die trip maar swaar en hulle het reg daartoe. ‘n Crazy Pa en man. Ek is lief vir jou Hélène en al die ander.

Vir Matt blyk hierdie net so ‘n groot gebeurtenis te wees as vir my. Dis goed so, want sy bydrae is van belang vir almal terug by die huis. Sonder sy inset sou ek maar net erens op die see wees, sonder dat iemand weet waar of hoe dit gaan.

Na Hélène se gesels het ek weereens besef, soos voorheen gesê, van al die mense wat omgee; Steve, Piet, Louis, Andre - teveel om op te noem. Gee ek ooit iets terug wanneer ek by die huis is? Hoekom is dit so moeilik om vir ander mense te wys ek hou van hulle, en gee vir hulle om? Miskien is ek ‘n “crazy old man”. Maar dan was ek nog altyd “crazy”. Is ek die enigste wat so is, of kan ander mense dit net beter beheer? Net so terloops. Ek is nou alleen vir 9 dae en ek voel minder alleeen as ooit by enige funksie of “cocktail party” waar daar honderde mense was. Al wat ek in oorvloed van het is logika, en dit maak nie logiese sin nie.

Miskien is alles op die laaste twee bladsye “total bullshit”. Net sowel dit is nie op ‘n komper geskryf nie anders sou ek dit heelwaarskynlik uitgevee het. Goed vir papier en potlood.

Latitude: 25:23 South / Longitude: 006:55 East Sent: Monday, March 04, 2002 16:01 Subject: Ewoud's trip 0403/2002 Update on Ewouds progress. I spoke to him early on Sunday moning ; position 27 38S 9 54 east wind 15 SE Bar 1014 temp 23 deg c F/ rough seas ( swell 12 feet) +_. Making good progress.

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Next sked was 19.00 on 14140 khz. 26.56 S 8 55 east 20 knot SE wind Bar 1015 1552 miles to go. Quite rough seas. did over 140 miles in the last period!.... Helene could you email me Derike 's email address on St Helena so that I can arrange a sked. I have not heard him on for about a week . Ewoud wants to speak to him. Ewoud still has not enough battery power to speak to long on the radio. He ran the generator for a few hours yesterday just to top up the batteries. He will stock up gasolene in St Helena. He says it is good sailing now and we think the wind's will last a few more days!... There is about 3 yachts between him and St Helena. rgds, Matt

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Tuesday 05/03 Day 10 For the last 24 hours it was like sailing on silk. The sea is calm with a 1,5m swell. The boat is dead quiet with a gentle swaying motion. If it wasn’t for the soft swishing of the water against the hull one would not know you are moving. This is manna for the soul. It is hard to believe there are people fighting over insignificant things, stealing and robbing when there is so much peace and quiet around you. Right at this moment this must be the best place in the world. I wish I could share it with Hélène. Or next best with someone else. It’s almost selfish to have it all for myself. This is the good life.

Last night I passed the halfway mark to St. Helena. At the current rate of progress I should be there come Sunday/Monday. The amateur radio guys are fantastic. Tom ZS1TA is trying to arrange a mooring for me as I then don’t need to anchor. Derek on the other side ZS7TCO is helping with it. And I only met Tom for about 10 minutes and Derek I have only had e-mail and Ham Radio contact with. Once again proves how nice people really are.

Ek eet en slaap BAIE goed. Ek het nog een stuk wors oor vir vanaand. Tot dusver het ek elke aand kos gekook. Artappels, wortels, squash, komkommer ens. Nog geen blik oopgemaak nie. Ongeveer een en ‘n half brood gebruik (4 gekoop). ‘n Klompie appels en lemoene geeet. Ek eet glad nie middag ete nie - net vrugte. Die mangoes was uit die boonste rakke.

Shortage of power remains a problem. A wind generator would have been of no use. A 15/20 knot wind from behind would not even turn the blades. A hydraulic “generater behind” will be the answer although it will slow you down. In the end a genset with plenty of fuel is probably the best, although it is noisy.

The wind pilot works amazingly well. In the 9 days of sailing, I have steered for one and a halve hours during the rain squall and the whirlwinds. In these whirl winds the pilot gets as confused as a chameleon in a kaleidoscope. Other than that it does the job hour after hour with just a small correction required when the wind changes. It is pure magic.

Boat inspection delivered this morning a small (5cm) flying fish on deck. Attached it to the lure but no takers.

17H30. Just had an experience that will take two Chivas to get me back to normal. I took out my hand held GPS to check if all is OK, and it appeared not to be. I had visions of the Navman (main GPS/plotter) breaking down and I will be left to find the tiny Island by dead reckoning. It is NOT a pleasant thought - it’s VERY tiny in this vast ocean. Eventually after almost an hour, it acquired three satellites and then worked OK. This is supposed to be normal if one switches it on more than 300 miles from its last position (home). It was a LONG hour. I will test it more regularly from now on.

Vandag was ‘n lui dag - lees, luister musiek, lees..... Die wind is swak en ek maak nie goeie spoed nie. Ek probeer besluit wat om te maak vir aandete . “Decisions, decisions...... . My laaste vars vleis (wors), pap en sous. More moet ek ‘n vis vang.


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Wednesday 06/03 Day 11

‘n Rustige stil nag. See is kalm en wind 10-14 K en 696 myl van St. Helena. Gister oggend het ek die vryhang stormjib vervang met ‘n nommer 2 en dit sit beslis een knoop by my spoed.

Vanoggend is Hélène op Frankfort op pad Canada toe. Die familie is nou regtig uitmekaar. Ek dink die twee dogters hanteer dit moeilik. Sal moet opmaak daarvoor wannneer ons terug is. Wanneer Maritz en Beu ook hier is sal ons ‘n skaapbraai hou om op te maak.

Radio kommunikasie is nog goed en ‘n goeie verbintenis met die wêreld. Die boot het nou huis geword en soos gewoonlik begin dinge daar buite vervaag. Nie vergeet nie, maar soos die mens gemaak is word die teenswoordige baie gou die norm, en dis wat nou gebeur. Die alleeenheid pla nog nie, maar dit sou lekker gewees het om Hélène hier te hê. Na gister se episode met die GPS sal ek haar beslis nooit toelaat om saam te gaan nie; die stres sal net teveel wees. Die gedagte dat ‘n mens hier in die middel van nerens is en dalk moet soek na ‘n klein eiland is verdoemend. Selfs ek het baie ongemaklik gevoel. Hierdie is beslis ‘n ondervinding wat mens bewus maak jy mag nooit vertroue in jouself verloor nie. So ver so goed.

14H00. This morning I spent some time plotting the course between St. Helena, Tristan and home. It is for sure a daunting trip and I expect it will take about 40 days. I doubt if I will stop at Tristan. There won’t be time. Then again if the winds favour me I might just make it. Time (and wind ) will tell. Made contact with Bruce on St. Helena, not sure, but think he is the Harbour Master. He explained the procedure to follow when I arrive on the island. There are no moorings available, so I will have to drop the anchor. Pity - it’s hard work to get it up again.

21H00. ‘n Besige dag. Vanoggend al die details uitgewerk oor my roete van St. Helena na Tristan. Ek het nie al die kaarte nie maar met die dat dit net water is kan ek improviseer. Dit is nie te moeilik nie, net kophou. Ook baie tyd op die radio spandeer vanmiddag en vanand . Moes ‘n kanaal of twee her-programeer om by St. Helena se SSB mariene radio aan te pas. As wind so aanhou is ETA St. Helena nog Maandag 11 Maart. Sien uit daarna.

Hélène is nou al oor die Atlantic op pad Vancouver toe. Dis nie vergelykende maniere van vervoer nie - sy doen meer in ‘n uur as ek in ‘n week!


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Thursday 07/03 Day 12

After doing nothing the last three days, last night made up for it. At 04H00 this morning, notwithstanding anything else, I came to the conclusion single handed sailing is NOT for sissies. I will explain the episode in detail, just for interest sake:

The wind backed SSE from South and eventually I decided to gybe. The sail plan at that time was: Port jib poled out, looseluff jib on starboard and full main with boom all the way across to starboard. Wind 16 knots. Boom had the gybe protector on. I thought I planned it well before I started, but this is what happened. With the safety harness on, I went foreward, dropped the looseluff sail and caught it neatly. The wind immediately took offence because I took its baby rattle away and tried to grab it back. I tugged it in, squeezed the air out and tied it down. I needed another sail tie, so I must get back to the cockpit to get one. The harness is now caught beneath the sail and I have to fight to get it loose. A couple of “shits” later and I get another tie and secure the sail. I try to undo the sail tack shackle and can’t get it loose. Back to cockpit to get the pliers, undo it and put the pliers in my pocket. Now for the pole. I loosen the pole uphaul line and pull the release to drop the pole from the jibsheet but it will not let go. A couple of days ago I fitted hosepipe protectors on the sheets and this makes for a very tight fit and will not drop free. Back to the cockpit to roll up the furler, which pulls the pole forward. I undo it (the pole) and move it to the starboardt jib sheet. But having rolled up the sail, this sheet is now too tight and I cannot get the pole on. Back to the cockpit to release it. I get the pole on and decide to first get the loose luff ready at the same time to minimise the backwards and forwards to the cockpit. I loosen the jib sheet and then carefully check that the halyard is correctly routed to hoist the sail on th port side. With the jib sheet in my hand I go back to the cockpit and move it to the port winch. I pull on the pole uphaul and raise the pole. Then I let the sail out and it flies on the starboard side. I route the loose leaf jib around the left, go forward and attach it to the looseluff sail. I check everything, then I haul on the halyard to raise the sail. I then realise it is on the wrong side of the pole and drop it again. Undo the halyard, lift it over the pole and hoist the sail. Everything is now up and I return to the cockpit. I trip over the harness crotch strap and nearly fall. A few more shits. In the cockpit I adjust the jib sheet and sit down - its 40 minutes later. I then remember I took the pliers out of my pocket and placed it next to the mast. Back to get it. I look up and see the loose luff halyard is not right after all; it has gone between the pole and the uphaul. A few shits and down it came. The wind does not like it and blows it overboard. I haul it up and stack it next to the safety lines. Unhook the halyard and try to throw it over the pole but to no avail. Back to the cockpit to drop the pole. I trip over the harness crotch strap (again). Shit. I drop the pole and go forward and sort the halyard out. The pole is bashing against the forestay so I go back and raise it and adjust the sail. Go forward and raise the loose luff sail. Back to the cockpit to adjust it. Sit down. Realise the pliers are still at the mast. Go forward and get them.

Gybe complete. Shit. The wind gusts out of the SE. It is still gusting - or has it veered? Shit, it has veered and is coming out of the South again! The looseluff is flapping again. If this happens and you can still keep your sense of humour then just maybe you are not a sissie. You are probably a fool. 09H40. Het nou net my tweedaaglikse bad (een elke tweede dag) gehad. Dis verbasend hoe goed die seewater met Colgate sjampoo werk. Ek was net in seewater en vee dan af met ‘n waslap wat in varswater natgemaak is. Selfs my hare bly sag. Ek is seker met die water tekort in Suid afrika kan daar navorsing gedoen word om ‘n goeie wasmiddel te ontwikkel en dan die twee tipes water na huise te neem - een drink en die ander was - seewater.

19H00 UTC. Van nou af werk ek UTC tyd (GMT) ‘n Perfekte seil aand. Die see is stil met ‘n 12K wind van agter. Die boot wieg heen en weer (liggies) en ek doen 6 knope. Ek drink ‘n Chivas en kon ‘n ‘glas’ glas gebruik (so stil seil ek) maar dit smaak net so lekker in ‘n plastiek een. Dis ‘n aand waar mens vriende nodig het. Te goed om alleeen te wees. Binne kon die boot net sowel op anker wees so stil is dit.

O ja, die gybe het vanoggend toe nog reperkussies opgelewer. Die loose luff halyard het om die roller furler gedraai. Eers vanmiddag ontdek. Dit was nog ‘n petalje om dit reg te kry, want die lot was te styf en die seil wou nie af nie. Op ‘n stadium het ek dit oorweeg om teen die mas op te gaan, maar toe maak ek ‘n ander plan. En toe donner die hele seil in die water in maar hy was los en alles “A OK”. Piet (Uys) as jy hierdie lees kan jy gerus ‘n storie daarvan maak.

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My vars vleis is op - ek moet ‘n vis vang maar daar is geen byt nie. Ek wens ek was ‘n beter visserman.

As ek so seil kon ek vir die res van my lewe so spandeer. Dis eintlik jammer ek is so lief vir Hélène, die kinders en kleinkinders en al die ander mense. Spesifiek Summerwood. Miskien moet julle my uitskop.


Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 18:21 Subject: Ewoud' s trip )7/03/2002 Hi there Update; 06/03/2002 8.30 position 23.11 s 3.53 east wind se 14 knots, bar 1012 temp 23 deg c calm sea 696 miles to . done 1178 miles. no clouds . quite a pleasant sail.... 06/03/2002 19.00 joined by ZD9GI Chris on Gough Isalnd. He will also assit on the return trip via Tristan. Position 22.36 s 2.57 east wind se 16 knots bar 1013 temp 25 deg c. calm sea. 633 miles to go. Might arrive Sunday night, or beter Monday morning. It seems the forecast is the same for the next few days. He sends greetings to all and is looking forward to the Island. Derike will arrange a swing mooring for him. He needs to stock up with petrol for the radio as he does not get enough sun to charge the batteries full, or he may be talking to much on the radio.! Well is is for free almost.... 73 's Matt

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Friday 08/03 Day 13.

Good sailing the last 24 hours. Did 157 miles, now 390 miles from St. Helena. I have made radio contact with radio St. Helena and they are expecting me. ETA at the current speed is Sunday evening, although the wind is expected to drop closer to the island.

This morning when I plotted my course I found I was going way off course, yet the GPS and Compass both indicated that there was no problem. I got out another chart and plotted with the same wrong result. When I checked the GPS again, I found the mileage had increased, which now put me in an easterly direction and I should be heading N- West. I was completely “bedonnered” and thought I was going crazy. Then I realised I had crossed the zero meridian (Greenwich) and the meridians no longer decrease from the east but increase toward the west. I had plotted my course east of Greenwich. I felt a real paw-paw. It’s at times like this when you miss a second person to exchange opinions with.

This morning the lure on my trolling line was gone. Did I have a big one? I made another from an empty tin and hope to catch one. Last night was my first (no second) tinned meal and it is not nice. I am used to better.

Radio communications to Cape Town is getting erratic with lots of interference. I should be able to relay home via St. Helena if it gets worse.

If there is a single thing that worries me more than anything else should it breakdown, it’s the windvane steering. It is like having a steersman on board that never gets tired and never complains. Since leaving Gordons Bay I have steered for an hour plus and that was during the lightning storm crosswinds. It will be VERY difficult without it- and very slow going too. The concept of my homemade pilot works brilliantly. The man that designed it, and from whom I copied it, knew what he was doing. Of course the dog-clutch coupling was my own idea and that makes keeping course as easy as pie.

16H30. ‘n Stildag. ‘n Goeie seil met goeie wind. Die boot seil nog heeldag teen teselfde tempo - tussen 6 en 7 knope. Dis ‘n goeie spoed. Die laaste twee dae het ek elke dag 150 myl gedoen. Op die oomblik is ek 330 myl van St Helena af, wat my ‘n aankoms tyd van Sondagaand/nag gee. Ek wil nie graag in die nag daar aankom nie, maar ek wil ook nie stadiger gaan nie. Sal maar wag en sien wat Sondag oplewer. Dis nog ‘n lang pad en baie kan gebeur.

Ek kan vandag doen met geselskap. Ek verlang na almal. Dis nie die “blues”nie - sou net van ‘n bietjie geselskap hou. Oor die BBC het ek gehoor die tweede krieket toets teen Australia het weer begin deur op ‘n groot nederlaag af te stuur. Seker maar die “legacy of apartheid”!

Geen vis vandag nie. Gaan maar ‘n macaroni en kaas maaltyd probeer. Dit is die eerste keer dat ek ‘n maaltyd in die oond sal maak. “Wish me luck somebody.”

19H40.UTC. Van nou af sal alle tye UTC wees tot ek weer anders sê. Die macaroni en kaas was toe uitstekend. Die pot waarin ek dit gebak het het so ‘n bietjie aangebrand, en as Hélène hier was sou sy die moer ingewees het, maar dis nie die ergste nie.

Derek ( St. Helena ) het gesê sy vrou wil weet of sy vir my iets lekker kan maak vir die pad vorentoe. Wat sê ‘n mens nou? Ek sê toe ek het baie kos maar iets soets soos ‘n sponskoek sal lekker wees. Sy antwoord was hy kry nooit koek tensy daar mense by hulle is nie en ek kon dit beaam. Dis ‘n universiële probleem met getroude mans. Geen wonder die mans in die ou dae het bywywe en ekstra vrouens gehad nie. Met die maan wat eers in die oggend opkom is dit nou pikswart donker buite. Ek kan skaars die voorpunt van die boot sien maar die glinsterende plankton verlig die kante van die boot. Die wind het versterk en waai 20 knope reg van agter. Ek seil voort teen 7 plus knope. Doodstil, geen geraas, net ‘n wieg van kant tot kant. As dit nie was dat ‘n groot deining so elke dan en wan die boot so ‘n ekstra stamp gee nie sou mens dink jy sit op die hawe. Die sterre hang so laag mens kan hulle pluk. Regs verby die mas hang Jupiter, groot en blink: bo sit Orion, agter Castor en Pollux en regs agter die Suiderkruis. Byna reg bo is Canopus en verder links Achernar.

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Latitude: 19:25 South / Longitude: 001:08 West

Sent: Friday, March 08, 2002 16:27 Subject: Ewoud's trip 08/03/2002 Update. 0830. pos 21.47S 1.38 east wind se bar 1014 548 miles to go 90% cloud. sea rough and big swells... had a busy night compared to the previuos nights and days when he did just about nothing!....1350 miles from Somerset west. 19.00 pos 21.02S 00.52 east bar 1012 sea calm 483 miles to go. wind se 15 knots .We expect the wind to hold for 3/4 days like that. eta Sunday am or Monday morning. I can provide an email address in my next bullitin of Derike ZD7CTO and people can send him emails via Derike. 73 Matt

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Saturday 9/03 Day 14.

Quiet night but good distance. From 8am yesterday to 8am today did 160 miles. Best to date. Now 222 miles from St. Helena.

Since daylight the wind has increased to 25/30 knots with a rough sea and 2/3 meter swell. The boat was doing 8 to 8 and a half knots, but the way a sun spider runs without a determined direction. I dropped the loose luff foresail and put a reef in the mainsail. Nice control over the boat and although the speed has dropped by 1 plus knots all the effort is now in the right direction. I also got a chance to eat breakfast.

Last night Matt said he got an e-mail from Maritz. Hélène has arrived safely - in the snow.

Gisteraand het ek die kassie onder die sink oopgemaak net toe die boot bokspring. Met die ruk staan ek toe met die deur in my hand - die skroewe het deur die skanier geruk. Darem regmaakbaar. Ek was darem sober; nie soos Murray en sy deur nie!

Here’s a tip for sailors. It is always difficult to pull the sail down ( to put a reef in ) when the sail is under tension, which it usually is. I have tied a rope to the eyelet of the third reef and led it down to the mast winch. I now let the halyard out as much as needed, and then go forward to use the winch to pull the top part of the sail down. The lower part can then be winched down using the single line reefing lines. A lot easier and ALMOST no cursing.

15H30. Met boot inspeksie kry ek ‘n klomp (1 x emmer) water onder die enjin. Ek dink dit kom deur die “prop shaft gland”. Dit lek al lankal so ‘n bietjie wat OK is. Dit dien as smeermiddel. Met die laaste ruk se moeilike see neem ek aan daar is meer water deurgeforseer. Dis nie ‘n groot probleem nie aangesien ek die “gland” kan vervang van binne af indien nodig. As dit die probleem is - hoop maar dis nie iets wat ek nog nie van weet nie!

Al die seile is weer terug daar die wind bedaar het. ETA in St. Helena is more (Sondag 10de) om middernag. Slegte tyd.


Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2002 8:03 Subject: Ewoud's trip 08/03/2002 sked 1900 sast freq 14140 khz. signal 599 both ways, where Joined by Derike ZD7 CTO pos 19.21 s 1.12 west bar 1013 temp 23 deg c wind se 18 329 miles to go. done 154 in the last 24 hrs. good sailing. we are changing shek time 15 min later to 7.15 sat evening ior 1915 sast / 05 5.15 utc am Well Ewoud had to get the 2nd GPS out as he thought he is going in the wrong direction ..check and check again..well he eventually realised he went over the Greenwich meredian the zero line...... Well all ok now... busy arranging for when he will see the Isalnd, you can see the ';rock" about 100 miles out at sea. Population about 5000 souls and the slaughter fresh produce about once a week... according to Derike.. Some emails are arriving at his email address.... so eta still Sunday night....We will have champers to morrow nite when he can sight the rock in the ocean....!!!!....hi hi He has done 154 miles in the last 24 hrs ... Weather to be the same for 3 more days.... Still have not caught any Dorados only found small flying fish on the deck and

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under sized squid... Must arrange a light for the deck at night and in the morning he will have a deck full for the day... spend the qso discussing with Derike how to trawel and catch fish...... Ewoud says he will get the fright of his life if he has to land a 2 meter Dorado......He reckons he has line strong enough to land a 100 kg fish.... as long as the fish is not big enough to swallow him it would be probably ok....hi .hi . from the extracts I am quoting he is in hi spirit and is updating he diary daily. We will keep all the syn charts etc. derike's wife want 's to make some pad kos for him.... maybe some cakes ets.....ewoud being modest of course does not want to be a nuisance.......modest he is.... well he will get the pad kos.......we will hear real soon what it will be.... Big discussion on the dismal cricket performance.... Ewoud can only listen to the BBC..... 73 's Matt next sked Sat at 1915 sast and then Sunday morning at 8.30 sast.... From Monday we will use Derike's station for comms.. He will leave most probably on Wednesday some time...

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Sunday 10/03 Day 15.

04H30 UTC. ‘n Stil nag met 10 knoop wind. Deining bly hoog maar see is stil. 110 myl van St. Helena. Behoort dit so teen middag te sien.

Gisteraand het ek nie geweet wat om te eet nie, toe onthou ek Hélène se menu-lys. Daarop is toe “Bully Beef” in skywe, wat toe net die regte ding was. Dit saam met ‘n tamatie en brood het goed afgegaan. Ek het ‘n bottel “sweet and mild” mostert sous en wou so ‘n bietjie daarvan op my bord sit. Die dekselese goed het so dun soos water geword wat beteken ek het ‘n hele bord vol plus nog ‘n tafel vol gehad en voor ek kon keer was daar nog op die vloer ook. Ek het nog nooit regtig van die dekselse goed gehou nie en nou nog minder. Dis nie eens lekker nie.

Ek is altyd kaalvoet ( en soms kaal, alles ) en vir die laaste paar dae is my voete onder seer. Gister het dit begin baie seer word en toe besef ek dit is die “anti-slip” verf op die dek. Dit het sand in en is baie skurf en werk nou soos sandpapier op my voete. Ek is nou genoodsaak om skoene te dra as ek buite toe gaan. So leer mens.

Matt het laat weet daar is ‘n e-pos van Hélène. Ek mis jou (nie Matt nie).

Met my bad vanoggend het ek ‘n bietjie Dettol in die water gegooi en ek voel en ruik nou soos ‘n “virgin”. My baard kom goed aan en die kleinkinders sal ‘n regte Oupa hê wanneer ek tuis is. Hélène sal my bly skeef aankyk tot dit af is. Jammer, ek hou nogal daarvan.

Iets wat my tref tot dusver is die totale afwesigheid van lewe. Weliswaar was daar so ‘n paar seevoëls, maar baie min. Behalwe vir twee klein “squids” en twee klein vliënde vissies wat op die dek geland het was daar nog geen lewe te bespeur nie. Nie ‘n vis wat spring, ‘n haai wat swem of enigiets nie. Ek trek my lyn al vir 1700 myl agter die boot aan en geen vis wat gebyt het nie. Dit sal seker anders wees op ander plekke maar op hierdie reis is dit 0- NIKS.

14H00. 64 Miles from St. Helena and I should see it any time. This is according to the people that have been here. I still don’t see anything. Although the GPS is happy that I am on course there is that small bit of concern. What if the Island is not here? It is a VERY small place amidst a very big pool of water. I have now more admiration than ever for the sailors of yesterday that did this with the most basic of equipment. One must experience it like this to really appreciate it. Bravo to them.

46 Miles from the Island. The sun is going down and no Island yet. The GPS says I’m on track. Who am I to argue? Nevertheless, shit, I wish I could see it. The only light is on the North side and not visible from where I come. And it is not a very strong light either. I must have another Chivas!

19H00 UTC. Die son het nou net ondergegaan, ek het twee Chivas gedrink ( dankie Louis ) en daar is nog geen donnerse eiland nie. Ten laaste het ek my beroep op logika en nie wat ander mense sê nie. Kaappunt is skaars 30 myl van ons af en dit moet ‘n baie goeie dag wees vir ons om dit te sien. So wat maak St. Helena so spesiaal dat mens hom 60 myl ver kan sien. “Bullshit” - dis nie moontlik nie. Vergeet wat ander mense sê; ek beroep my op logika. Dit het my nog nooit gefaal nie. Die Eiland is waar hy behoort te wees en ek is oppad soontoe. Punt.

P.S. Dis donker en ek kan nie die lyne op die kaart sien nie- of is dit die Chivas se skuld?

23H00. 22 Miles away, pitch dark without a large scale chart and an unknown shore. I have expanded the chart myself into 1 mile grids. Nevertheless I am heading further North to make sure I will pass by the northern most part of the Island. Not good to run into it. I had really planned to do this part during daylight hours. I can lie ahull and wait for daytime, but that means I loose a day. I will press on and err on the safe side - NORTH. I just did a gybe to allow me to get the wind more over the starboard quarter. Sailing at 4,6 knots.

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Moonlight, oh moonlight, where art thou moonlight! No chance - its almost new moon and the sliver that is left rises just before sunrise.A little more about my chart. I could not get a marine chart of St Helena, but printed a tourist chart from the internet. This shows the position of the island in the ocean, but is definitely not meant to sail from. This is the chart I used to draw in grid lines and navigated from. I know what Maritz will say when he reads this!

23H30. Just saw the first Island lights. Could, or rather should be the Southern corner. Problem is one cannot judge distance at night. 20 Miles off.


Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2002 6:49 Subject: Ewoud's trip 09/03/2002 Qso at 19.. sast pos 17.37 s 3.16 east bar 1012 seas swell 3 to 4 meter high.... temp 23 deg c wind 10 knots se distance 173 miles to go. eta early monday morning....We are busy to work out the return route and are checkin the winds etc... first would be way point is 19 deg s 23 deg west, 2 nd way point would be 31 deg s 25 deg west, and 3 rd way point would be 37 deg s 12 deg west.... We are checking winds and also what freq s we will be using. Maybe be using 21316 khz as primary sked freq.... Else all is well. He has no contact with Alister ZS5MU in Natal any more ...Out of range... I suggested He tries fred ZS5Fm at 7.30 on 14316 khz else we will have to go to 21316 khz from now on....He is in good spirit and is looking forward to the Island stop..Done 173 miles.... 73 s Matt..

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Monday 11/03 Day 16.

Ok, all is well. I’m 10 miles from the lighthouse and from there it’s 2 miles plus to James Bay. I will amble along under the foresail ( main is down ) to get there by first light so I can see where to drop anchor. Pity I can’t see the Island in daytime, but then it would have been dull from a navigation point of view.

07H00. At anchor in James Bay, St. Helena Island. There are about 15 yachts here. It isn’t a harbour, just a bay to the lee of the South Easter. The mountains are black lava rock, but deeper into the valley some trees can be seen. It is quiet and tranquil. I am now waiting for customs to visit me, and will make use of the time to clean up and have breakfast.

09H15. Wag nou al amper ‘n uur vir “customs” mense om boot toe te kom. Hulle is maar dieselfde soort mens maak nie saak watter land jy in is nie. Al die tyd behoort aan hulle.

Intussen het my anker begin sleep. Ek moes die hele ding optrek, nader ry en weer van voor af begin. Ek het in die begin gedink daar is te min plek maar moes vat wat hulle vir my gee. Op die oomblik hoop ek maar dit hou. Daar is nie sand hier nie - net klip waaraan die anker geen houvas kan kry nie. Ek is maar bietjie bekommerd dat hy weer gaan sleep. Probleem is wat om te doen. n Mens moet eintlik net ketting aan die anker he, en nie tou ook nie. Ek het net 10 meter ketting.

Die jag wat langs my is (Italy) het ook van die Kaap geseil en 19 dae geneem. Ook weens windstiltes. Gegewe die feit dat ek 36 ure van windstilte gehad het, het ek dus goed gedoen. Gemiddeld 4.76 knope en 111 myl per dag. Windstiltes weggeneem is dit 125 myl per dag. (15 en drie kwart dae geneem ).

Die gewag maak my nou die donner in. Ek het net gedink ek moet meer geduld met mense begin hê dan gebeur dit. Maar OK, ek SAL geduld beoefen.

Nou net gekom en en so vriendelik dat alles vergewe is. Die hawe meester, doeane beampte, polisie hoof, immigrasie en ‘n leerling. Die boot volgesit en ‘n dosyn vorms ingevul.

20H00. Die dag saam met Derek Richards gespandeer. Ons het met die die paadjies op die Eiland gery en hy het my al die besienswaardighede gewys. Dis baie mooi maar alles is heuwels en spitse.. Ek kan nie onthou dat die pad ooit gelyk was nie. Dis alles smal paadjies waar motors vir mekaar moet wag om verby te gaan. ( 5000 mense plus 2000 motors ). Daar is nie juis werk vir mense nie maar daar is ‘n goeie “welfare” skema wat mense net sleg maak. Die basiese salaris vir ‘n arbeider is vyf en veertig pond per week, en sonde werk kry iemand ongeveer dertig pond. Dus nie die moeite werd om te werk nie.

Dis beslis nie ‘n toeriste mekka nie. Die see kan glad nie gebruik word nie - slegs een strand wat baie klein is en gereeld weggespoel word. Jacobs Ladder was oorspronklik ‘n kabelspoor waarmee vis van die kaai na die fabriek daarbo vervoer is, en die produkte terug na die hawe toe.

Het vanaand by Derek en Linda en seun Cliff ge-eet. Skaapvleis kerrie en rys, baie lekker. Hulle is maklike mense om by te kuier. As mens daar bo op die berg staan en kyk na die see besef mens hoe oneindig groot dit is. Bangmaak groot. Ek het al die e-pos ontvang van die verskillende mense. Dis heerlik om van al die belangstelling te lees. En die afskeid wat Hélène by die klub gereel het was ‘n groot hit: weereens dankie daarvoor Vroutjie.


Distance from Gordons Bay = 1735 miles.

Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 16:55 Subject: Ewoud's trip 11/03/2002 Next update.

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!0/03/2002 8.15 pos 16. 57 s 4.17 west wind se 8 knots Bar 1014 102 miles to go. Hoping to see the Island real soon. 19.00 sast pos 16.22 s 5.00 wet bar 1012 wind se 8/10 knots Had Andy ZD9BV from Tristan on the freq as well as Derick ZD7CTO. Andy will also join the net and follow Ewoud on the return trip. Ewoud still has not seen the Island.. a bit worried, maybe he made a mistake and sails right past or miss it all together hi..hi.. Anyway we will monitor the channel in the morning....You can not see any lights on the island at night from the south....also St Helena radio and the harbour master only work office hours.....so has to waite untill 8.30 monday to speak to them.... 73 's Matt

Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 17:28 Subject: Ewoud's trip 11/03/2002 Update 7.17 am. He found the island and is at present sailing on the north side. Only saw the island this moring at about 20 miles off. At first you see only cloud. Had a good trip and is in good spirit. The harbour master and st Helena radio only work office hours......Next sked tomorrow moring. Rgds, Matt

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Tuesday 12/03 Day 17 Nou net terug gekom op die boot. Vandag die dorp deurgeloop, dokumente vir vertrek reggekry ens. Met Jacobs ladder opgeklim en by die afkom met ‘n man gesels wat besig is om die kragstasie te omskep in ‘n museum. Die mense is almal saggeaard en vriendelik. Vanmiddag laat het ek en Derek by ‘n ver plek gaan ‘n paar biere drink.. Dit kyk uit oor die Westerse oseaan. BAIE GROOT. Teveel biere gedrink en laat gekom om te eet. Ek het verskoninig gemaak by Linda, sy vrou, en seuntjie Cliff. Linda het vir my ‘n blik met koek en groente gegee om saam te neem. Daar het nog e-pos gekom van Annette en John Yates. Vandag was Beu se tyd gewees vir die nuwe baba so ek wag in spanning om van Matt te hoor oor die radio.

Die eieland is “quaint” en ‘n bietjie verlore in die tyd. Ek dink tog dit is ‘n eensame bestaan vir baie mense, veral die jonges. Daar is geen vooruitsigte nie. Met die dat baie mense op die “dole” is, is daar ook nie juis ‘n rede te soeke om iets aan te pak nie.

More is die begin van ‘n lang skof. Ek pak dit nie sonder trepidasie aan nie. ‘n Duisend myl Suid Wes voor daar Suid gedraai kan word. Die ware toets van stamina gaan nou eers begin. Soos altyd is daar ‘n element van twyfel. Is ek regtig opgewasse hierteen? Dis 4000 myl, moontlkik sonder enige stop. As ek sê dis nie ‘n muur nie, sal ek ‘n leuen vertel. Maar dis ‘n muur wat geklim moet word, en ek gaan dit doen.

Jacobs Ladder het my 21 minute geneem om te klim. 699 Trappe.

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St Helena (island), part of the British dependency of St Helena (which also includes Ascension and the Tristan da Cunha group), in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 1,930 km (1,200 mi) west of Africa. St Helena is of volcanic origin, and its surface is rugged and mountainous, reaching an altitude of about 820 m (2,700 ft) in the High Hills in the south-west; its area is 122 sq km (47 sq mi). The climate is moderate and the mean annual temperature is somewhat over 21° C (over 70° F). Potatoes and flax are the chief products. The dependency is administered by a governor. The capital and chief port is Jamestown (population, 1987 estimate, 1,400). The population of the island (1988) is 5,564.St Helena was discovered in 1502 by a Portuguese navigator, João de Nova; it was then uninhabited. In 1659 the East India Company founded the first permanent settlement. The island was the place of exile of Napoleon from 1815 until his death there in 1821, in the farmhouse of Longwood, near Jamestown.1

1

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Woensdag 13/03 Dag 18.

Vanoggend 06h30 weg van die hawe. Oorspronklik ‘n lekker bries, maar nou is alles weg ( 07H45 ). Ek wou ‘n foto van die Eieland neem, maar my kamera het die gees gegee. Ek sal later kyk of ek iets daaraan kan doen. Gaan maar eers ontbyt maak.

13H20 UTC. Well on the way. I was going at 5.8 knots and decided the gennaker would give me another 1 to 1 and a half knots. It went up without a problem ( which is something ) and gave me the extra speed, but the wind pilot could not cope. With the wind coming from the stern quarter, the faster boat speed makes the pilot less effective. With a crew and hand steering, the gennaker is the right sail, but I took it down again. A lot of sweat later, a beer helped to balance the situation.

St. Helena is fast disappearing. It will be the last land seen for a couple of weeks. Daunting but I can do it. In fact now that I am on the way I’m looking forward to it.

I looked at the e-mails again: Annette het ge-antwoord op my e-mail van St. Helena. Nog van John Yates, Anton en familie, Linda Uys, Piet en Linda, Henry en Tertia. Goed vir die gees om daar deur te lees. Dankie aan almal.

18H30. Ek wag nog in spanning oor die baba, en was nog onder die indruk dat dit gister (12de) was. Maar Matt sê vanaand dat hy ‘n e-pos het dat dit more (14de) is. Dit moes verander het want toe ek met Hélène oor die radio gepraat het was dit die datum wat sy gegee het. Noudat Hélène nie hier is om haar daaroor te bekommer nie, moet ek dit doen, en dit gebeur wel. Ek is bang as dit ‘n dogter is sal Maritz sleg voel omdat ek eendag vir hom gesê het hulle het ‘n seun nodig om die naam te bly voortplant. Dis nie nodig nie, solank alles goed gaan. En hy moet die dogtertjies vir my bring sodat ek hulle kan vasdruk. Hulle is meer vashoubaar as seuntjies.

Terwyl ek buite gesit en whisky drink het, het ek weer eens besef dat “Live is for the living” en ons moet lewe terwyl ons kan. Wat ek besig is om te doen word dalk gesien deur ander as selfsugtig, en as dit is is dit jammer. Want dis nie die doel nie. Ons moet vir en saam met ander mense leef, maar seker ook vir onsself. Ek voel beslis ek het die reg daartoe. Ek is lief vir jou Hélène - Vroutjie. Ek is lief vir julle kinders en die kleinkinders. Hierdie “crazy” man, Pa en Oupa sien uit om julle almal ‘n spesiale drukkie te gee.

Linda ( Derek se vrou ) het vir my koek met kokosneut gebak ( krimpvarkies? ). Baie soet maar baie lekker. In die winkel was daar geen groente nie maar hulle het ook ‘n koolkop, squash en boontjies gegee.Vanaand eet ek chops en mashed artappels en boontjies.


13/03/2002 Update I just spoke to Ewoud this moring and he left St Helena sailing west but very low wind. He is in a very high spirit and had a good time. When he arrived there was 15 boats but only two left. One or two boats on the way ahead of him goinig to rio. He is pointing to Trinidad where he will turn south via Tristan or close by...He bought 20 lt of petrol at R12 a lt !.... Well we will talk to him again to night.... 73 's MattDonderdag 14/03 Dag 19.

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Laaste nag die film uit my kamera gehaal en met die hand terug gedraai op die spoel. Hoop maar daar sal nog iets van kom. Dit lyk of die kamera kaput is.

Die hele nag so ‘n lui windtjie gehad. Twyfel of ek in 24 uur 110 myl sal doen.

11H30 UTC. Frustrating sailing. Every now and again a little wind that lasts for 15 minutes. The South Atlantic high needs to move more S. and E. before I will get better winds. Probably take another 2 days. No use complaining - that’s sailing.

Ek hoop Matt het vanaand nuus oor Beu en die baba, maar dis seker nog te gou. Op die oomblik is ek bietjie uitgelees en sal moet iets anders soek om te doen. Ongelukkig nie teveel keuses nie. My wereld is klein.

15H00. Terugblik op St. Helena. Soos reeds gesê het die mense nie juis werk nie en ‘n mens kan nie help om te wonder wat sommige van die jongmense moet voel nie. Toe ek Jacobs Leer opgeklim het, sien ek van onder af ‘n persoon bo-op die boonste trap sit. Daar bo aangekom is dit ‘n jong meisie - 16/18 - jaar. Op my vraag sê sy sy bly daarbo, maar sy is nie baie spraaksaam nie. Ek het so ‘n tien minute rond gekyk en weer afgegaan. Toe ek onder kom was sy nog steeds op dieselfde plek. Elf uur in die oggend en niks om te doen nie, met min of geen vooruitsigte nie. Ek het so ‘n bietjie eensaam gevoel vir haar part. Dis werklik ‘n plek van totale afsondering. Meeste mense sien nooit meer as net die Eiland nie.

Die vleis wat ek gekoop het ruik sterk maar nog niks verkeerd nie. Ek sal vanaand die potjie maak en kook nou die maalvleis vir moreaand. So rou sal dit nie hou tot dan nie. Ek dink dit is “local” vleis, ruik nie lekker as mens dit kook nie. Sal moet baie doktor daaraan. Ek wonder of dit bokvleis is.

Ek ry nog S-Wes na Trinidad se kant toe en sal nog minstens vir ‘n week op die koers bly. Ek sien uit om te draai want dan sal dit meer huiswaarts se kant toe wees. Ten minste Suidelik alhoewel nog nie Oos nie. Dis maar soos altyd: as die tog huiswaarts is wil ek huistoe!!!

Latitude: 16:22 South / Longitude: 008:30 West___________________________________

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Vrydag 15/03 Dag 20.

Vanoggend die goeie nuus via Johan en Matt gekry van Carmen se geboorte gister. Ma en dogter albei wel. Baie geluk Maritz en Beu. Ek hoop sy gaan net so ‘n bondeltjie liefde wees soos Camille. En geluk aan die Oupas en Oumas ook!

Wat is dit met julle dogters en die letter ‘C”. Camille, Carli en Carmen, of is dit net toevallig? Ek het nog Chivas (nog n ‘C’), so vanaand drink ek voorspoed op Carmen. Ek sal al my Ham radio vriende nooi om daaraan te deel. Ek is bly dis verby en sover ek weet alles OK. Soos ek geê het met Hélène wat nie hier is nie, moet ek die bekommer werk doen!

Van gister middag af is dit so ‘n lui10 knoop wind. Dis maar redelik stadig, net 119 myl vir 24 uur, maar in die regte rigting. Carmen sou nou heerlik geslaap het, dis soos om in ‘n wieg te lê.

Vanoggend het ek so ‘n bietjie wasgoed gewas en nou hang dit oor die “safety” lyne. Dit lyk soos wasdag. Dit word ook met Colgate sjampoo en sunlight skottelgoedwas seep gewas. Die maklikste sou wees om dit in ‘n emmer met ‘n deksel te sit en net te los vir ‘n dag. Die boot sal dit skoon skud. My emmer het ongelukkig nie ‘n deksel nie. Dis darem baie min so geen probleem nie. Ek het die kamera weer reggekry en kan weer ‘n paar fotos neem. Ongelukkig is hier op die oseaan nie juis ‘n verskeidenheid nie. Die Atlantiese hoëdruk stelsel is nog deurmekaar so kan ek nie goeie winde verwag nie. Daar is drie kleintjies (drukstelsels) en totdat hulle saamkom en een grote maak, en dan Noord Oos beweeg, sal die wind hier wegbly. Dis heel eienaardig om Westekant toe te seil terwyl my bestemming Suidoos is. ‘n Mens wil graag Suidoos gaan maar dan is dit die “doldrums” in en weke van stil lê. Die enigste pad huistoe is die lang pad al met die handelswinde langs.

My kortbroek het die gees gegee. Dit is net besig om in vodde te verval. Ek het probeer dink hoe oud dit is maar dis nie moontlik nie. Ek sal nie verbaas wees as dit tien jaar plus is nie. Ek het nog twee maar nie een van hulle is wat wonders nie. Hoop maar hulle hou tot by die huis.

19H00 UTC. Eerste dinge eerste; ek sit hier met ‘n glas Chivas en drink dit op Carmen, Maritz, Beu en Camille. Geluk aan die ander drie en welkom in die familie aan Carmen. Ek sal nou dubbel seker maak ek is op die lughawe om julle te ontmoet. En ek sal soos ‘n regte Oupa lyk, met ‘n wit baard.

On my radio schedule tonight I was lamenting the fact that I have dragged behind me a fishing line for 2000 plus miles and yet no fish. When I finished and got outside - YAHOO - there was a fish. I was like a little boy, and could see it was a BIG one. I hauled it in and landed it on deck. It was still very much alive so I got a knife and cut off its head. There was no time to be squeamish - I was too exited. The back of the boat was covered in blood. I then put the head and body together, measured it and photographed it. Eighty centimetres from nose to tail. HUGE! I think it’s a Dorado, high forehead running to a thin tail with a deep ‘V’ end. Yellowish. I will confirm with Derek on the Island next time I speak with him. I have cut it up and will make some nice steaks tonight. The rest I have hung on the back of the boat and hope to get another meal from it. What a pity I don’t have a freezer. Anyway I feel ten feet tall at the moment with a smile like a Cheshire cat.

20hoo. Ek sit hier en wag dat my pampoen skywe in die oond moet gaar word., waarna ek my Dorado? steaks gaan braai. Intussen het die wind baie lui geword en seil ek teen 4 knope. Maak ook nie saak nie, ek het ‘n nuwe kleindogter, ‘n nuwe vis ( hulle is nie in die selfde katogorie nie ) baie wyn en baie tyd. Die lewe is goed op die oomblik. Ek wens julle was almal op die boot vanaand. Hélène, kinders, kleinkinders - ons sou Carli maar vasmaak. Ek onthou nou weer hoe sy op die boot rond geklouter het voor ek daar weg is.

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Maritz jy moenie jammer wees dat dit nie ‘n seuntjie is nie. Ek is so lief vir julle almal, en veral my kleinkinders, dit kan nooit saak maak nie.

Carmen my kind, jou Oupa het nou net klaar geeet en is besig om ‘n sjerrie te drink. Hy is ook ‘n ‘tad” teveel gedrink maar nouja hy is seker nie heeltemal normaal nie. Nogtans hier op 16.45S en 10.58W heet ek jou weereens welkom tot ‘n goeie familie, tenspyte van die Oupa. Moet NOOIT bang wees om jou drome te leef nie. Die boot wil nie stilstaan sodat ek kan skryf nie. Of staan die boot stil en ek beweeg?


15/03/2002 Update. We spoke to Ewoud last night at 19.00 sast. position was 16.22 s 08.21 west bar 1011 wind se 10 knots. He is steering a bit more north as to get more wind. The south Atlantic high moved north west a bit and he could be in danger of having very little wind. He might have to sail a bit further west closer to Trinidad. We will have to see what the weather will do. We will convey the message of the new addition to the family to him this morning. 73 ' Matt

15/03/2002 time 08.40 Spoke to Ewoud , his pos 16.34 s 0934 west. bar 1012 Wind 10 knots se. temp 24 deg c. Very slow and very smooth sail, did 116 miles in the last 24 hrs. We informed him of the new addition to his family. We advised him that Piet Uys suggest that the baby must be renamed "Robertina Gubani" after the names of the new President of Zim..... Message from Ewoud.." Geluk julle twee en ek is baie bly dat alles good afgeloop het en die moeder en kind is gesond. Die naam Carmen is n baie mooi naam." 73 's Matt

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Saterdag 16/03 Dag 21.

Matt het ‘n e-pos van Maritz gekry. Alles gaan goed daar. Ek neem aan die toontjies en vingers ens.is alles daar. Ek is nou jaloers dat ek nie ook daar is nie.

Vanoggend vroeg ‘n skip in die verte gesien. Dis die eerste sedert ek van S. Helena weg is. Die rigting sê hy was op pad Kaap toe in die teenoorgestelde rigting van my, en ek is ook op pad Kaap toe! Die verskil tussen wind en diesel aangedrewe.

Ek het ‘n klompie van my vis in asyn gesit om te sien of dit sal pekel. Die res hang agter om te droog.

Die wind is skaars en ek seil teen ‘n slakkepas. Dit lyk volgens die weervoorspelling asof dit so gaan bly vir nog ‘n paar dae - frustrerend. Ek is nou op 11.50 grade Wes en moet nog tot 20-25 grade gaan voor ek kan dink om Suid te draai. Dis nog 5-6 dae se seil. Maar nou ja, dit is seil.

11H00. UTC. Very little wind. Thoroughly bored. Very hot outside.

Die amateur radio netwerk is werklik iets besonders. Tom het voorgestel ek pekel die vis. Hy kry toe ‘n resep van Alistair in Stanger, wat ek nie kan hoor nie, en gee dit oor aan my. Die resep is agter in die joernaal. Ek het ongelukkig nie kerrie nie maar het dit nogtans ingelê. Dit behoort vir ‘n paar dae te hou. Ek het nooit gedink ek sal hier op die oop see leer hoe om vis pekel te maak nie.

Ek het vanmiddag met Andy gepraat. Hy is ‘n Ham op Tristan.


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Sunday 17/03 Day 22.

Drie weke gelede dat ek van die huis af weg is. Alles in oorweging geneem gaan dit goed. Daar was nog geen groot krisis nie en oor die algemeen maak ek goeie vooruitgang. Rofweg bereken is ek nou 40% deur die totale roete. Dit beteken ek is op skedule maar sal dalk Tristan moet oorslaan om betyds by die huis te wees. Dis nog 10-14 dae voor ek die besluit hoef te maak. Dis beslis nie goed om te seil en ‘n spesefieke tyd te he om by die bestemming te wees nie. Dit maak n resies daarvan, wat seker ook nie heeltemal verkeerd is nie.

Until last evening, I have been running before the little wind there was, but it was difficult to stay on course. I had the main up on starboard side and the furler poled out to port, with number 3 loose luff on the starboard. With the wind veering SSE I had to take a more Northerly course to prevent the wind from getting behind the poled jib. I kept on waiting for the wind to back to the East but when it did not happen I got “gatvol” and took the pole out and dropped the loose luff. I then set course on a broad reach in a direction slightly South of SW. A while later the wind picked up to 15 knots and I started moving well. This lasted the whole night and a few rain squalls with their high winds had the added effect that I made really good way last night. There is still no sign of the wind backing East. I am maintaining 5,5 to 6,5 knots. It was the right decision last night to change course. Just before 4am this morning a ship passed 2 miles ahead from right to left. I called it on the radio. Its name was Odendorf on its way from Rio to the Phillippines. We wished each other a pleasant trip and I told them to take care, this is a big sea. He said he felt a lot safer in his big ship.

I am now practically in the middel of the S. Atlantic ocean. 17 degrees south and 14 degrees west. Plus minus 1500 miles due west off the Kunene River, Namibia, and 500 miles SW of St. Helena.

Ek het vanoggend die laaste tamatie geeet wat ons by Checkers gekoop het. Nog perfek en kon nog ‘n week gehou het. Die bottels met water is nog onder in die koelkas en ek dink dit maak dat die temperatuur daar taamlik egalig bly. Die margarine is sag maar nie gesmelt nie. Tot dusver het ek nog hoofsaaklik van vars kos geleef, nog net drie blikkies oopgemaak. Ek eet goed, te goed want my maag word nie kleiner nie. Selfs die drinkgoed gaan stadig. Bier so plus minus 6 na 8, whisky in totaal 1x bottel en so ‘n halwe boks Grand Cru wyn. Ek moet erken ek doen ook nie vreeslik baie nie. Dis te warm buite so ek spandeer 90% van my tyd in die kajuit deur te lees.

In die laaste paar dae het ek dikwels swerms klein voëltjies laag oor die water sien vlieg, maar dan verdwyn hulle weer. Eers vanoggend het ek besef dis nie voëls nie, maar vlieende visse. Hulle maak werklik nes ‘n swerm klein voëls - verskyn uit nerens en verdwyn dan in die sproei. Daar was weer vanoggend een op die dek ook; 4 sentimeter lank.

14H00. The wind dropped and then backed SSE. Unless this is a local change this means I am nearing the top of the Atlantic high, which is good. It should keep on backing around the compass. I have two foresails up, poled out to port. Doing 5-6 knots. If my prognosis is right I should be able to turn southwards by Tuesday afternoon.

19H00. Ek verlang skielik baie na klein Nikswerd ( Ray ). Ek het gesit en dink toe hy saam met ek en Johan was om die goed op die boot te laai en nooit ophou praat het nie. Ek verlang ook spesiaal na Hélène. Ek mis jou Vroutjie. Ek is lief vir jou.


17/03/2002 Update We spoke to Ewoud a few times since Friday.

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last night the conditions where not great and we where not in Gordons Bay but in the Mountains of Grabouw at altitude of 3500 feet on Mount Libanon wih a radio contest. This moring from the field station he was 59 signal and position 17.20 s 18.42 west bar 1011 and wind ese 15/18. done 119 miles per 24 hrs. If you draw a line from the Cunene river in Angola to Brazil , he will be on that line. smooth sailing. His is enjoying the padkos from the wife of Derick. Made skeds now with Andy on Tristan. So his looked after. We also have Roy in Durban who is monitoring 14316 khz all the time . So Ewoud can call him al any time...conditions permit. Ewoud might be able to turn south soon if the weather permits.....He actually caught a Dorado lenght 85 cm on Thursday night. He said he was like a boy.....It was a big fish and Ewoud was never really a fisherman.... Well the rear deck was covered in red blood after Ewoud did his thing. Too much to eat and not enough space in the ice box.... He has to make bokkoms....Anyway Alister ZS5MU relayed a recipe of how to make pickled fish to Ewoud via Tom in Plumstad Cape Town. Well aparently it was a succes.... I just heard on the air this recipe being relayed... They tell me it is quite normal...Yachtman some times catch real big ones and then they have a problem....I think Ewoud is a bit scared to put the hook in the water again, because maybe next time it could be a 2 meter job, and then.....Dorado is quite a nice fish to eat..... 73 Matt

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Monday 18/03 Day 23.

Last night I had a couple of rain squalls with high wind. Fortunately in the right direction so I made good way.

Matt said there was an e-mail from Bruce and Cora and he read it to me. They got the photos from Derek on St. Helena. Wanted to know if there were any special requests they can pass upstairs (Bruce is a preacher). I should have asked for the Atlantic high to be moved East. At present it is very far West which means I have a LONG way to go.

A bigger flying fish on deck this morning. About 15 centimetres. It is on the hook to see if I can catch a bigger one.

I am now 16 degrees West which means 3 hours behind South Africa. Still dark at radio sched time of 06H30 UTC.

11H00. The wind got a little boisterous, 30 knots, and I put a reef in the main. The number 1 reef’s block twisted around the number 2's line and I had to free that first. The reef brought everything nicely under control. Alistair and I decided this morning my barometer was reading 4 Millibar low, so I adjusted it. I wish a ship will come past, then I can check against it. An accurate barometer is a very essential piece of equipment, even more so than what I always realised.

19H30. ‘n Stil dag waarin min gebeur het. Dit word nou donker en daar is byna geen wind nie net ‘n baie stil see. Nie belowend nie. Gaan min myle doen die 24 uur.


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Tuesday 19/03 Day 24.

06H00. The whole night a steady 10 knot SE wind. Very calm sea. Did 132 miles in last 24 hours. It is taking all my will power and logic to keep going West when I really want to turn South. The Atlantic high does not want to move Eastwards. Maybe I should ask Bruce to put a good word in for me. It takes a certain sense of humour to say I am going home but heading 180 degrees in the wrong direction. This requires “vasbyt”!

11H30. Dis warm; 28 grade binne en buite is dit onuithoudbaar, behalwe dat daar darem ‘n windtjie is wat waai.

15H00. Van gister af voel ek nie 100% nie. Nie siek nie net nie reg nie. Ek het ‘n koorsblaar in my neus gekry en daar wou ook een op my lip uitkom. TCP het albei in goeie toom gehou. Ek het ook so effens hoofpyn. Dis maar dalk net die hitte. Sal later as daar koelte in die cockpit is daar gaan sit.P.S. Wat is ‘n cockpit in Afrikaans? Pielgat klink nie reg nie.

21H00. Die heeldag sleg gevoel. Begin nou beter voel. Miskien was dit maar die hitte. Die hoofpyn is nou weg. Voel nog vaal.


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Wednesday 20/03 Day 25.

Van gister middag byna geen wind nie. Sal minder as 100 myl doen vir 24 uur, teen einde 11H00 vandag.

Ek voel darem beter vanoggend. Het weer ‘n disprin gedrink. Dis seker maar ‘n gogga wat van die beskawing oorgebly het. Gistraand was dit bietjie koel, toe trek ek ‘n sweetpak broek aan. Gesukkel om reg te kom in die donker. Die heelnag voel dit nie reg nie en is ek ongemaklik. Vanoggend , toe ek koffie drink, sien ek voor ‘n sak wat nog nooit voorheen daar was nie. Klein Ray sal eendag goed voel om te weet Oupa trek ook sy broek agterstervoor aan!

Ek is op die regte plek vir wind maar die hoogdrukstelsel is maar op 1020 Millibar wat swak winde tot gevolg het. Vanoggend het Alistair ( weerman ) vir my gesê “remember patience is a virtue”. Toe sê ek maar “at present I am being forced to be more virtuous than a virgin”. Die boot laat my dink aan ‘n steeks donkie wat nie van die huis af wil gaan nie. Hy kan nie verstaan ons gaan huistoe nie, want dit is die verkeerde rigting. Miskien is dit Bruce en Cora (en ander?) wat teveel bid vir kalm weer! Kom nou mense gee my ‘n breek!

10H00. Al die luike in die boot is oop en dis nog warm. Ek het die seiltjie oor die cockpit gespan en alhoewel dit nou soos ‘n drywende “informele gehuggie” lyk help dit darem. Wind, wind waar is jy!!!!

Ek het gister ‘n pakkie van die roosterbrood rolletjies oopgemaak wat Murray gebring het. Niks verkeerd nie na meer as drie weke. Daar is nog een pakkie oor. My brood van St. Helena hou ook nog ( agt dae) alhoewel ek dit nou net rooster. Daar is heelwat blou muf kolle op, maar ek eet rondom dit. Een van die twee kase wat ek saamgebring het, het nog ‘n stukkie oor. Blou gemuf maar onder dit is alles nog OK.

15H00. Op die oomblik gebeur hier twee maal elke uur niks. En tussenin wag mens in spanning op die volgende gebeurtenis. Die see is 5100 meter diep (5,1 kilometer). Fantastiese nuus, maar daar is niks anders nie.


Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 16:49 Subject: Ewoud's trip update. 20/03/2002 Update. 17/03 2002 19.00 sast pos 17.40 s 14.46 west. wind 10 knots ese.Bar 1011 calm sea tem 26 deg c. done 140 mile the last 24 hrs. 18/03/2002 8.20 sast pos 18.06 s 15.56 west. wind 15 knots ese. bar 1011 calm sea done 131 miles last 24 hrs. 18/03/2002 13.30 sast pos 18.15 s 16.29 west, bar 1013 2 meter swell, fairly rough sea. wind 15 knot se... 18/03/2002 19.00 sast pos 18.24 s 17.02 west bar 1015 wind 8/10 knot . Had to compensate the bar is out by two mili bars.... 19/03/2002 8.30 sast relayed Chara's email to him.... pos 18.33 s 18.16 west. wind 10 se bar 1015 done 135 miles. he says he know he is comming home ....but he can not get used to the idea that he is sailing the complete opposite direction!..... 19/03/2002 19.00 sast. pos 18.59 s 19.11 west. bar 1006 wind 10 knots ese done 123 miles/ last 24 hrs.... He is about 230 miles from the first way point where he will turn south.... We were having trouble with radio propagation at night and spent the last two night to check for a better band and freq.

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We found 21310 khz to be ok. 18130 khz also seems fine..We will use 21310 for the next few days... Lunch time we also have some trouble and the chaps on ST Helena are helping with the relay...The morning skeds are still good. He put another line in the water again . to fish.... Regards, Matt

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Thursday 21/03 Day 26.

Van gister deur die nag was daar nooit meer as 8 knope wind nie. Vanoggend het dit begin reën en ek het die twee voorseile teruggesit om die meeste van die wind te maak. ‘n Halfuur later draai die wind 180 grade en die seile en die whisker pole kom af en ek tack teen ‘n N-Weste wind. Nog ‘n drie kwart uur en alles stop. Dis so ongemaklik met die see wat opgejaag is dat ek die motor gebruik om die batterye te laai en te beweeg. Twee uur later sit ek die motor af en rol die seile op. Hier is GEEN wind nie. Die see is spieëlglad en dis warm, baie warm.

Ek het van die tyd gebruik om die ‘up’ en ‘down’ lyne reg te maak. Baie verweer. Ook die twee jibsheets hersien. Die verweer op die boot is groot. ‘n Mens moet gereeld dophou dat iets nie skaaf nie.

My klere word droog. Ek het ‘n vry reen-bad gehad! En nogal vars water ook. Dit was heerlik verfrissend.

Vanoggend ‘n 18 sentimeter vlieënde vis gekry. Heel eetbaar maar ek is nie lus daarvoor nie. Sal dit vir aas gebruik.

Op die oomblik raak ek kriewelrig oor die tyd. Ek wil nie laat by die huis aankom nie. Ek het klaar besluit om Tristan te skip. Daar is nog nie ‘n probleem nie, maar dit kan een word. Die wind speel nie saam nie...

18H00. Nog is dit “het einde niet”. Nog geen wind nie. Dit was so warm vanmiddag ek het ‘n paar emmers water geskep en oor my gegooi. Dit het my sommer beter laat voel. As ‘n bonus het dit net daarna begin reën en ek het met vars water afgspoel. Op een stadium was daar 5 reënbuie om my en hulle winde het meegeding om my na verskillende kante toe te waai. Uiteiendelik het ek die seile afgehaal en alles geignoreer. Die probleem is daar is ‘n klein laagdrukstelsel Suid van my en dit bevoeter alles. As ek meer gaan seil sal ek beslis ‘n weather fax installeer sodat ek self alles kan interpreteer. Weet nie of dit veel sal help nie.

Beu is seker nou uit die hospitaal uit. Ek neem aan dit gaan goed want ek hoor niks. Ek verlang na Hélène en mis haar.


Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 18:13 Subject: Ewoud's trip 21/03/2002 Update; 19/03 8.30 sast position 18.33 s 18.16 west. bar 1015 wind 10 knots SE. done 136 miles. Signals where quitee good. The previous night we did manage to find a good freq which is 21310 khz which we will now use at night. It seems quite good.Ewoud says it is a very strange feeling as he knows he is going home , but he is sailing in the complete opposite derection!..... Done 136 miles... 19/03/2002 19.00 sast....pos 18.59 s 19.11 west. bar 1006 wind 10 knots ESE... done 123 miles... about 2560 miles from Gordons Bay.... 20/03/2002 8.30 sast pos 19.19 s 20.13 west .. bar 1016 wind 6 knots east.... sea calm.... done only 114 miles.... very quite weather and has to become very patient....said something of having more virtues than a virgin nowaydays....... 20/03/2002 19.00

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21310 khz....had a long chat to him pos 19.30 s 21.01 west.... bar 1016 temp 27 deg c. done 110 miles wind 7 knots sea very calm 110 miles from the way point... He says those people in Somerset west who has contact up there must not pray for good weather but fair weather so he can get some wind....!!!! regards, Matt

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Friday 22/03 Day 27.

Dis tweeuur oggend. Die stukkie maan is weg, daar is geen wind en ek het die seile afgehaal. Op die oomblik kon ek netsowel in Gordons Baai hawe lê. Die see is so glad soos ‘n spieêl met ‘n effense klots-klots van water teen die boot. Die sterre hang helder bo, en laag in die water wil ek al ‘n skip sien, maar dit is die laaghangende sterre wat in die see weerkaarts. Dis stil. Baie stil. Die enigste bekommernis wat ek het is tyd, maar ek het nou net uitgewerk met die afstand wat ek het om te doen ( plus minus 3700 myl ) het ek 40 dae wat minder as 100 myl per dag is. Ek is seker as ek eers weer wind het sal dit maklik wees. Onder normale omstandighede doen ek 120 - 140 myl per dag.

Dis baie vroeg in die oggend en ek wens ek het Horlicks gehad. Sou nou die regte ding wees om te drink. Ek doen dit dikwels as ek nie kan slaap by die huis nie. Waarom ek nou so wakker is weet ek ook nie.

10H30. Van 06H00 vanoggend is daar ‘n 8 knoop NW wind. Nie die regte langtermyn wind nie maar ek gaan in die regte rigting teen 4-5 knope. Na gister kla ek nie solank ek beweeg. Die langtermyn vooruitsigte lyk nie reg nie. Die weer is deurmekaar.

Het vanoggend die laaste “roasties” geeet. Perfekte kondisie. Dit was die “plain” en het beter gehou as die ander. Vier weke in die omstandighede is baie goed. Beslis n pluimpie vir die vervaardigers.

Ek sit vanoggend en dink die boot is nou maar net ‘n huis. Soos wanneer ‘n mens ‘n lang tyd kampeer vervaag die normale huis en die nuwe omgewing word die norm. Dis altyd snaaks vir my hoe gou mens aanpas by nuwe omstandighede. Ek leef hier in my eie wereld en dit wat in die res van die wereld aangaan (volgens die radio) lyk onwerklik en ver. Byna onbelangrik. Al wat vir my van kardinale belang is, is wind, see en spoed.

19H00. Close hauled and beating all day. Fortunately the sea is not too rough; the swells are from the South and about 3 metres but plus minus 500 metres apart so no problem. Every now and again the boat would slam down as she falls off a wave, but it has never been too bad. Nevertheless I always get a twinge in my stomach whenever she falls off a particularly high wave; it sounds as if she must break apart. The Tosca is not made for upwind sailing as the bottom is too flat. I cannot quite hold my SW course, as the wind sometimes backs a little, but making way all the time. There is a new Atlantic high at 40S/ 40W and I must make sure I get on its Western side. If so, I’m going to start flying. If not I’m in the shit. Deep shit. At the moment I’m having my second whisky, and contemplating a third. It has been a hot day.

I wish I had company. I handle the loneliness well, but a human touch will be welcome. Maybe I am normal after all.

Wanneer ons op De Kelders is saam met Maritz hulle gaan ons ‘n skaapbraai hou en ALMAL uitnooi. En dis alles op my.

With this wind it takes ALL one’s willpower not to turn South or even South East and go for home. I will do 7 - 8 knots straight for Cape Town. But for how long? Then I am really in shit as I will be heading into the centre of the highs where there is no wind. The sailors of old must have done this sometimes which would have caused them to end up in the areas of no wind, causing months at sea.

20H00. Terwyl ek nou geeet het, het ek gewonder; was ek n goeie Pa gewees vir my kinders? ‘n Goeie man vir my vrou? Ek het goed vir hulle gesorg, alhoewel nie altyd in oorvloed nie - maar was ek ‘n goeie Pa en Man? Dit sou seker lekker wees om te sê “ja” maar ek weet dit sou nie waar wees nie. Ek sê nog altyd ek is

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bly ek is nie met myself getroud nie; miskien geld dieselfde vir die kinders dat ek nie my eie Pa is nie. Maar as daar ‘n gemiddeld was sou ek bo of onder wees? Of is daar geen logika in so ‘n vraag nie?

I just stood on the back of the boat. It is getting dark, the boat is close hauled with tight sails and bearing against the wind. It’s just the boat and I against the elements. If I look around me there is just sea, but I don’t feel isignificant. In fact I feel all powerfull. I’m the master, I am in control. The boat goes in this direction because I say it must. The wind tries to blow me off course but will succeed only to the extent I allow it. To me this proves my philosophy of life; not only am I in charge of it but I must also be prepared to take charge.


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Saturday. 23/03. Day 28.

What a fucking (yes OK, I know) crazy night. The wind and sea has gone totally mad. West, South W, South, S. East. It has been blowing since 4 am (now 8 am) at 25-35 knots with huge seas. The wind is not too strong but because it can’t make up its mind from where it comes the sea is all confused. This is like a contest between the wind and the sea and I’m caught in the middle - two dinosaurs fighting and I can’t get out from under their feet. Every now and then a wave breaks right over the spray dodger against the mainsail on the other side. I have 2 reefs in the main and a foresail like a table cloth - still going at 7 plus knots. I steer slightly off course towards the West else it is too unpleasant. It does not matter; I’m on 23 West and must go at least to 30 West.

The boat is like a roller coaster, and I’m a little seasick. Fortunately not serious. Have taken a pill. Last night the wind changed. I went outside and looked at the compass to see where it was coming from. West/ NW which meant I was going 180 degrees in the wrong direction. I was a bit surprised but with the wind pilot it is at least possible to happen. With this sea, wind and rain anything is possible. I turned the boat, set the sails and got it nicely on course. Overcast and no stars - pitch dark. When I got downstairs I saw from the chartplotter that I was heading Northwards instead of Southwards. This confused me to no end, but when I checked I realised without my glasses and in the rain I misread the compass and swopped North and South around. I felt a real paw-paw which is exactly what I was. On turning the boat around again the mast slammed across and broke the mainsheet block cleat. I cannot fix it so will use the winch to cleat the sheet for the rest of the journey. Not a big problem but I am annoyed because it happened due to a stupid mistake.

14H30. Sea is somewhat calmer with wind 20 - 22 knots. The waves add up and get BIG. One caught the boat on the side and broke right over it. It covered the cockpit in 20cm. of water. I feel better and the “mal-de-mer” seems to have gone. A little tired; a good uninterrupted nights sleep would have been welcome. Will have to wait for another month before that comes true!

20H00. Het vanoggend ‘n sardyne en aartappelpastei gemaak . Ug, dit was nie lekker nie. Ek kan dit vir niemand aanbeveel nie (behalwe miskien ‘n Ethiopier). Ek hoop die visse het meer daarvan gehou.


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Sunday 24/03. Day 29.

‘n Beter oggend. Die see is weer kalm en dinge is meer normaal. Gister was 4 x 4 deur die berge. Vandag is snelweg deur die Vrystaat. Nietenstaande die moeilike ry, het ek gister 155 myl gedoen. Jammer ek kan dit nie elke dag doen nie. Dit is vandag presies vier weke vandat ek weg is van die huis. Met die dat dit Februarie was is selfs die datum relatief dieselfde. Hoe voel ek? OK, maar ook nie OK nie. Dis darem nie lekker om so heeltemal alleen te wees nie. Dis so bietjie soos wanneer ek en Hélène alleen toer. Ons word lus vir ander mense se geselskap. Ek het nou lus vir ander mense. Nie meer boeke, radio en Ham Radio nie. Die een ding van die soort avontuur natuurlik, mens kan dit nie opgee, kortknip of enige iets doen nie. Dit MOET klaar gemaak word. Dit verg self motivasie van ‘n spesiale soort. Een manier wat ek vind werk goed is om daaraan te dink as ek om Kaappunt die laaste skof aanpak, en dan die hawe sien. Dit laat my altyd goed voel. Dis seker soos mens ‘n klaar produk in jou geestesoog kan sien.

Vanoggend was wasdag. Eers klere toe myself. Die boot se reelings lyk soos ‘n “squatter” kamp.

Op die oomblik, teen die teenswoordige spoed en toestande, is ek een en ‘n half dag weg van die punt waar ek gaan Suid draai. Op die oomblik ry ek nog Suid Wes. Dit gaan ook ‘n mylpaal wees want dan begin ek darem so min of meer in die regte rigting te draai.

Ek hou nie daarvan as dit reën nie, maar wens daar wil net so ‘n vinnige bui kom om die sout van die boot te was. Oral waar ‘n mens vat is net sout. Dis as gevolg van die seewater wat oral oor gewas en gewaai het die laaste paar dae.

16H00. Nou net weer die moer in gewees vir die gennaker, wat ek weereens probeer het. Dit sal nou die perfekte seil wees in die ligte wind maar dan moet ek hand stuur want Joe die windloots sukkel met die ongebalanseerde boot. Hy (die gennaker) is te groot om die seile in balans te hou. Terwyl dit op was het ek 1x knoop beter gedoen, maar die wind loots kan dit nie hanteer nie. Papnat gesweet en toe verloor ek nog die seilsak ook. Shit.

Ek is te na aan die hoëdruk stelsel en is bang ek raak uit wind uit, die dat ek probeer spoed by sit. Ek hoop nie ek gaan staan weer stil nie.

Ek probeer dink wat om te maak vir aandete. Ek sal darem van ‘n lekker gebraaide tjop gehou het. Op die oomblik is ek net ‘n blikkies man en dit sal so wees tot by die huis. Sal beslis weer goeie kos waardeer.


Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 23:10 Subject: Ewoud's trip 21/03/2002 Update 0830. sast pos 20.00 s 21.47 west bar 1-15 wind se 4/6 knots done 100 miles last 24 hrs Our new night freq is 21130 khz 21/03/2002 few rain drop 19.00 sast ZD5CTO came on freq as well as Andy ZD9BV in Tristan . Good signal all over...Few rain drops zero wind.... pos 20.22 ss 22.18 west... no wind.... started to rain and he had a field bath..... temp 27 deg c ... 22/03/2002 8.30 sast he is now 4 hrs after us..... on the net were ZS1 TA Tom Zs5Cb Roy in Durban and Zs5MU Allister in Stanger. pos 20.36 south 22.20 west. Bar 1015 wind 15 knots NE...

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22/03/2002 19.00 pos 21.03 s 23.08 west bar 1015 wind west 12 knots must carry on west.... Possible high winds ese on Sunday/and Monday at 20/30 knots... for 3/4 days.... 23/03/2002 8.30 sast ...pos 21.28 s 23.39 west ... had a tough night winds 30 knots SE and from all directions... High seas.... all ok ..... missed lunch time sked ....No propagation.... 23/03/2002 19.00 Worked him from Napier being portable and from my car .... pos 21.51 s 24.51 west .... bar 1016 wind se at 25 knots.... going at 6/7 knots done up to 40 miles.... It is like a 4X4 ride or a roller coaster Hi . !!!!! up and down ..cant even make coffee!!!.... surf all over the boat... got very wet ... Andy from Tristan came on and he had 35 knots sw wind !..... Martin from Melkbos was also on the net.... Well the south Atlantic high is moving east, that is why the strong winds suddenly came earlier... probably good news... Has to carry on West..... Had good signals.... 24/03/2002 8.30 Worked him from Napier. Was the only station to have Comms for the first half hour.... pos 22.45 s 26.04 west bar 1017 sea farly calm done 155 miles.... at 25 deg west will turn south.... today was the first time since Friday he could make coffee!...... wish he was an occtopus with 8 arms and hands!..... good sailing now. for a change.....On the net was Tom ZS1TA, ZS5MU and ourselfs.... Next sked tonight at seven..... 73 Matt

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Monday 25/03. Day 30.

Vanoggend is alles weer morsdood. Ek het 2x voor seile op en gaan nog Suid Wes op soek na wind. Die barometer sê dis ver en ek moet bly wees vir die 8 knope wat ek het. Die boot “see-saw” en ek kan nie skryf nie. Dit moet nou die tyd wees om die Noord Oos tot noord Wes winde te begin kry wat my na die Suid Oseaan kan jaag.

‘n Morsdood dag. Wind Noord Oos plus minus 8 knope. Ek moet aanhou Suid Wes gaan want dit is waar die wind is. Het gehoop ek sal vandag kan Suid draai.

Besig met my eerste brood. Dit is met selfreis deeg wat ek nog nooit gebruik het nie. Ek dink dit gaan ‘n deurstop word. Ek moes suurdeeg ingesit het, die goed wat ek ken. Dis nie nou tyd om met nuwe goed te eksperimenteer nie. Die brood is toe OK. Lyk en smaak goed. ‘n Bietjie te bros, ek dink die deeg was iewat droog. Nietemin dis lekker.


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Tuesday 26/03. Day 31.

Gisteraand uiteiendelik Suid gedraai. Nie eenhonderd persent Suid nie maar na genoeg om dit te kan sê.

Ek het nog altyd gehoop hierdie deel sal ‘n vinnige seil wees, maar die wind is net genoeg vir so 4 - 4,5 knope. Op die oomblik is dit so 250 myl voor ek Ooswaarts kan begin draai. Gegewe die wind is OK. Die probleem is die Atlantiese hoogdrukstelsel is baie groot en beweeg baie stadig Oos. Vanoggend moes ek alweer ‘n plan maak met die spinnaker paal wat die jib toue opkou. Die laaste twee patente het nie goed gewerk nie, maar vanoggend het ek ‘n ander plan gehad en ek dink die probleem is nou opgelos. Dit was ‘n “job” want ek moes die jib halfpad laat sak met alles wat daarmee gepaard gaan; flappende seile en taal wat Nick sy hande laat vryf van blydskap.

Dit wou nog nie reën nie en vanoggend het ek die “cockpit” afgespoel met seewater om van die sout ontslae te raak. Dit klink dom maar die vinnige spoel was die sout weg. Deur waarneming weet ek nou hoekom goed so vinnig roes by die see. Sodra daar soutkristalle vorm op die metaal vind daar ‘n progressiewe ketting reaksie plaas. Die metaal droog uit in die son en laat die sout agter, maar omdat ‘n soutkristal baie vinnig vog opneemn neem dit die eerste beskikbare vog in die lug op, lank voor die skoon metaal dit sou doen. As die water ook sout bevat, word die kristal groter en die vermoë om water te stoor ook. Die proses voed homself van die stadium af. ‘n Gereelde was met skoon water los dus die probleem op.

15H00. I’m totally pissed off. I’ve been busy the whole bloody day and accomplished nothing. After the weather report I decided to go more West to catch the wind. I swopped the two foresails around, which is no mean task. The wind then backed North and I could not go far enough West with the sail setting as it was. I then dropped the looseluff and swung the jib to port. For some reason I then battled to get the wind pilot set, and found the clutch was binding on the shaft. I had to strip, clean and lubricate it first. Then the wind could not make up its mind. I battled with the sails, the wind pilot worked as if it was an affirmative action appointment, ( I don’t want to write the real word ) and everything was a general fuckup. Now I am going due West but I’m not sure if that is the right thing. With a North wind I must be at the bottom of the high pressure system, and then West is the last place I want to be. But the barometer is nailed on the 1020 millibar and is not helping. To top it all it is hot and it looks as if it might rain later. That will be the cherry on top ( a rotten one ).

18H00. ‘n E-pos van Hélène (miskien Maritz en Beu? ) via Matt. Alles gaan goed daar. Dit laat my verlang na almal. Het darem nou weer S.S.W. gedraai en daar is so ‘n bietjie beter wind alhoewel nog maar karig.


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Wednesday. 27/03. Day 32.

A good night’s sail with 15 - 20 knot winds from behind. Did 72 miles in 12 hours. The night was uncomfortable because about mid-night a ship passed plus minus 3 miles in front from right to left. Considering how much sea is available it is much too close. I was up frequently to check but it was the only one. The boat rolled uncomfortably and one had to hold on in your sleep. Nevertheless it was good mileage. If the wind holds, I will be turning South East tomorrow morning towards Tristan. Tristan is now 1000 miles from here, and Cape Town 1500 from Tristan. If I maintain the average speed up till now from here to Cape Town I will make it in plus minus 24 days, giving an ETA of 20 April. That’s without stopping at Tristan. Even if I do stop, I’m well within budget.Laaste nag toe dit so pikswart donker is ( dit was bewolk op ‘n stadium ) en die dynings wat so hoog is soos die boot se mas, en ek weet ek is duisende myle van nêrens af, toe wonder ek by myself “mayby, just a little mayby, even just a teeny weeny maybe, here there be dragons”.

15H00. Just as life starts to get boring........ Since about 11H00 there have been rain clouds to the South West and later it started raining there. I watched it for about two hours as it always causes problems. Just after 13H00 I could see it was getting closer. I rolled up the fuller which was poled out to starboard but thought the looseluff on portside should take the strain. Nevertheless I put on my non-slip shoes and harness and just then the wind arrived from the SouthWest ( it had been N.W. ). It started shaking the looseluff jib and before I could do anything it shook the jib sheet loose from the winch. Big shit as the jib sheet started acting like a huge whip flailing all over the place. The flapping sail was making more noise than a thousand cannibals beating their tom-toms at a missionary braai. I clipped on and did the only thing I could. I let the halyard out, but the wind was too strong and I had to let go of it. The whole lot dropped in the water with the boat doing 5 knots under mainsail. I started hauling it in, with a “moerse” effort, as it kept filling with water. When I got it up I noticed the halyard got itself around the boom and was running down the back of the mainsail. I managed to get it back in its place without too much trouble. I used a sail tie to tie the sail to the railings but it was not enough although it worked for the time being. It was more important to get the furler out on portside to get balance back to the boat. I took the whisker pole out and set the furler. The boat was back in control. That is when I noticed the loose sail had fallen off and was dragging in the water. The boat was now doing 6 and a half knots, so back up front to haul the sail back on board, all the time worrying it might wrap itself around the rudder. This time I tied it properly. Since then the wind has remained South West which has got me fooled. But I’m going in the right direction at 6 and a half knots so I am not complaining. While I was busy dropping the sail, it started raining ( pouring ) and I got a good freshwater bath. I felt good about that. Then when the sail dropped in the water afterwards it had stopped raining but with the boat ploughing through the waves at 6 and a half knots I got drenched in saltwater spray. Life is not fair.

At the moment the sea is trying to sort itself out, having had to change direction in mid stride from the North West to a South West wind. It is totally confused. So am I. I am now going to have a cup of coffee as there was no lunch.


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Thursday. 28/03. Day 33.

Geen wind sedert 17H00 gisteraand nie. Tien myl gedoen met die motor terwyl ek batterye gelaai het. Volgens Alistair is daar ‘n laedruk Wes van my wat dit veroorsaak. Sal heelwaarskynlik die hele dag hier lê. Die see is so stil die seile raas nie eens nie. Dis doodstil. Sieldodend. Shit.

11H00. Halfuur gelede so ‘n lui windtjie en ek beweeg darem weer. In die agtien uur sedert 17H00 gister middag slegs 30 myl. Dit verg beslis ‘n sin vir humor om nie moed op te gee nie. Nie dat dit sal help nie. Ek het die batterye met die enjin gelaai en terselfde tyd probeer wegkom van die windstilte. Dan sien mens eers die onmoontlikheid daarvan. Sonder wind is daar geen kans nie. Dit sal wel weer kom.

16H30 Die Noordwester het toe gekom en my ‘n paar uur se goeie seil gegee. Op die oomblik wag ek vir ‘n koue front om oor my te kom met die gepaardgaande winde. Dit gaan seker rof wees want dit lyk na ‘n grote. Daarna sal daar seker weer ‘n dag plus se windstilte wees. Die keer verwag ek die wind en is die boot gereed voor hy hier is. Alles wat kan vas is vas!


Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 19:08 Subject: Ewoud's trip 28/3/2002 25/03/2002 8.30 pos 24.26 s 27.49 w wind ese b1019 done 136 miles and a calm sea. 26/03/2002 19.00 pos 26.58 s 28.57 west. wind 6/10 knots bat done 104 miles in the last 24 hrs. 27/03/2002 sked 19.00 sast pos 29.13 s 29.09 west bar 1019 wind sw 10 knots temp 37 deg c calm sea. 28/03/2002 0830 sked. no wind and calm sea. Did not get his position. still the same as last night. He is very close to way point # 1 where he will be turning south. He is in good spirit but our radio comms are not always easy but al least we have had at least one qso per day. As he gets closer it will become easier again. He still says he will be back on time. Rgds Matt

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52

Friday. 29/03. Day 34

11H00. Sedert gisteraand 17H00 waai die Suidooster teen 25/30 knope. Sonder ophou. Die enigste wat ek kan doen is om die boot so Suid moontlik te hou, maar ek word wel effe Wes gedryf. Die wind huil, die boot spring en die see is baie rof en daar is nog geen verligting in sig nie. Hier moet mens hare op jou tande hê. Ek het ook ‘n spier in my rug seergemaak en beweeg swaar. Disprins help so ‘n bietjie. Hoop nie dis ernstig en blywend nie. Die boot val van die golwe af en dan klink dit of dit moet breek. So elke dan en wan klink dit of die wind afneem, net om weer van nuut af te begin. ‘n Rukkie se windstilte sou salig wees! Met my seer rug en die gure weer is ek nie op my beste nie.

Het nou net so ‘n bietjie in die deur gestaan en is seker die see is kleiner. Miskien wil ek maar net hê dit moet wees.

15H00. Nog steeds 20/25 knoop Suidooste wind. Die see is darem kalmer. Volgens die weer berig beweeg daar ‘n hoëdruk stelsel onder my verby en dis sy bopunt wat ek kry. Ek weet nog nie of hy oor my sal gaan nie, of onder verbyskuur nie. As hy oor my gaan sal ek windstilte vir ‘n tyd hê en dan die Weste winde. As hy verbyskuur sal dit Suidoos - Oos - Noord - Noordwes wees. Hoe lank weet ek nie.

Ek het my rug met Deepheat gesmeer en ‘n Paracetomal gedrink. Wil nie teveel pynstillers drink nie, dan weet ek nie wanneer ek hom ooreis nie.

Vandag eet ek nie goed nie. Dis te seer om te staan en kos te maak. ‘n Slegte nag en dag. Ek sien ook nie uit na die nag wat kom nie. Voel so ‘n bietjie jammer vir myself, nie dat dit sal help nie.

18H00. Weervoorspelling is slegte nuus. Die Suidooster kan nog lank aanhou. Het nou minimum seil op en alhoewel die see nog rof is is dit nou meer gemaklik. Moet iets eet maar voel nie lus vir enigeiets nie. Heelwaarskynlik die Paracetomal wat ek gedrink het.


Sent: Friday, March 29, 2002 7:07 Subject: Ewoiuds trip 28/03/2002 Update 27/03/2002 1900 sast pos 29.13 s 29.09 west wind 10 sw bar 1019 temp 37 deg sea calm. done 128 miles.... 28/03/2002 Had difficulty to get comms this moring, but Allister in Natal could work him and gave him the weather forecast. He is in for rough weather. He spoke to Tom lunch time and got the full picture. I spoke to him this eve and he is ready for it. pos 30.09 s 29.12 west only did 58 miles in the last 24 hrs , but he turned south next way point is ; 35 deg south and 25 deg west. wind is 8 knots west. He expects a great storm but is ready this time. All is well . Did run the diesel for a few hours today just to get out of the lull area with no wind. We will speak again to him tomorrow. Only fellows on the air at the moment is all Portugese. (Most probably from Brazil).... Rgds, Matt

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53


Last night the wind backed SSE and I could start inching my way around towards the South East. I actually covered 40 miles towards the East - Tristan way. It is an achievement after the last three days of frustration. Unfortunately now that the wind is starting to become useful it is also dropping. All I need now is to be becalmed. Tristan is 893 miles away.

My rug was gister BAIE seer, en vandag nog baie seer. Ek maak staat op my reserwes om deur die dag en nag te kom. Dis nie die gewone plek nie: Hoog teen die heup waar die niere is, maar beslis ‘n spier. Ek kon my dalk ook gestamp het. Op die oomblik word alles in “slow motion” gedoen, en baie versigtig. Alle bewegings word beplan om saam te val met dit van die boot. Dit word darem beter wat ‘n goeie teken is. Daar is ook nog heelwat reserwes oor.Sjoe ek verlang darem nou na julle almal. Ek is baie lief vir jou en ek mis jou Vroutjie.

19H00. Terwyl ek wag dat my macaronikaas moet gaar word luister ek oor die radio dat die Koningin se Ma oorlede is. Dis ook die eiende van ‘n era. As sy krieket gespeel het sou sy ‘n goeie beurt gehad het.

My rug is beter maar nog nie reg nie. Dit lyk nie of dit permanent gaan wees nie. Ek voel verlig daaroor. Die boot skommel so ek kan nie skryf nie.

Vir twee dae lank is daar geen son nie. Die see is grou en bedreigend. Ek hoop dis more sonskyn en ek voel beter. Daar is goed soos my duvet en handdoek wat ‘n dag in die son nodig het. As my rug more beter is moet ek ook van die water in die boot ontslae raak. Dit kom maar in as dit so wild is: ek weet nie juis waar nie. Gelukkig darem min maar dit laat die boot klam bly. Dis maar deel van die huiswerk wat gereeld gedoen moet word. Die wind is ook besig om Noord te draai en die seil word makliker.

Ek het vandag met Andy op Tristan gepraat. Ek sal so oor agt na tien dae daar wees. Het nog nie besluit of ek stop of nie.


54

Sunday. 31/03. Day 36.

After the slow start yesterday good winds came at night. NNE, North and finally NNW. A beam reach throughout the night gave speeds of up to eight and a half knots. Result: 140 miles till 06H00 this morning. At the moment NW at 12 knots.

My back is a lot better and one more pain pill ( maybe ) should do it. The boat needs some attention; everything is damp. At the moment the sky is clear and the sun just rising. Lets hope for sunshine all day. My mood has already improved after the grey feeling, grey skies and what else. I need a bath. I look like the wild man of the Kalahari. Will take a photo of myself.

It is good to see the sun rise in front of me. Going home means going East, not West like a week ago!

14H30. I couldn’t hear the weather forecast as it was too faint. I think I heard very high winds for this area., but its just a guess. The sea does look unhappy and I have reefed down two slabs and prepared the boat for possible bad weather. And just this morning I dried out all the bilges! Shit. I will hear from Matt at the 16h00 schedule what the situation is. I am not in the mood for stormy weather.

Is besig om ‘n brood te bak. Die keer met suurdeeg. Hoop dit smaak beter as die laaste een. Die eiers wat nat geword het moes ek toe weggooi. Hulle was nog nie vrot nie maar het muf geruik. As mens dit oopbreek was dit amper ‘n soet reuk. Jiggie. Dis jammer want hulle sou nog ‘n paar goeie maaltye gewees het. Ek was reeds van plan om pap en eiers vir vanoggend te maak. Ek het nog ‘n paar pampoentjies, suurlemoene, lemoene en appels. En ‘n paar aartappels. Die res is geblikte goed. Oor die radio praat die ouens dikwels van vleisbraai en dan water my mond.

Vanoggend my baard bietjie netjies gemaak. Net ingeval hier nie net drake maar ook meerminne is.Daar is beslis “shit in the air”. Die wind is al 25/30 knope.


Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2002 19:44 Subject: Ewoud' trip 31/03/2002 Update. 29/03/2002 time 1700 utc 21130 khz pos 31.44 s 30.30 west wind se 35 knots bar 1021 sea rough. Having a rough time. We were also having a tough time with comms. We only spoke to him briefly last night from the car as we were busy doing comms for the Two Oceans race. However Martin in Melkbos held the sked last night and I hear the signals were quite good and they spoke for more than an Hour. 31/03/2002 8.45 I had a chat to Ewoud this moring. The wind has now changed to NwN at 35 knots and his position is 33.06 s 26.53 west bar 1017 and the sea is rough. We think these conditions will now last for a while. At least he can make good distance. He is wishing all a happy Easter from the South Atlantic. Next sked is tonight and again Monday night. We will clear the email on Monday moring for any messages we can relay on Monday night. Our radio conditions seem to improve now again. Regards, Matt

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55

Monday April 01/04. Day 37.

Die wind het laaste nag gedraai en is nou SSO. Was oorpronklik 25/30 knope maar nou so 15/20 knope. Tenspyte daarvan maak ek goeie vooruitgang. So vyf na vyf en ‘n half knope in die regte rigting. Alles is klam en wil nie droog word nie. Regte Kaapse weer. Die wind is koel maar nog nie koud nie.

My rug is 99% ok. Was darem niks ernstigs nie. Ek het besluit om Tristan te skip. Dis te donners ongemaklik om so te seil, en in elk geval die wind will my nie kans gee om ver genoeg Suid te kom nie. Dis te nat om agter op die dek te staan en pee en toe ek dit vanoggend in die toilet doen val die deksel toe in die middel van die besigheid en voor ek die kraan kon toemaak is alles oor die deksel. Jy kan net dink hoe die moer in ek was.

Goeie radio kontak met Alistair. Ongelukkig geen goeie weervoorspelling nie. Daar is nog nie Weste winde nie.

16H00. Redelike stadige dag met SSO winde wat kom en gaan. Die son het darem vanmiddag deurgekom en ek kon ‘n paar goed droog kry. Het nou regtig Weste winde nodig. Met die dat ek in die son kon sit en bier drink voel ek beter vandag. Nie meer so baie “blues”nie.

Ek het nou die huistoe gaan sindroom. Hélène en die kinders sal weet wat dit beteken. Dit is wanneer daar nie gestop word nie en almal moet leef van Marie beskuitjies en Coke.

Vanaand eet ek pap en vleis. Die vleis gaan viennas wees wat ek op ‘n manier gaan braai. Wat ‘n afwaartse stap van rumpsteak en skaaptjops! Met die dat ek nie meer pyn pille vir my rug drink nie kan ek darem weer whisky in die aand drink. By die huis pla dit my nie juis om alkohol en pille te meng nie maar hier is ek meer versigtig.

Ek wil nou graag vir Carmen sien en vashou. Ek sien ook uit na Maritz en Beu se kuier maar voel bang vir wanneer hulle weggaan. Toe ek laas weg is van Kanada was ek fisies seer en ek is bang dit gebeur weer. Hélène sê altyd sy wil al haar kinders onder een dak hê en dan lag ek vir haar, maar dis hoe ek nou voel.

20H00. Here is an interesting thing that I have been wondering about since about the second week out: I have often written about the boat sailing almost noiselessly when the wind is fair and the sea is calm. The only thing one can hear is the rustling of the water against the hull. Not a noise just a sound. On a number of times I found myself straining to hear as I was sure I heard someone talking, and even listening to it consciously I am sure it sounds like the subdued talk of people. Don’t worry, read on, I am not going bonkers!

This set me wondering. How many people do we know of; in the Bible, philosophers, cranks and others that went into periods of seclusion and then came back and spoke of voices talking to them. I am sure you would get the same effect from the wind and other natural phenomena. I never heard words spoken but I am sure a more fruitful imagination would experience it differently. I think if one was prone to hypnotisation one could go into a hypnotic state and conjure up the most fantastic stories and events. I would like to talk to some other people that have been alone for so long and compare experiences. The reader shouldn’t worry, there is nothing wrong with me, wrong with me, wrong with me...............


56

Tuesday. 02/04. Day 38. Koel vanoggend, 18 grade C. Die see is ongemaklik en die wind SSW, 20/28 knope. Dit maak dit moeilik om te seil, die wind voeter die boot rond. Iemand speel erens met die venster; maak dit oop en toe. Teen die spoed sal ek oor drie dae by Tristan wees. Dit gaan vinnig en nou voel ek weer lus om daar te stop. Netsowel Hélène is nie hier nie anders was sy nou al die hoenders in wees omdat ek nie kan besluit nie. Old Joe, die wind loots, het ‘n probleem en ek kan nie besluit wat dit is nie. Iets kraak vreeslik en al wat ek weet dis buite. Ek het al ‘n paar keer deur die hele meganisme gewerk ( na alles ek het hom self gebou ) en kan nie my vinger op die probleem lê nie. Teoreties moet dit ‘n bus wees wat onder druk is, maar hulle is almal oor- ontwerp, met ander woorde, sterker as wat nodig is. Kan ook nie droog wees nie want hulle is self smerend. Dis ‘n probleem wat opgelos moet word. Sonder Old Joe is ek diep in shit.

11H00. Dis koel buite, ek is moeg gelees en kry toe die kaart uit om my roete verder te beplan. Toevallig is ek presies op die breedtegraad van Kaappunt en soos die kraai vlieg 1987 myl Wes daarvan. Ek is nog op pad na 36 grade Suid. Tristan lê op 37 grade Suid. Ek is van plan om die gemaklikste koers beide kante van 36 grade Suid te reis - bestemming plus minus 60 myl Suid van hangklip. Dis genoeg plek om toe te laat om die Agulhusstroom oor te steek in geval die Suidooster waai.

11H30. It is difficult to sail under these conditions. The wind does not know how fast it wants to go, and from where. The swells are HUGE. The biggest I have ever seen. I have not learned how to estimate their size but must be 6 to 8 metres. When the boat is in between them the horizon is a few hundred metres away: when on top I am sure I can see Table Mountain! People who do not like the sea must not come here. I get the “ moer in“ because the boat is like a cork with me inside. Shit.

Het die probleem met Old Joe gekry. Dit was toe net ‘n ‘pulley’ wat ‘n bietjie olie en ghries nodig gehad het. ‘n Groot verligting; as hy moes breek sal dit my twee maande neem om by die huis te kom.

Die weervoorspelling is dat ek windstiltes gaan hê binne die volgende 24 uur. As dit so ‘n bietjie kalmte bring sal ek so ‘n uur of twee daarvan verduur. Net nie meer nie. Op die oomblik is daar reenbuie aan komme wat natuurlik gepaard gaan met sy eie mikro omstandighede. Shit.


57


Becalmed at the edge of the Southern Ocean. Last night the winds stopped but not before I gave up 10 miles to the North to gain the same to the East. The last few miles was from the ESE. It is hard to believe these flat seas were yesterday’s mountains. The amount of energy that goes into moving these masses of water is unimaginable. It makes our nuclear bombs look like Christmas crackers. I will use the time to check over the boat as I think my Sunday afternoon sailing is gone. It is going to stay rough from here. While I drank a cup of coffee just now I watched the sky turn red in the East before sunrise. It’s an everyday event but watching it from 34S/20W, alone, makes it special. It’s almost like a show put on just for me. Even if it isn’t it is appreciated. Maybe this is what life is all about; to appreciate the everyday things in life. Simple things like the sun rising. We don’t do enough of it. Too busy chasing after “more important” things.

11H00. Nothing happens twice per hour. No wind. Had a bath, washed some clothes, aired my duvet. It is sunny and crispy cool. A beautiful day to be outside. Dried the bilges, checked the boat. Waiting and ready for the big winds that must come. The barometer says they are far away. Probably not today. O yes, and baked a bread. The most successful so far. It looks like a masterpiece, which it probably is.

15H00. ‘n Lui 10 knope wind uit die NO. Het my weer aan die beweeg. Dit was ‘n goeie breek om weer rustig te wees, maar dit is nou tyd vir seil en myle opeet. ‘n Mens kom nêrens deur net gemaklik te wees nie.

Ek het weer die visgerei reggemaak nadat die hele lot gekoek het. Dit is tyd dat ek weer ‘n vis vang. Hier is baie voëls so hier moet ook vis wees. Hulle vlieg al agter die boot aan. Ongelooflik grasieus, die volkome vliëniers. Dis n inspirasie om net na hulle te sit en kyk.

The birds are just amazing. I had too much salt in my soup and cut up an apple to put into it. When I threw it overboard, despite the fact that it was almost dark, the birds pounced on it plus minus 50 metres behind the boat. They must have remarkable eyesight.

Latitude: 34:33 South / Longitude: 019.22 West___________________________________

58


Blistering 25 to 30 knot winds. North - North West. Did 90 miles in 13 hours; the best yet on the trip. Not too uncomfortable as I am running with the sea. Two reefs in the main but a fairly large foresail. Must reel some sail in just now.

08H00. Final decision. No stop at Tristan. The prevailing wind is Northerly which makes it impossible to drop anchor in Tristan. Have set a way point 60 miles (1 degree) North of Tristan from where I will sail along it to Cape town.

I spoke to Gebhardt, another lone sailor on his way to St. Helena. He is German. He has had no wind for three days and all he says is “this is the life we choose and we must take the good with the bad”. I cannot add anything to that.

09H00. Gale force winds outside. The sail stacker fittings started breaking loose from the boom, and I went out to tie them down temporarily. I had to hold on with my teeth to get it done. It is rough and blowing. Pure adrenalin sailing. When I came back I put the third reef in and reduced the foresail to a tea table cloth size. Back in control again. If this shit carries on I will have to run barepoles. At the moment I am hungry and am going to have breakfast first. While I was out at the mast I took a few minutes to watch the sea. It’s fascinating; this huge wave comes towards you from the side, you have to look up to it. And then just as you think it is going to roll over you, the boat rides up its side and the crest passes underneath. In front of the boat there is just a huge hole now and the boat dives into it, just to be caught by the water and lifted up gently again. It is a little like a lot of ruffians playing in a symphony orchestra. Out of the apparent chaos there is perfect harmony. Maybe I am bonkers but it is actually beautiful to watch and observe. I must add it is also bloody uncomfortable.

13H15. Wild, wild, wild. A true Southern ocean gale. 35 to 40 knot winds. Like riding a rocking horse. Thank goodness for Old Joe. The cockpit is repeatedly overwhelmed by spray or rather buckets of water. The wind howls through the rigging and the sea is lead grey. It would have been more pleasant to watch the cricketers get zapped by Australia. I am squashed between a high pressure system to the North and a low to the South. The perfect place for a storm. As long as nothing breaks, I’m OK. Going in the right direction at high speed.

14H00. Wind getting stronger. Now more at 40 plus knots than anything else. I have put on my sailing boots and my heavy weather gear and is ready in case its necessary to spend time outside. I may have to take the main sail down. It’s going to be interesting to say the least.

14H40. Now severe gale, 45 plus knot winds. The sea has gone crazy. Boat still under good control, so keeping main up. Pity I can’t make it smaller, but I already have three reefs in. The only people that sail in these conditions are the crazy ones.

18H00. The sea somewhat calmer and wind down to average 25 knots. Boat speed now often drops to below 7 knots. It’s all very relative as the wind still gusts to 35 knots. It will be a long night. I expect the wind to go from NW to SW sometime. Hope it gives me a chance to do a controlled gybe. But no matter all is still OK. Had a cold meal of bully beef and baked beans and provita with mustard and two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon. Not much wrong with that.

23H00. And at exactly 19H30 somebody closed the windows; the wind died down within 15 minutes and the sea took about 60 minutes to settle down. Now there is a super uncomfortable swell running and just enough wind to want to blow the boat at plus minus 3 knots in the wrong direction. The joys of sailing!

59

I think King Neptune and his wife has a little son, probably called Neppie. When Neppie gets too much under his mother’s feet, she tells him to go find him a boat to play with and that’s when he causes all this havoc. Don’t know why she does’nt buy hime a dog (whale?) to play with instead.


Sent: Thursday, April 04, 2002 18:13 Subject: re Ewoud's trip 04/04/2002 Update; 02/04/2002 13.00 sast pos 34.26 s 21 07 west bar 1018 wind se 20 knots temp 22 deg c sea very rough done 136 miles. 03/04/2002 13.00 sast 34.16 s 19.55 west wind nw bar 1021 04/04/2002 1600 utc 21130 khz pos 34.29 s 19.41 west wind 10 knots ne bar 1022 sea calm. done 40 miles. He is in the middle of a high .So it is a bit of a break from the roller coaster ride he had since last week. We expect wind by Thursday night. Comms are also getting better as he is getting closer. Been able to charge batteries etc and just relax while there is no wind. Still in high spirit. Regards, Matt

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60

Friday. 05/04. Day 41.

Alles weer terug na “normaal”. So elke dan en wan dan reën dit ‘n bietjie. Dis koud op 18 grade C.

‘n Weste wind van 10 knope waai my Oos teen so 6 knope. 130 Myl van Tristan af en alhoewel alles OK is is ek nie vanoggend lus vir seil nie. Seker maar oor dit so grou en koud is. Ek sit hier in my “heavy weather” klere want ek wil nie nat word nie. As alles goed gaan behoort ek later by Tristan verby te gaan en dan is dit die skof huistoe. Omtrent tyd daarvoor.

13H00. Nothing to say except gale force winds, WSW, very rough seas and chilly. But it will get better again.


61


Yesterday at 15H45 with a howling gale blowing the boat gybed with a bang you could hear a mile away. The boat has never gybed or even breached with Old Joe steering. I got it under control but the pilot wouldn’t work. When I checked it the servo paddle stood out at a crazy angle. It was twisted 90 degrees. This was the worst disaster that could strike and I got a cold feeling down my spine. Alone, 1700 miles away from Cape Town in gale country and no auto steering. As bad as can be. I took the main sail down but had no control with only the jib out. I dug out the tri-sail - something nobody ever really use - and set it up. Fortunately I had checked it before I left. With it set I got the boat fairly well balanced and after much experimenting with shock cord and rope I got a fairly good steering system organised.

I took the servo paddle off. To do that I tied my feet to the pushpit and dangled down the transom. The sheet metal bracket connecting the wooden paddle and the stock had bent and sheared. Fortunately I have a lot of tools, including an electric drill on board that I have used before with the Honda genset. I had a piece of sheet metal that I used as a toaster, just the right size to make a new bracket. The cabin was converted into a workshop, and the Honda moved from the back of the boat to the cockpit. The waves were continously breaking over the back and the Honda would get soaked there. To cut a long story short, by 20H00 I had repaired it to the extent that I felt it would last the rest of the journey. It was tricky with the wind howling outside, the sea very rough and the boat jumping about. I could not fit it in the dark, and anyway the sea was too rough.

This morning I decided to shorten the servo paddle by 20 cm. ( 100 cm to 80cm.) to reduce the power. This is just to reduce the strain on the repaired bracket. By 12H00 the wind had calmed a bit and I got a chance to fit it. Not an easy task. I had to hang down the back with my feet tied to the pushpit while the boat was heaving up and down. It took a few attempts and I had to come up for a rest every time I failed, but I finally got it on. This is quite a feat as even in the harbour on the mooring its not an easy task.

By 13H00 it was back and working. A huge sigh of relieve. This was a real “Mc Giver” job. I am going to keep the tri-sail up in place of the main. It means a loss of speed, but at the moment caution is paramount. Even at 5 knots I can be home in two weeks. I’m tired, in need of sleep and a good meal. And a good bath. The bath can wait, but the rest will be attended to pronto. Oh yes, the Navico wheel pilot has also packed up. I guess it got soaked once too often.

19H00. Die beste macaronikaas nog ooit gemaak. Dit was die laaste van die mosbegroeide cheddar, vyf plus weke, en ‘n bietjie oorskiet sweetcorn. Miskien was ek maar net ‘n bietjie honger, maar dit was uit die boonste rakke lekker.

Die boot loop goed en dit lyk asof die reparasies my sal deursien. Daar is baie minder stres op die boot met die driehoek-seil. Ek hou meer daarvan hoe meer ek daarmee seil. Gee spoed prys vir gemak en veiligheid.

Ek ry nou net onder die 36 grade Suid breedtegraad, en sal so bly tot naby die Kaap. Op die oomblik is dit 1477 myl. Ek wil nou by die huis kom.


62


Na al die drama het ek nodig gehad; ‘n goeie maaltyd, ‘n goeie slaap en ‘n goeie bad. Die eerste twee het ek gehad, en nou net die derde. Met skoon klere aan voel ek splinternuut en lus vir die Suid Oseaan.

Dis koud, laaste nag 15 grade en nou 17. By die huis sou die verhitter aangewees het. Die baie klere dra is ‘n pyn, en ek onthou hoe lekker dit was om nakend te seil op pad St. Helena toe. Ek het weer twee seile voor maar die driehoek-seil agter. Ek wil sien hoe dit werk in die verskillende winde. Op die oomblik is die windtjie min, 8 knope. Ek sukkel om rigting te hou.

Ek mis darem nou om weer mense te sien, nie eens te praat van Hélène nie. En die kinders en kleintjies. Ek dink beslis so ver dit alleen seil gaan tot dusver is hierdie ‘n geval van “been there, done that”. Drie of vier dae is OK, 3 of 4 weke is te lank.


Sent: Sunday, April 07, 2002 19:46 Subject: Ewoud's trip 07/04/2002 Update. 04/04/2002 8.30 sast pos 34.54 s 17.49 west . wind 25/30 knots nort east. Bar 1019 good sailing . sea rough. 06/04/2002 17 00 zulu /utc 14130/ 14135/14140 khx pos 26.08 s 11.38 west. wind 15 knots sw. temp 22 deg c. sea rough. comms not good. All is well. 07/04/2002 8.15 good comms this morning for a change pos 36.08 s 10.26 west. bar 1021 wind 5 knots south. sea calm. did 100 miles last 24 hrs. 1500 miles to go. Will not stop at Trsitan. Plan to do 2 deg east east day. 14/15 days est eta. Did some minor repaiirs yesterday, but all is well. No problem. We are looking to see what freq we will no have to use for the evening radio sked. Rgds, Matt.

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63

Monday. 08/04. Day 44.

Goeie nag gehad, standvastige Westewind so tussen 10 en 12 knope. Ek hou die boot op lae spoed om die windloots te beskerm. As ek 100 myl per dag doen is ek tevrede. Versigtigheid is nou die belangrikste. Gister het ek 109 myl gedoen. Dis koud, 15 grade.

As I finished the last sentence the looseluff foresail went crazy - flapping. The snatch block tie rope for its jib sheet had come loose and the block was hammering away at anything in its way, determined to kill someone. The wind had just perked up to 20 knots and backed South East. What a fuck up. I stopped the boat and went forward and let the halyard down. With everything flapping this is always quite a job. I guess this is normal when your friend and enemy are the elements. Two hours ago I was running before a West wind, then broad reaching to a South wind and now a close reach to a South Easter. Never a dull moment. Hurt my back again - just a little.

11H00. I have now rigged the tri-sail as a “permanent” main by tying the clew to the main sail’s outhaul. I now have a small loose foot main sail. It works well, the boat is de-powered to protect the steering, but I can still maintain a fair speed. There is perfect boat control. I can balance it that the steering does minimal work. I’m very impressed with my own innovation!

12H00. Het vanoggend ‘n nuwe vis aas gemaak van stukkies tou ens. om weer te probeer iets vang. Die met silwer papier het tot dusver niks opgelewer nie. Hier is altyd voëls agter die boot, maar toe hierdie een in die water is was daar onmiddelik ‘n stuk of ses wat ondersoek ingestel het. Binne ‘n moment was daar 20 na 30. Hulle belangstelling beteken dalk dat ‘n Tunneyvis homself gaan vasloop. Kan doen met iets wat nie uit ‘n blik kom nie.


64

Tuesday. 09/04. Day 45.

‘n Nag sonder noemenswaardige steurings. Het wel ‘n bietjie gesukkel om die boot op koers te hou met die ligte Suidweste wind. Die deinings is groot en draai die boot in die verkeerde rigting en dan is daar nie altyd genoeg wind om dit weer op koers te kry nie. Nogtans gister 120 myl gedoen. Die huis is plus minus 1200 myl weg. Ek is nou 5 en ‘n half grade Wes van Greenwich en hoop om dit Donderdag oor te steek. Ek doen nou wat ek altyd gedoen het toe ek maratons gehardloop het; my volgende doelpunte word korter en korter. Na Greenwich sal dit wees wanneer ek begin Noord draai, en dit sal plus minus 12 grade Oos wees. Daar is ongelukkig ‘n sterk moontlikheid dat die Atlantiese hoëdrukstelsel oor my sal gaan, wat ‘n dag se windstilte sal beteken. Dit sal nie welkom wees nie.

09H00. ‘n Swart seevoël gevang. Hulle is dus nie so slim nie. Ten minste nie die swartes nie. Die hoek was deur sy bek, en ek het hom dadelik gesien toe hy daarmee opstyg net soos ‘n vlieer aan ‘n lyn. Na ek hom inkatrol het, het hy woes gespartel om los te kom, en my taamlik seer gekrap. Op die nippertjie, net voor ek myself vervies het en sy keel wou afsny, kry ek toe die hoek uit. Sy bek is seer, maar hy sal oorleef.

14H30. Soveel vir my planne om teen die 20ste by die huis te wees. Ek is nou duidelik vas in ‘n hoëdruk stelsel hier en alhoewel daar nog so ‘n 5 knope windtjie waai kom ek nêrens nie. Dit hang nou net af of dit 1 of 2 of 3 dae gaan wees. Shit, maar ek kan niks daaraan doen nie. Sal maar net wag.


65


Is nou Suid 37.02 grade en sal stadig meer Suid beweeg. Daar is meer gevestigde winde. Het gisteraand agter gekom daar is ‘n stang binne die windloots ook gebuig, maar dis nie moontlik om dit reg te maak nie. Solank dit net gebuig is is dit geen probleem nie; hoop net nie dit is die eerste tekens van breek nie. Dit wil nie so goed na links korregeer nie. Op die oomblik is dit onder beheer. As dit erger word wil ek nie daaraan dink nie.

12H00. Dit is vandag 4 weke sedert ek weg is van St. Helena, en ek verlang skielik weer om land te sien! Ek kan nou net dink hoe die seevaarders van ouds moes uitsien na land nadat hulle soms vir maande lank alleen was. Vier weke is nie min nie, en as ALLES goed gaan sal dit nog minstens een ‘n half wees vir my. Op hierdie stadium lyk dit BAIE lank.

15H00. Took off the electronic wheel pilot to see what is wrong with it. The wheel only turns in one direction.On the circuit board there is a burnt out component. Unfixable here on the boat. This is not really a problem as I can get by without it. It was useful in very light winds when the wind pilot does not work. A nuisance value problem.


Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 3:10 Subject: Ewoud's trip 07/04/2002 16.30 sast 14135 khz pos 36.24 s 08.05 west 08/04/2002 8.30 sast 14316 khz pos 36 24 s 08 05 west bar 1020 wind 15 wsw temp 15 deg c. 1300 miles to go. All is well. 09/04/2002 8.30 sast 14316 khz. pos 36.33s 05.37 west wind 5 knots sw. bar 1021 temp 15 deg c. 1196 miles to go . did 120 miles in the last 24 hrs. sae calm..trying to do 2 deg west each day....about 12 days estimate to be back....He finds himself in the middle of a high with no wind,behind is a small cold front...so more fun and good winds to come. Allister intructed him to beam more south to get better wind. He has to stay at 35 deg south untill he passes 13 deg west before he can come up else he will end up at Saldanha.... Rgds Matt....Comms is getting very good at the moment

Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 19:05 Subject: re Ewoud's trip 10/04/2002 update; 09/04/2002 16.30 utc 14135 khz pos 36.40 s 04.45 west. wind 15 sw bar 1021 waiting for the wind. plenty of sun today and was visited by a school of dolphins...Great sight. Caught a bird by accident with the fishing line...Pleny of bird life and saw a few Albatros. 10/04/2002 8.30 sast 14316 khz . good comms today. pos 37.02 s 03.32 west. wind 15 nw, bar 1020 temp 16 deg c . 1275 miles to go done 102 miles last 24 hrs. Aimed more south to get better winds. At this speed eta about 10 days... sea fairly rough. Hoping to catch fish as he is tried of eating out of tins.... All is well. Going to get the books out to identify the birds.... Rgds Matt

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66


Wind, rain and sea! That was last night. I went to bed early - nothing else to do - and just as well, as the second part of the night was wild. The sea was very rough and I de-powered the boat to below 5 knots. I am now 40 minutes (miles) West of Greenwich which is a goal point for me. From there I am in my own half of the world again. Hope to reach it at whisky time!

12H00. It was blowing North winds at 25 knots when it stopped for 30 seconds and then veered South East at 30 knots at 09H30 this morning. Since then it has been gale force, forcing me North East which is not where I want to be. The sea has gone mad with the change of wind direction. The sea is still running from the North, but with the wind now from the SE it must change direction as well. The result is total confusion with waves creating hills and holes. This is not a good place to be right now. Nevertheless I will be crossing the zero meridian within the hour. There will be, weather permitting, a cup of soup with some sherry to celebrate. At the moment the wind is still going crazy.

Just an aside: If you ever meet someone who has sailed around the word on his own, know that you are meeting a special type of person. He, or she, may be crazy or whatever but they have come from a very special mould. I have just had a taste of it, and I now know.

For interest sake: By the time I get home I will have sailed a distance of 28% around the world if measured on a big circle and 38% if measured at 37 degree latitude. A bit of useless statistic.

17H00. With the South Easter blowing gale force I have slowed the boat to a crawl, 2 to 3 knots. It is pointless getting blown Northwards, and then having to make my way Southwards again. It is frustrating when the wind blows in the wrong direction, but what can I do? ALL I can do is wait.

Ek mis Hélène baie. Ek wens ek was by haar. Nutteloos vir haar om hier te wees. Sy sou ‘n senuwrak wees. Ek is lief vir jou Vroutjie.


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02H00. Praat van die verkeerde plek op die verkeerde tyd. Die Suidooster waai nog steeds en ek gaan 50% Oos en 50% Noord. Die Oos is reg maar Noord is verkeerd. In die laaste vier en twintig uur het ek skaars 50 myl gevorder en buite is daar nog geen tekens dat daar ‘n verandering gaan kom nie. My sin vir humor raak baie dun op die oomblik. Al my hoop om op die 20ste terug te wees is daarmee heen. Ek kyk nou na die 23/25ste. Tensy ek nog ‘n “Ancient Mariner” gaan word; gedoem om altyd te seil. Hierdie is nou shit x 3.

08H00. The wind has stopped and according to Alistair ( weather ) I am going to be stuck here for a time. Everything looks wrong at present. I am not in high spirits.

14H00. The current weather report confirms I am going to be here for possibly 2 to 3 days. This is bad, bad news. Looks like I can be on the water for another 3 weeks. And it looked so good a couple of days back. But as I am dependent on the elements I must abide by nature’s laws. What else?


Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 6:57 Subject: Ewoud's trip 11/04/2002 update; 0815 sast 14316 khz pos 37.10 s 0.47 west bar 1016 50 knot northly wind, temp 15 deg c rough seas done 133 miles. 961 miles to go.... Done a total of 5048 miles so far. Good sailing ,boat is really flying. The sea is "wild" at the moment.... Had some rain. Comms is good.Reduced the sail area QUITE A BIT.. 11/04/2002 pOS 36.57 SOUTH 00.77 EAST, crossed the Merridian... bar 1017 gale force wind from south easter. Alll is well .Comms was not very good tonight. He can not charge batteries at the moment due to high seas. Reduced the sail area to very small...Will go to bed early and enjoy the Chivas. He is in the middle of a cold front and a small low if you look at the map. he has a high of 1016 behind him pushing him from the south east . We exprect the wind to be less tomorrow. And might have sw wind again. If he has good winds he can be back by next weekend... Rgds, Matt ...

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68


In the same spot for 48 hours. At present no indication of forthcoming wind. This is not pleasant, and is taking me to the limits. The boat rides see-saw on the swells and I can hardly move around on it. There is nothing good to say about the situation. It is a right royal mess.

14H00. No relieve in sight. Possibly 2 to 4 days before wind.

18H00. I’m as frustrated as a whore in a monastery, with no wind and sixty hours of going nowhere. Nevertheless it is a magic evening; the sea is as flat as a pancake. The birds are scattered around the boat sitting on the water. It’s dead quiet and warm. A thousand miles of sea around me. It is something very special to experience. The birds swim up to the boat and seem to see it as one of there own. I have tried shouting at them to see what the effect would be; they don’t seem to hear it. I would prefer to be moving at 6 to 7 knots, but I am pleased to experience this as well. This is REAL peace. It is magical peace. It feels fragile. It is something I want to treasure.

22H45. Light North wind. Started sailing again. Its pure bliss! But will it hold?? PLEASE!!!! I was stuck in one place for 60 hours! It was a real killer. The craziest things go through one’s mind. I was beginning to wonder: What if the wind never blows again?


69

Sunday. 14/04. Day 50. The wind is holding and according to the forecast should do so for the next few days. My spirit is rising. I have taken the tri-sail down and am sailing with 1 x reef in the main. There are no gale forecasts at the present.

There is a yacht, Balaena, with Andy O’Grady as the skipper, about 500 miles ahead of me. They went through the same bad weather as I, and were knocked down once. They also planned to stop at Tristan but had to call it off because of the weather.

After the 3 days of no sailing I am cured of making predictions on my arrival. It is for the better. I am now just going to sail every day and enjoy it. One ‘positive’ thing; I have just moved onto my last chart, it has the Cape on it. Strange how a simple thing like this can raise one’s spirit.

Roy, Commodore Cape Point Yacht Club, says everybody there is following my progress. At the moment I am quite well known in a number of places.

‘n Perfekte nag en dag se seil. Die wind konstant en ‘n kalm see. Die boot seil pylreguit. As dit so gaan gee ek nie om hoe lank dit huistoe neem nie. Die son skyn en alhoewel dit koel is, is dit nie koud nie. Dit is seker weens dae soos die wat ‘n mens altyd wil gaan seil.


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‘n Goeie 24 uur se seil. 140 myl. Lanklaas dit gedoen. Die see is kalm en ‘n goeie Noord wind. Nou 750 myl van die Kaap. Laaste nag ‘n skip gesien en probeer kontak maar ons was ‘n bietjie te ver, ek dink my VHF het ‘n probleem met enigiets meer as 5 myl. Ek hou nooit van skepe nie; te groot. Dit lyk asof dit weer ‘n goeie dag gaan wees, alhoewel daar ‘n koue front agter my is wat my nes deurmekaar kan krap.

Die son kom nou net op, en volgens ‘n ou vissermans gesegde het ek probleme aant kom.

“Red sky at night, sailors delight.Red sky in the morning sailors warning”

Dis darem uit Engeland, miskien is dit nie hier van pas nie. Dis ‘n pragtige sonsopkoms wat al die wolke in die Ooste rooi verf.

Vanoggend e-pos via Matt van Hélène uit Kanada. Dit lyk asof alles goed gaan daar. Dit is vandag Maritz se verjaarsdag en vroër was dit Beu en Camille sin. En nog vroër Carli sin. Sal moet baie drukkies uitdeel wanneer ek hulle weer sien.

17H00. Nog ‘n perfekte dag van seil. Dit maak seker op vir al die ander wilde dae. Vir die eerste keer het ek 3 grade in een dag geseil. Gegewe ‘n graad op hierdie posisie is natuurlik net minder as 50 myl. Nietemin voel ek goed. As ek so seil wil ek weer om die wêreld gaan. Net eers iets kry om Hélène te voer sodat sy kan saamgaan.


Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 17:17 Subject: Ewoud's trip 15/04/2002 12/04/2002 8.15 sast freq 14316 khz. pos 36.36 s .28 east. bar 1016 wind 20 knots se. drifing. waiting for the wind to change.... sea f/rough. 13/04/2002 16.30 utc freq 14316 khz. pos 36.36 s 0.12 east drifting. no change. 14/04/2002 8.30 sast 14316 khz. pos 36.37 s .55 east bar 1016 12 knots ne 18 deg calm. 14/04/2002 1.30 sast 14316 khz. 12/15 ne wind pos 36.42 s 1.25 east. bar 1016 Tristan reports 25 knots sw wind. Started to sail again. 14/04/2002 16.30 utc 14316 khz. pos 36.47 s 2.04 east done 91 miles calm sea. wind 18 knots nw hope to do 2/3 deg each day. will be back 10 days if the weather will hold. Rgds, Matt

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71


Te goed gegaan die laaste twee dae om so te bly. Gisteraand 22H00 het die wind weer tot stilstand gekom en sedertdien trek daar ‘n luggie uit die Weste wat my teen een en ‘n half knope Oos dryf. Darem in die regte rigting! Ek dink nie daar is juis vroee vooruitsigte van wind nie. Ek gaan nie toelaat dat dit my weer onder kry nie; ek het klaar besluit om dit een dag op ‘n keer te neem.

Het ‘n koorsseer op my lip. Seker ‘n bewys dis ‘n virus iewers binne mens en nie iemand wat jou aansteek nie. Dis more vyf weke dat ek laas kontak gehad het met mense.

Ek besef nou eers dat ek volgens my oorpsronklike berekeninge nou omtrent by die huis moes gewees het. Ek het vyf weke toegelaat van St. Helena na die Kaap toe, maar het toe nie met die windstil dae gereken nie. ‘n Mens is nie veronderstel om windstil dae in die Suidelike oseaan te he nie. As ek hulle wegvat is ek baie na aan my beplande tyd.

Die see is so stil ek kon net sowel in die hawe gewees het. Dis nog donker buite maar dit lyk of daar mis op die see is en ook bewolk. Hoop die son kom uit dan kan ek van my seile droogmaak.

16H00. The wind picked up about 08H00 and a SE 12 to 15 knot wind has been blowing all day. Not easy sailing as it gusts a lot and the damaged wind pilot does not work well on starboard tack. Nevertheless I am going foreward in the right direction and that’s all that matters. It has been raining softly all day.

My good whisky ( Chivas and Ballentyne ) are all gone and I am now on Three Ships. I was hoping the good ones would last to the end. I guess beggars can’t be choosers so the Three Ships will have to start tasting good.

My kos keuses raak kleiner by die dag. Genoeg om te eet maar moeilik om ‘n verskeidenheid te bewerkstellig. Vanaand is dit rys en uie met sop gekook en dan tuna daarby. Weet nog nie hoe dit sal afgaan nie. ‘n Skaaptjoppie gaan beslis lekker smaak oor so ‘n week of tien dae!


72


Sover wind aangaan is dit elke dag slegter. Laaste nag ‘n Oostewind teen plus minus 8 knope, die heelnag. Oos waar ek wil gaan en nou gaan ek skuins daarteen op. Geen vooruitsigte vir goeie wind nie. Frustrerend.

11H00. No wind. Had a wash and washed some clothes. Sunny but cool.

15H30. East wind. Can do nothing and it took the whole day to do. No prospects.

Latitude: 36:43 South / Longitude: 008:22 East ___________________________________

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00H45. Het wakker geword en was besig om sterre te bestudeer ( die boot was gestop ) toe die wind uit die NO opsteek. Dis die vinigste wat die boot nog ooit weer op koerswas. Volgens die weer kan ek twee dae se seil hê en dan sal dit weer terug wees na stilstaan. Wat ‘n vooruitsig! Ek het ten MINSTE vier dae se goeie seil nodig in ‘n Oostelike rigting voor ek ‘n Suisooster kan gebruik om my Noord te waai. Dit lyk asof ek nog 8 na 10 dae se seil oor het.

09H00. Dit raak nou weer koud. Dis die front agter my wat dit bring. Solank die wind reg is kan dit maar koud word.

14H00. Nou net verby ‘n “weather bouy” gegaan. Dis radio senders wat die weersomstandighede uitsaai. Posisie 37.07 Suid /9.47 Oos. Ek dink ten minste dis een; plus minus so groot soos ‘n sokker bal. Dit het snaaks gevoel om ‘n mensgemaakte ding hier in die middel van nerens te sien. Daar is ook ‘n skip wat ek gister gesien het en wat vandag ver na die Noorde van my vir ‘n lang tyd stil gestaan het. Hy is nou besig om (moontlik) in die rigting van die “bouy” te seil. Miskien is dit ‘n diensskip.


Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2002 17:35 Subject: re Ewoud's trip 17/04/2002 update 12/04/2002 8.30 sast pos 36.36 s 0.28 east drifting bar 1016 no wind sea f/ rough 14/04/2002 16.30 utc 14316 khz pos 36.47 s 2.04 east wind 17/18 north bar 1015 temp 18 deg c done 91 miles all is well again. calm sea 15/04/2002 16.30 utc 14316 khz . pos 37.04 s 5.11 east done 148 miles last 24 hrs bar 1015 about 700 miles to go. 16/-4/2002 16.30 utc 14316 khz. pos 37.05 s 07.07 east. bar 1020 temp 17 deg . calm and rain. all is well eta maybe next Wednesday or so, depends on the wind. Rgds Matt

Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2002 6:10 Subject: re Ewoud's trip 17/04/2002 update 16.30 utc fre 14316 khz pos 36.40 s 08.22 east bar 1012 4 knots winds se. not much wind. drifting...wish there was more wind. ...if he gets wind by next weekend maybe. 600 miles to go.... Rgds Matt

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74


A bad night last night. It would appear that the ship I saw yesterday was part of at least two or three other ships and they were all over the place last night. Standing still, moving around, flashing lights and what have you. On top of it another ship coming from the front passed by so close I flashed my searchlight on the sails to warn her off. She was only a few hundred metres (even less) away. In return they shone a searchlight on me after I passed them that made mine look like a toy. It was a scary experience and made me feel uncomfortable all night. Not much sleep.

Good progress though . Westerly winds gave me a good push through the night.

11H00. Wind slowly dying. Moving at snails pace.

Somewhere I mentioned I forgot to bring spare fanbelts. This morning I checked and the alternator belt is “kaput”. I have a “linked” belt that I adapted and it should hold out. MURPHY is definitely on this boat. This morning a wind gust grabbed the looseluff foresail and gave it a few violent shakes. This caused the whisker pole to jerk up and down and the downhaul line broke. Not too serious as its easy to repair.

16H00. Slow, slow, slow - little wind.


75


Quiet night, quiet wind, quiet sea. Just moving in 8 knot wind. At least in the right direction. Plodding on. A beautiful morning and nice and warm too. The water is also warmer, and it is surprising ( maybe not ) that there are no birds here. Probably no fish in the warmer water.

Just over 300 miles to go. At least its getting within reach!! 15H30: NE 5 knots. Drifting Southwards? Shit!!!


Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2002 17:08 Subject: Re Ewoud's trip 20/04/2002 update 18/04/2002 pos 36.40 s 08.22 east bar 1012 18/04/2002 16.30 utc fre 14316 khz pos 37.07 s 10.03 east. bar 1019 wind 12 knots nort. saw ships and bouys!.... 400 miles to go. will turn left at 15/16 deg east. 19/04/2002 13.00 pos 37.08 s 12.18 east 12/18 knots east.... sea bumpy but doing ok.... 16.30 utc changed freq to 7085 for morning and night skeds due to close proximity. pos 37.09 s 12.41 east ... saw three boats today. depends on the wind maybe he can be in by Wednesday or Friday at the latest... All depends on the wind. All is well Last night we were on for 1 and a half hours and there was about 6 fellows in the net... Rgds, Matt

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76


A torrid night. From no wind a SE later caused me to drift South for 8 miles. After that the wind came from all directions through out the night. Wind and rain squalls at irregular intervals. I had to hand steer virtually the whole night. The sea is still crazy, but the wind has settled from the West, and I have decided to head NE to 35S, 19E - 220 miles away. It is the last “ocean” way point before the coast at Hangklip. I am now “gatvol” for this mad sea.

12H30. 20 - 25 knots. SW winds. Crazy seas. Very uncomfortable sailing. Down to three reefs in main. Forecast says this will continue for some time. At least making good way.

18H00. A rough night and day and another one coming. But the miles are being eaten up. Just hope the Easterlies stay away.

I am on my last white wine but still have plenty of whisky. I just wish Hélène was home when I get there but I will have plenty to do before she comes, so the time should pass quickly. The boat’s cockpit looks a bit like a Kyalithsha shack. To assist the weakened wind pilot in the rough sea, I have rigged up a couple of shock cords to help with the steering. It looks a bit funny but it works.


77


Gister en laaste nag die perfekte seil. Wind van agter 15 - 20 knope en ‘n gladde see. Van 8 vm tot 8 vm., 24 uur, het ek 135 myl gedoen. Gevolglik is ek nou 170 myl van Gordonsbaai. Vandag waai ‘n Suidewind en as dit so bly vir nog 12 uur kan ek die voorspelde Oostewind hanteer. My “happies” word nou kleiner en die volgende is 75 myl weg. Dan draai ek van 65 grade na Noord. Ek kan al die skaaptjops ruik.

Matt het gesê Murray en Lien wil hawe toe kom as ek inkom. Dit sal lekker wees. Net onmoontlik om ‘n voorspelling te maak tot ek by Hangklip verby is.

15H00. Well one good day deserves a bad one. Today the wind has not been able to make up its mind. Variable between 0 and 20 knots. Making very little progress.

Patience is a virtue but who wants to be virtuous anyway.

17H00. And the whole ocean has stopped; Just for me. Not a drop of wind and the swell is also diminishing.


Sent: Monday, April 22, 2002 5:27 Subject: Ewoud's trip 21/04/2002 update 1700 utc freq 7085 khz pos 36.45 s 13.48 east wind sw 20 knots bar 1017 sea rough 3 meter swell. new way point 35 s 19 east just below Danger point. steering 65 true. 220 miles to Hang Klip. Eta +- Wednesday.... It is very difficult to say... Could be earlier.... depends on the wind. The forecast is tomorrow Southerly wind of 20 knots.... So he can do 130 miles /24 hrs so early Wednesday or sooner.... Else all is well. Murry I suggest we talk on Tuesday Morning at 8.45. I speak to Ewoud at 8.00 every morning and 6.30 in the evening... so I can tell you when to plan the trip to Gordons .. 73 Matt

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Gale force winds started 20H00 last night, went up to 40 knots, then peaked at 89 knots between 0H00 and 02H00 on the anenometer. These were real hurricane winds. It was blowing out of the East and be damned if I was going to allow it to blow me back where I came from. I reefed the main, put up a tiny foresail and pointed her nose into the wind. For all practical purposes she stayed in one place all night. I had to go forward to do something and had to crawl on my stomach; when I sat up it felt as if the wind was going to blow me off the boat. The worst wind I have ever experienced. From 02H00 it dropped back to a gale and at 04H00 I decided stuff it all and went to bed. When I woke up it was calmer with a 20 knot wind, still out of the East

12H00 And its still blowing at 20 knots, all out of the East, and I need to go NE, any other direction and I go back into the ocean. Prognosis is at least two days ( today and tomorrow) that these conditions will prevail. It is thoroughly miserable here, and I am less than 100 miles from Cape Point. This is bad luck to the n’th degree. Nothing to be impressed about. The boat jumps around so much I don’t want to use the stove.

18H00. The wind stopped at about 15H00 and the sea started calming down. I tried to motor but its still too rough. I’m going to go to bed early and wait and see.


Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 4:03 Subject: Ewoud's trip 23/04/2002 update 22/04/2002 0800 sast pos 36.07 s 17..21 east bar 1013 wind 12 knots south...calm sea 170 miles to go.... 23/04/2002 8.30 pos 35.22 s 17.59 east had a storm and very high winds. and a rough sea.... wind se and now east at 40 knots. Had a busy night. same condition at 13.50... eta now will be around Friday as winds will be south east for next 24 hrs or so...He can not come into False bay...He has to wait for a southerly wind or sw wind. Will update tomorrow morning. Matt

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Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 18:50Subject: Ewoud's trip

24/04/2002Update0800 sastPos 30 miles sw of Cape point.He will be in Tonight. At lunch time he should have passed Cape Point and we will know what time he will be in. He did some motoring since 3 this morining.It take about 4 /6 hrs from Cape point to Gordons. Rgds, Matt

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Last night 12 o’clock I started motoring North as the sea was flat. After 4 hours a nice 15 knot NW wind came up and I made good distance. It has now changed to North at 20 knots and although it is uncomfotable beating into it but I am going the right way. Now 30 miles South of Cape Point and 50 miles from Gordons Bay. With this wind I am going to be hardpressed to make it into False bay as I am driven towards Hangklip in the East. Hope I won’t have to tack West to make it to the harbour.

16H00. It has been tough sailing today. Very strong winds and very rough seas. This was one of the most uncomfortable sailing days of the trip - short, sharp waves. The bout would ride up the front of a wave and then plunge her nose into the following one. The windpilot could not cope and I had to assist it by handsteer most of the day. There was one magic experience at least. The loosluff sail was still rolled up in front, and I decided to bring it back. I had a hard time getting the tack shackel loose and eventually straddled the bow underneath the pulpit, with my legs dangling on either side. With the boat dipping its nose into the waves, I was often up to my knees in the water, with the spray over my head. Very wet but exhilirating.

Missed the bay entrance (almost ) as the wind drove me too far East. I could’nt get past Rooiels and had to tack towards Seal Island to get around and a heading for the harbour. Frustrating and I was not in the mood for it. Had to motor the last 4-5 miles as the wind stopped.

Arrived 20H30. END OF TRIP.


I expected to tie up my boat and sleep untill the morning, but when I arrived there was a whole party waiting for me: Murray, Lien, Ray, Carli, Anton, Hélène, Piet, Linda, Andre, Matt, Gep, Gerda. Somebody brought a bottle of shampagne and it went down well. It felt grand to be welcomed like that. A fantastic end to the trip.

Distance from St Helena = 4403 miles

Total roundtrip distance from Gordons Bay and back = 6138 miles.

Average daily distance = 105.83 miles.

Average speed = 4.41 knots. (Averages include no-wind periods).___________________________________

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Thursday. 25/04.

Wel, dis dan die einde. Dit was ‘n fantastiese ontvangs by die hawe. Ek het gedink ek sal maar net vasmeer en dan slaap. Maar daar was ‘n hele verwelkomingsparty.Murray, Lien, Ray en Carli.Gep en GerdaMatt en AndreAnton en HeleenPiet en Linda.Andre en Matt.Iemand het sjampanje gebring en ons het dit gedrink. ‘n Fantastiese manier om by die huis te kom.Murray en Lien het my huistoe gebring. Murray het n varkpotjie op die stoof gehad en dit was koningskos. Annette het begin huil toe ek bel.

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WHAT I HAVE LEARNED.

1. My biggest fear is a fear of failure. To fail in anything. If I had to fall off the boat, I knew I would die. It (death) does not scare me, but I would have failed to accomplish my goal. Is this a weakness? Obsession? This fear of failure occupies too big a space in my life. It has been like that all for as long as I remember, but this trip has crystalised it. It overrides everything else. It is not good.

2. People mean well; and they are genuine. My send-off at the Club, the radio contacts who have become friends. The people that met me when I returned. These are real people that get great pleasure from having contact with me. I must not be so cynical and have greater trust in people.

3. Patience. I think to a large extent I have this, although maybe not towards people. This is something I should work at. 4. When you do something like this you can leave nothing to chance. Although I checked many things it was not good enough. Out there in the ocean you are ALONE. Example; I had no spare water pump and generator belts (although there was an emergency belt that could be adapted for anything). There is no upper limit in how well one must plan something like this. Of course, on the other hand one must not get into a situation of “analysis paralysis” as then you will never get anywhere.

5. Ek is lief vir Hélène en het haar gemis. Dit is niks nuuts nie, maar net ‘n bevestiging.

6. Ek is bly ek het die rit gedoen. Ek dink dit is iets wat nou uit my gestel uit is, en ek kan op ander dinge konsentreer. Ek dink dit gaan baie dinge in my lewe verander - hopelik ten goede.

7. To sail alone, especially in the Southern Ocean, is not for everybody. There is nothing macho in this statement; it just is so. To sail (alone) one does not have to be physically strong, but the mental strain can be enormous. I think I handled it well but it took effort at times. I used up a lot of reserves.

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Documents

Diary of Ewoud Rykaart sailing alone from Gordons Bay to ... file · Web viewDiary of Ewoud Rykaart sailing alone from Gordons Bay to St Helena Island and ... Ek dink nie ek het al