Thursday 12 September 2013

CAPE COLUMBINE 7th September

 
Just a short update as we while away time here in Saldanha. On the weekend we went up to the Cape Columbine Light house and stayed in a light house keepers house with Trudie and Robert, our friends from Cape Town. Trudi spent her early childhood in the house as her father was the light house keeper there for a time. It is a relatively new facility, having been the last manned lighthouse constructed in SA in 1936 after a number ships were wrecked on the nearby coastline.
Some of the many faces
The main structure is Deco and very different style to the traditional lighthouses we are familiar with.
The light house is set in a nature reserve and at this time of year the flowers are spectacular.
Last week I volunteered to make dinner for the yacht club on Thursday night. It was a lot of fun and we ended up with nearly 40 people so a successful night. I don't know what came over me..I dont even like cooking!!!.. Korma Chicken Curry, Dahl with Sweet Potato and Spinach and Rice and Popadams. Ivy made a stunning Tiramisu so we were all well fed.
Not a friendly shore to wash up onto
Fuel system update..I think we must have the cleanest fuel in south Africa now after the filtration has been running for days and days...Can you wear out diesel?
Other maintenance has been progressing. David has sealed the toe rails again... an on going project... needs to be done every few years. 
Then there was fog and a very erie fog horn.
The mast job re-started and stopped abruptly today when, having dragged him the to top, he broke a drill bit, the battery on the drill went flat, and then the VHF antenna broke off... sigh.. so down he came again and nothing was achieved for all that winching.
I have the new iMac tamed and must say I am loving it. 
Well thats it for now. Still planning to go down to Cape Town as soon as we get a decent weather forecast. We are not able to clear out here. We have to take the boat back to Cape Town. While there we plan to top up the provisions again and have the air-conditioner looked at in anticipation of some warmer weather.