First family birthday!

Marco turned nine years the 30th of October and Janlie decorated Catlyn with balloons and streamers for a festive look. He was woken by Andria and his granny on the cellphone, and was spoilt by all the people who just love him. Jaco also came for the day and we sailed out to Clifton for a day in the sun accompanied by so many other yachts enjoying the good weather for the day.

The 3 kids decided to swim towards the beach in the icy waters, and reached the rocks trying to warm up their frozen limbs. He ended his special day with a pizza in Blouberg and the whole of Pannarotti's singing and rejoicing with him! He was touched by angels just loving him! Happy birthday, Marco!

A little step closer...

"Are you ever gonna go?" These words of a someone made me realise how many times I said good bye to my people, how many times I packed up my house and how many times I hugged my dog...and I am still here! I 've decided to do it very quietly next time and maybe I will phone my friends from somewhere far away...this time really gone!

Catlyn is lying in Elliot Basin richly covered in the black soot, and every day we are fighting a new battle to clean her up. If we are lucky our bar cupboard will be fixed on Tuesday and the solar panels will be installed this week...and as soon as this howling wind settles down for longer than a day we can sail out of here.

We spend a lovely Thursday watching the beachers at Camps Bay. Catlyn parked her lazy body in the cool waters and we had our first sunloving braai on her deck...pretending we are at some tropical island. We were amazed at the beauty of the Apostles behind Camps Bay, their feet touching the sea, and Table Mountain towering over.

Excited and slightly nervous we left for Dassen Island, planning to spend our first night in the dark on the open sea. We watched the sun go down and experienced the total silence around us as it soon got darker. Why didn't I look at the moon to choose a full moon for our first night sail? Soon it was pitch dark with just the sound of the water swishing around us. Janlie organised our watchlist and soon every one crawled into bed except me and Junior. Wow! This was a reality check! My reliable Skipper had to go to sleep and I had to watch out for big dark ships, and keep an eye on the auto pilot. It wasn't that bad, but quite soon I didn't feel so good any more. I couldn't see a thing and that wasn't a good experience for this girl who gets car sick when I don't see the road.

Five hours later our Skipper woke up for his shift with Janlie. Within a half an hour everything changed. Thick fog came out of nowhere, the wind started howling and two big ships appeared on our radar screen! Thank goodness I was spared this challenge. Johan really had to fight to keep Catlyn out the way of these fishing trawlers, and even staring into the night nothing was visible besides the blackness of the night and the sifting wetness of the fog.

I went to bed at four, exhausted but knowing that our Skipper was in control and Janlie and Junior and Marco were lying in the salloon, ready to assist. Dassen Island welcomed us with its beautiful house bay, and the pelicans flying over us. We anchored safely after quite an eventful night, and soon every one was showered and fast asleep!

My Mother shared my dream

What a privilege! My mother decided on very short notice to put all her fears aside and join us on a trip from Langebaan to Cape Town. The kids were so excited to have their Ouma on board and Janlie gave her cabin away. She enjoyed it so much and was relieved to see that the boat stayed afloat even though the sea was quite choppy!

We anchored at Dassen Island for our usual clean up, and tried our luck for a couple of cray fish....it wasn't long before Johan and Marco pulled up the net filled with some....what a lovely dinner!

On our way to Cape Town we were entertained by so many dolphins dancing around us for almost an hour. It was the first time that we experienced so many at one continuous time. And just after that dinner was served for the night when a beautiful yellow tail was landed. Again a stunning dinner with this soft white meat!

We had a busy schedule ahead. Lots of organising and planning for the big day...some day? My mother stayed on Catlyn during the day, and enjoyed herself so much, pretending she is the woman of the boat, making coffee and tea and going for a nap in her cradle. And then we had to go back to George.

My biggest blessing at home is to be loved by my dog, Rambo, and for the first couple of days we spend all the time together. I organised my house again, packing and minimizing everything in my cupboards (again) if my house is rented out.

We used the opportunity to enjoy our friends on land and treasure every time because we know one day we gonna go and we finally going to say our good byes on the deck leaving for the big blue unknown.

Oude Post

I lost a piece of me when I walked passed this awesome house with the gigantic ficus trees surrounding it. I had to sneak closer to just sit on the little bench to imagine being part of this Old Dutch house somewhere, sometime...

The Posthuis was built in 1730, and polished engraved stones served as post boxes. It lies at the foot of the beautiful Postberge, and is a part of the Postberg Nature Reserve. No public is allowed except September and October to watch the carpets of veld flowers. I know, that no one is allowed, because I rowed over with the tender and started walking up the road when I was firmly asked by a house owner or visitor to go back to my little boat and not to walk around here, because it is private property!

It was so weird to be chased of a piece of coastal land, I thought back a little to the Apartheids years and for a moment understood....

Anyway I silently sneaked passed avoiding all the houses with people in them and so much enjoyed the walk on the little dirt road to Kraalbaai. Tortoises kept me company because I wasn't in a hurry to leave this beautifull peacefull piece of land soon. I need to make friends with some one in Oude Post soon, because I want to go back and sit on the little bench of that old house again!

Fossil park visit

Johan's sister, Elize came to visit from a grey London and with a bit of luck we found a couple of days full of sunshine to share with her.

Kraalbaai was first on our list, and we played hop scotch in the sand. Unfortunately we had a couple of injuries and stiff joints the next morning.

We spent an afternoon at the Fossil Park just a couple of km from Langebaan. What an amazing experience! Nicky, our tour guide shared all the info and touched us by his enthusiasm. Short neck giraffes, two tooth elephants washed out in this area over 5 million years ago. We stood amazed looking down on the bones still embedded in the ground. Every year students from over the world spend one month digging up the fossils. For 9 years this project is ongoing, but due to funding this site only gets a visit for this short period. There must still be so many secrets in that area waiting to be uncovered. This park with it' s museum is really worth a visit!

Marco, our pirate!

Let me introduce you to our youngest member on Catlyn. Marco with his crystal soul is almost 9 years old and he is the Master of Catlyn. Before we knew where all the switches and bilges and lockers in her hull was he would do us the honours. He will find new places on the Raymarine and surprise his Dad with new functions for this computerised screen.


On a short visit to Cape Town, he would hurry us back home...to Catlyn. Forgotten is our home in George, the only one he misses, is his water home.

Catlyn is where he does his home schooling. He is in gr3 and tries his best to negotiate him out of a day of school...so some days he has to do two day's work! Luckily he is a clever little boy, so although I am his teacher, sometimes I let him be. His older brother, Johan is a karate champ, and Marco is starting with Karate classes in the morning, with his private Sensei.

A box in his cabin is full of his favourite toys, which shares his fanatical army fantasies. Dressed up like a soldier, or like a pirate or like an assassin he stalks any one visiting us on the Yacht. On rainy days his computer is on his lap, and a MP3 in his ears, and he tempts the whole family into playing board games.

I must tell you about his cooking skills too. It all started in Thailand, and still he loves to experiment on something nice for his family in the galley, or at the gas braai. Take note of the towel draped over the shoulder. Marco is a pro, and a pro has to dress like one.
His latest adventure after his successful snoek fishing experience, is the swing that he hangs from the top of the mast and with his feet barely touching the sea he swirls all around Catlyn.

Marco, just like his Dad is a Scorpio and together they are living their water dream!

Barge at Jacobsbaai

A buzz was going around the whole Langebaan area....New Shopping Mall at Jacobsbaai! People were flooding to this quaint little bay. The hide-away restaurant were selling more beers and burgers than ever before. We followed the buzz...first by road and then we decided to see this spectacle from the ocean. We sailed in a brisk breeze with huge swells and breaking of waves around us. And there she was already visible from afar. A big blue monstrosity hiding the little bay of Jacob. We tried to get closer, but the sea was keeping Catlyn away at a safe distance not wanting to make her a part of this human heap. Thirteen barges on their way to Europe and not China this time, broke the chains holding her to the big vessel taking her to the seas, and in the stormy weather she came to a halt in thick sand. People looking through their windows like every morning to admire the blue of the sea, only saw the blue of this big Barge obscuring their view.

A lot of people are trying to come up with a plan to remove this unwelcome guest. Will it be towing her away on the next stormy tide, or will that be chopping her up into smaller pieces?

We enjoyed the view and went back catching seven beautiful snoek...but we had to compete with the seals chasing our bait or our snoek. Our visiting son, Louis was delighted with all the fishy blessings. Dinner was organised for my family!

My whole family aboard

Louis came to visit! For the first time my whole family shared in this magic of our dream! We left Table Mountain behind with a sigh of relief.

We spend the night at Dassen Island again, and the kids wanted to show Louis how to catch crayfish with the net. They caught a couple of small ones and we stood amazed at the reason why Nature Conservation has a period when no one is allowed to catch crayfish. The crayfish are spawning and we saw the cluster of millions dark red eggs under their bellies. The kids gently put them back into the sea, afraid they'll anger the Sea Angels.

We sailed safely into Langebaan Marine where Catlyn felt at peace again. On the jetty was friends from near and afar. Genevieve, Catlyn"s neighbouring Cat was there with it's owners, Johan and Annette. Michiel and Marline were anxiously waving at us. Andria was ruining her boots over the rocks, trying to keep up with Andre.

Happiness is best when shared.....

Check up in Cape Town

We sailed Catlyn back to Cape Town for a check up. Anxiously we set her free from Langebaan on our way to Dassen Island. All the "hotnotsvlooie" were cleaning her hull to look her best for her first return to her birth place.

The swells were beautiful and the wind was generous and with the main out we had a lovely sail to Dassen Island. And then luck struck Johan who trawled his lines.

A beautiful snoek landed on the deck. It's gills a deep ruby red, it's scales a shiny silvery blue. But the beastly men were hunting this awesome animal down and it's head was bashed on the deck. It was cleaned and washed in sea water and filleted and frozen in an instant, and then three more followed to fill the freezer.

Snoek for dinner!! Fresh!! For a girl always 'sniffing' fish out in the supermarket, it was a thrill to enjoy the meat of this blessing.

All went to their cradles except me, who had to stand guard for the first shift according to Janlie's list. When the deep breathing and heavy bodies filled Catlyn, I sneaked out and felt the darkness. The whole sky was lit up by stars almost touching the horizon. I didn't want to wake Jaco for his shift, almost too jealous to stop this.

Our Skipper started the engines at six o'clock the next morning. It was still pitch dark. How do you see? You can only hear the sound of the waves rolling somewhere. We lifted the anchor, watching it in the flash light coming closer...and then Catlyn was free to start her trip to Cape Town. The radar was on and we safely sailed out of the house bay of Dassen Island.

The fog was hiding Table Mountain from us all the way. We sailed into Elliot Basin the afternoon, after realising how fast those big ships really are. Size does count!

Elliot Basin was as disgusting as always. We tried to secure Catlyn as good as possible, but the jetties didn't look very stable. Just a week or two before a friend of ours launched their new Maverick, Be-Jo, and poor Bert jumped off his boat right through the jetty! A storm was brewing and we were really worried.

The next morning in the howling wind an waves, the stepladder slipped of it's rails and luckily fell into the sea on the other side of Catlyn. But we were still worried, because the storm wasn't subsiding and we strapped the jetty and ladders with extra ropes and we bought six big fenders to cushion us against the delapidated jetties. But it wasn't enough and the derailed ladder banged against Catlyn chaving her side.

We couldn't wait to get out into the open seas again!

"Honey, I'm home!"

It's done. Johan and Janlie wrote their last paper for their Matric exam for this year, and are enjoying a well deserved rest until August when they will start their studying for the last three subjects for next year May.

"Honey, I'm home!"

We drove back to Langebaan where Dad and Marco were waiting for us on Catlyn.

They survived the storm during June when they had to vacate the Marina, and look for shelter in Kraalbaai. The swells were high and the wind was strong, and even the calm Kraalbaai became a turbulence of water. Jaco and his friend joined the two to help them safely around, and Marco learnt to feed the crew.

"Honey, I'm home!"

I left for six weeks and went back to my house in George. It felt so big and roomy and wonderful, and I soaked in my bath for hours. I enjoyed the earth under my fingers in my garden, I loved the smell of my washing on the line, I stared into the licking flames of my fire place and every morning woke up looking at the blue of the sea.

But it happened. It was the call of the blue sea every morning. I woke up and I wanted to go back. My lovely wooden house just didn't fit my bones any more. I felt awkward. I felt out of place. Not even my hot tub could keep me there. I had to go back!

I crept back into my rocking bed on Catlyn, enjoyed the stream of hot shower water in my tub, wait for the whistle of my blue kettle, and I felt the sting of a sheet running through my fingers.

"Honey, I'm Home!"