I think it was yesterday that I wrote about sitting in the pilot house watching the weather build and play out. The winds were getting up, but the sea state was causing us the bigger issues – because we were beating to wind. Well, I’m back in the pilot house and back on watch and we’ve just sailed by Tristan da Cunha and seen how big the swell was – way too big to attempt to anchor and go ashore. A disappointment, but it was always a long shot. The anchorage is just a patch of water off the main settlement – completely open to the seas from 180 degrees – which is all of the prevailing wind areas. The harbor entrance is a tiny break in a break water requiring the boating version of a handbrake turn and the seas were being thrown up about 15ft in the air over the top of the walls. So that was a big fat NO to trying to get in there!

Instead, we have moved straight into sailing the last leg of this crossing, from Tristan to Cape Town – all 1504 Nm – or about 1750 statutory miles. By any measure, it’s a long way, but we’ve already sailed 2200 Nm to get here – all since a week ago last Saturday or 11.5 days, or 267.3 hours (but who’s counting). Right now, (it’s about 19.30) I’m watching the same instrument bank as has become the norm and the winds are a little lower than this time last night (about 26 this time yesterday, 20 tonight). Last night the winds hit only about 37, but they were howling and of course, as you know, ahead of our beam – which was why we were beating to wind. It was a very uncomfortable time and the boat was swinging and dodging and making life ver tough for all of us.

Tonight, the wind is coming from almost astern of us and I’m wanting more than that to keep us sailing at over 8 knots. It must be said that the seas state is infinitely easier tonight, so it’s not just the lower wind. While we were disappointed not to be able to stop and go ashore at Tristan, tonight we are heading to Cape Town with half a moon and a semi clear sky. The boat is gently rolling from side to side with only a very occasional thud, no bloody big thump! I think we’re all looking forward to actually sleeping when not on watch.

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Time had moved on a little, and it’s me again, same place different time! I’m back in watch and it’s 04.30 Thursday morning. James and I took over the watch at 03.00 and since then we have maintained our target speed of 8.3 knots, there are three loaves of bread proving downstairs ready for the oven – so, quite a productive watch. I can’t remember if I mentioned this, but we bake bread during this particular night watch – to make sure we have supplies for the coming day. Last Sunday night when the “Son of Bugger” was kicking off, I baked a couple of loaves of Honey White and three loaves of Banana Bread. Baking is not my finest skill (understatement) and once again, I apologize to Trevor Bread for letting the side down – but people will eat this stuff I bake, I assure you! We have a box of very sorry looking bananas up in the fore-peak and we need to use them. When it came to last Sunday night’s output from The Great Pelagic Bake Off, it took us a couple of days to eat the actual bread, but the Banana Bread was gone within the day. Had anyone seen the amount of butter and sugar that went in, may be it might have gone slower!

Later this morning we have to commit to the “guess when we’ll arrive” bet, which is the time we tie our first line up in Cape Town. After the last week or so, I don’t want to count my chickens and all of that, but the weather forecast is either fair or good, with variable winds and so we should be able to clock off 200 Nm days between sail and engine (it looks like a few days of very little wind – so we’ll have to augment with the iron genny). If that all works out, we should arrive sometime on Thursday early afternoon, a full day early (accounts for the day we picked up from not stopping in Tristram). However, there are the unknown variables like small weather systems, boat issues, navigational errors (never) and general misdemeanors to try and take into account – so who knows. I know that we’ve already knocked off the first 100 Nm since Tristram – and we’re currently looking at 1405 to go.

I laid in my bunk after the alarm went off earlier this morning to wake me for watch duties at 02.30 and tried to figure out what the distance would be to our destination by the time I climbed up into the pilot house (it’s always on the display together with VMG for the more technical minded) and figured it should be 1424 – and when I got up there – to my delight- it was! Now replicate that accuracy over the next 7 days and Bob’s your uncle (there you go, Jim Lynde – there’s that phrase again)! I think we will arrive mid afternoon next Thursday into Cape Town and, allowing for the usual messing about, our first line will be tied at 15.20 (Universal Time – like GMT before people messed with it).

This is massively optimistic and by far the earliest estimate from the crew members (the skipper isn’t participating – for obvious reasons). I think that is 17.20 local time. I don’t know what the bet is – I guess a beer from each of one’s shipmates – in which case I hope I’m wrong. If it’s buying a beer for each of them – bring it on. Sitting at the height of the weather festivities yesterday afternoon, Ernesto (Colombian brother) turned to me and said, “In Cape Town, I think we drink Champagne – not too cold.” The most sensible thing I heard all day! So without tempting bad karma, chill down those bottles, not too much though, and get ready for us Cape Town, because we’re heading your way right now!

Pip pip