Across False Bay

Pringle Bay to Simon's Town

After a very blustery, noisy, 35-knot kind of night, we waited until dawn to leave Pringle Bay. We had some problems getting the anchor down, so it followed we'd have problems getting it back up. It was really, really stuck. With persistence and the help of the engine and the helmsman, I finally signalled “I can see it” in anchor-speak and we headed out of the bay, the notch still providing runaway freight train bullets of wind to speed us on our way. We raised only the staysail and waited to see what the wind would really do. In the meantime, despite the wind, the sky was clear and the sun coming up behind the mountains was astonishingly beautiful. At one point, it looked as if one of the peaks was erupting in volcanic fire.

Once away from the shore, we thought we'd lose the wind, but we didn't and it came from all directions  in big spurts. 8 knots SE, 35 knots E, 10 knots W, 40 knots NE. A 47-knot gust from the SE had us heeled to the starboard gunwale, but it quickly passed and we were moseying along at 3 knots again, too lazy to put up the main for so little wind and such a short sail. We cinched in the staysail to minimize the rock and turned on the iron jenny. The forecast indicated the lightest winds for the day would be before Noon. It was only a 20 mile sail and arriving in the calm after the previous night's bluster was very appealing.

Then the dolphins appeared, which of course, added some pizzazz to the morning after a weary night. They were everywhere. Long-beaked common dolphins were under, around and beside Nine of Cups in big numbers and they were here to play. We counted a dozen or more at one point and then more appeared and then more surfed in on the following waves. They put on quite a good show and kept us occupied for most of our short passage across the bay.

We spotted Simon's Town's outer breakwater where a South African naval ship was just heading out of the navy base assisted by a tug. We entered into the inner harbor and circled for awhile, getting all our lines and fenders ready for a port-side marina tie-up. We'd called in advance and the efficient Simon's Town marina had e-mailed us the layout of the marina and our berth number, so we knew where we were heading. We were surprised to see our friend's catamaran, Leu Cat, tied to an outer berth. A submarine was anchored off the port-side wharf.

The yacht basin was calm, but tight on space. We made our way slowly to our berth, passing Kittiwake, another friend's boat, along the way. A young dockman was waiting to help with our lines. What a luxury! We made fast to the dock. All tied up and tidied up, I put on the kettle for a cuppa. We sat in the cockpit on a warm, sunny South African morning and sipped our tea/coffee and though tired, we planned our day: Check-in with the marina and False Bay Yacht Club, hot showers and lunch at Bertha's, a bustling seaside restaurant we could see on the wharf. And then maybe, a nap!

It doesn't escape us that this is Easter Sunday. It's an Autumn holiday south of the Equator, signaling winter ahead, not the rebirth of Spring. Kind of hard to get your arms around the seasonal differences sometimes, but don't fret, there are chocolate bunnies galore in all the shops. Happy Easter!

Wearing of the Green

St. Patrick's Day

Lá Fhéile Pádraig, the Irish call it ... the Feast of Saint Patrick. It's both a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on 17 March each year, commemorating the death date of Ireland's patron saint, St. Patrick, (c. 385-461AD) and the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. It's also a salute to Irish heritage and culture and you certainly don't have to be Irish to participate.

According to one historical reference, "St. Patrick was born c.385 AD in Kilkpatrick, Scotland, and his real name was Macwyn. At the age of sixteen he was captured by Irish marauders (but some historians disagree and believe it was British guards) and was made slave of a Druid chieftain." He escaped, made his way to Europe and joined the monastery of St Martin in France where he studied to become a priest and subsequently a bishop. In 432 AD, Pope Celestine I changed Macwyn's name to Patricius and sent him on a mission to Ireland.

There are several legends associated with St. Patrick. Did he really chase the snakes out of Ireland? Literally, no. There probably weren't any snakes in Ireland. Figuratively, the Druids considered snakes sacred, and St. Pat's conversion of folks from paganism to Christianity is considered "driving out the snakes".

Did he use the iconic 3-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to new converts? Unlikely, but it's a good myth and does demonstrate quite nicely the concept of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all part of the one God.

St. Pat is also credited with the creation of the Irish Celtic Cross. He took a familiar pagan circle, symbolic of the sun and moon gods and added a cross. He showed himself willing to adapt pagan practices and symbols to Christian beliefs in order to ease the transition from paganism to Christianity.

Folks celebrate around the world. They drink green beer and eat corned beef and cabbage. In Chicago, they die the Chicago River green and ever since 2009, the north fountain of the White House is dyed green as well.

Since we rarely miss an opportunity to celebrate, how will we spend St. Patrick's Day? Well, there will be no corned beef and cabbage, I'm afraid and there's nary a drop of Jameson's Irish Whiskey aboard nor Bailey's Irish Cream, for that matter. David might bake up a loaf of Irish Soda Bread. Or, if we have a good weather window and we're at sea, the only green we might be wearing is that dastardly shade of green we turn when we're seasick. Whatever … we'll celebrate in spirit. Happy St. Pat's Day!

By the way, what's your leprechaun name? We're Greenie and Bunyon O'Bourbon.

Thanks, Miks!

Valentine's Day - 2015

I hate to interrupt our wonderful trip to Lesotho and leave everyone stranded in the Sky Kingdom,  but Valentine's Day has arrived and … well … it's a holiday to be celebrated no matter where we are or what we're doing. We'll descend the Sani Pass tomorrow, but today … it's all hearts and roses.

Legend has it that Valentine's Day commemorates the day Saint Valentine, a 3rd century Christian bishop was martyred in Rome for marrying Christian couples. I wondered if Valentine's Day was celebrated in other parts of the world and how.

Here in South Africa, I see all the commercial signs of Valentine's Day … heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, Valentine cards, red hearts in the shop windows. It's not as commercial or as big as in the USA, but it's definitely celebrated here. I found this pic on the internet, which is probably more in keeping with Afrikaans valentines.

In Japan, they celebrate Valentine's Day with chocolate, but only women give gifts to men. Chocolates known as “giri choco” are given to all male friends and even bosses, but it has no romantic connotation. Guys aren't off the hook though. A month later on March 14, they celebrate White Day when men reciprocate with chocolates and flowers.

In Italy, they say Buon San Valentino. According to tradition, the first man a girl sees on Valentine's Day will become her husband and they'll be married within a year. I imagine that eligible men don't stray far from their homes on that day unless they're interested in matrimony.

In Denmark, the custom is to send white flowers known as Snowdrops. Lovers send anonymous love notes, gaekkebrev, signed with dots, not a name. If you guess the sender, you're eligible for an egg at Easter. What an incentive!

In Norway, Valentine's Day is associated with love birds and signs of spring. While in Germany, in addition to the more commercial hearts and flowers, a special gift of a pig can be included. Representing luck and lust, the pig can be a picture, a mini-statue or a chocolate shape. Heart-shaped ginger cookies with romantic phrases are also popular.

Dia dos enamorados (Lovers Day) is Brazil's equivalent to Valentine's Day, but it's celebrated on June 12th .  There are musical performances held in addition to the usual chocolates, hearts and flowers.

The Taiwanese celebrate romance twice a year! February 14th coincides with the rest of the world's celebration, but they celebrate it again on July 7th. Men give bouquets of flowers and according to Taiwanese tradition, the color and number of flowers have special meaning … red roses represent “love”, ninety-nine roses mean “love forever”, and108 roses signify a marriage proposal.

Historically, the French claim the first Valentine card. Charles, the Duke of Orleans, reputedly wrote the first Valentine card to his second wife, Bonne d’Armagnac in 1416. He sent her a little poem and signed it  “Your Valentine”.

Enough … suffice it to say, Valentine's Day or some comparable day for celebrating love is observed pretty much worldwide. As for us, we'll celebrate in our own way. We don't need flowers, or chocolates or hearts. Champers would be nice though. And how will you celebrate this year?