Karl & Kara Go Sailing

Monday November 11 th , Durban, South Africa. Oh my but this is a grey, soggy, miserable day. On a scale of 1 – 10 of Irishness (where that's not a good thing) this is a 10. Karl has even broken out the Guinness slippers. On the other hand, on a scale of 1 – 10 of good first impressions Durban scores a 9.9 (0.1 deducted for the Irish weather).  Seeking shelter at the yacht club. We arrived here yesterday after a “quick overnight hop” down from Richards Bay. Now, I can't say that the trip was un pleasant in any way it's just that there was nothing pleasant about it at all. Overcast skies, not much wind at first, wind from not quite the right direction all the time, had to put the pole out, then had to gybe and take the pole back in (I'm too old to be working the foredeck, sliding around on a wet deck getting soaked in spray) and then the wind picks up just as we're trying to get into port [Karl says: Also chased by a lightning storm and then wo...

Réunion to South Africa. (Featuring Karl's second mahi mahi) Tuesday 29 th October, 250 miles southwest of Madagascar, 9 th wedding anniversary. Well this is an interesting way to spend an anniversary. Definitely not covered in the vows. Today is grey and windy, the first time we've had 25-30 knots of wind since the east coast of Queensland, so we've cosied up in the cockpit after lunch with fruitcake, a wee drop of rum and Nirvana Unplugged (it matches the weather somehow). Not bad at all. We left Réunion a week ago after a reasonably protracted period of trying to decide when to leave. This leg is a bit tricky weather-wise and picking the right departure opportunity is important. Weather in this neck of the woods is no longer under the influence of the wonderfully consistent and predictable trade winds we've had so far. Down south one low pressure system after another come marching through, West to East, bringing varying degrees of nastin...