Atlantic Ocean - Passage to St Helena - Day 2
Misterx
Fri 7 Mar 2025 21:29
07/03/25
8:30 pm
Day 2
Atlantic Ocean
DTD : 1,368 NM
We're still looking for our sea legs, hopefully we'll find them soon. It's only been a couple of days but it feels like we've been sailing for ages on this passage.
To start with, our departure was delayed, by 2 days, the officialdom came in late in the afternoon, by which time it was a bit late to depart, especially as we watched the fog slowly roll into Saldanha bay. Next day, the fog was even thicker and hardly lifted up, so we stayed put. We finally took off on Wednesday 5th, midday. The fog was still there quite thick but was supposed to lift and it did, but not before we had cleared the harbour entrance. Finding our way out without hitting anything was a challenge... we came close to 3 sailing boats milling around... one of them sailing school, making the most of the teaching opportunity. Fortunately no big tanker at that time.
As soon as we passed the last port entrance marker, the fog lifted as per magic. We were able to see all the menacing rocks, we had just gone past with the lighthouse guarding them.
South Africa is blessed with wildlife, both on land and at sea. We were waved away by seals, whales, dolphins, and countless birds, all of them within the first half a day.
One bird in particular has stayed with us for the last couple of days... a huge albatross comes to greet us, once in the morning and later on in the afternoon as if to check our daily progress. A majestic bird, what a privilege!
We've had some very nice wind so far although bordering on too much at time. The sea has been a bit boisterous, loads of big waves... not always pleasant. And there is loads of traffic around us at all time.
On the plus side it is getting warmer!
M