Janlie, our Eve aboard

It is time to introduce you to the other female member aboard Catlyn...Janlie! Our almost 18 year old girl always having a hard time amongst all the males around her, is my right and my left hand. I don't know what the typical teenage girl is, but according to shared gossip with my friends she is definitely not one!

She wakes us up every morning with a cup of coffee, and then after her cup she starts doing the dishes or sweep the floor or dust the tables or just any dirty place she can find. She is the one who can get the boys to make their beds and to wipe the toilet ring. She shares her bed with all our guests in need of a bed and take her pillow to sleep in the saloon without complaint. But then she is also the girl who will frantically clean her heaven again and crawl back into her cradle.

She is a Pisces, but the one who doesn't like the cold sea and doesn't like to eat the fish her brothers catch. She looks away when they hammer the fish and slaughter the cray fish. But she is always game! She will not be left behind when her bro's jump into the blue cold, she will chase the fish away, close her eyes and jump in to their delight.

And then, to their delight, she loves baking! Fudge and cookies and custard slices and anything sweet...and luckily for her even her not so successful products never go wasted!

When she is not studying for the last three subjects for her grade 12 exams May 2010, she loves doing her embroidery or to crochet herself a scarf.

Marco introduced her to his computer games, and together they build zoo's or create life on Sims. Without Janlie on Catlyn, the ropes won't be tidied up, the fenders won't be fitted and I will be lost!

Langebaan welcomed us!

It felt like coming home again. We had a beautiful sail to Dassen Island. A wind of 20 knots were pushing us towards our overnight destiny. The swells were small and the sun was basking and dolphins accompanied us all the way. We arrived at Dassen and celebrated Catlyn's first 500 sea miles with fresh snoek and cray fish.

The next morning we left with a clean" washed " boat to Kraalbaai. It felt so warm and homey, to sail into the calm lagoon and even familiar seals popping out of the waves. While sailing to anchor at Schaap Island we noticed that the port engine isn't spitting out water! Johan and the boys had to investigate. They spend the whole morning reading engine manuals and studying engine parts and then they started taking things apart and after a long time and almost giving up hope, Johan found the culprit. A little fish crawled into the sea cock's inlet and prevented the water from spitting out!

Tomorrow we are planning to go into the Marina to fill up diesel and water and spend a couple of days in Mykonos.

Tempted in the Cape

We are lying in Elliot Basin, daily tempted with howling winds and daily tempted with the soot coming down on us, and daily tempted with miserable weather. We are tried and tested....but luckily friends came to our rescue! Charles and Yolanda and the girls came to visit and saved us. Marco and all his girl friends enjoyed the new playground of Catlyn's deck and he introduced them to his swing.

We sailed to Robben Island for the day with the sleeping beauties aboard missing out on the big swells rolling Catlyn around. But as soon as we moored at Elliot they woke up for a great time.

We celebrated our Skippers birthday true to tradition on Catlyn with balloons and cake and pizzas at Panarotti's!

In the mean time the Solar panels were mounted and they are up and running and Johan is keeping an eye on all the in and outputs. Little things were fixed and we realised that as soon as the weather cleared we can be on our way.

Ready to go, we had a last surprise when Anton and Lorraine popped in for a lovely evening and to look at our water home. Lorraine opened everything and tried everything to see if and how it is working. The next morning our spirits was high enough to set sail for the open seas to Dassen Island.

Bread baking!

Jaco, our 20 year old Pisces, half of a twin, full time student, half time studying Tourism at Boland College (Stellenbosh), fell in love with the sea for ever. When he met Catlyn he found another twin. He loves nosing around her, trimming her sails, stroking her belly, diving down and saving her from strangulation.... He went for his Competent Crew and Deckhand Course and sail all around with his Skipper dad. This is what he loves and he is keeping an eye out for an opportunity doing a delivery crossing.

While his building up his experience, John our examiner told him that it is a benefit to be able to cook aboard...and look who is cooking!

I never thought I will see the day that Jaco our Two Minute Noodle Cook will stand behind the stove baking. After preparing breakfast he decided to bake us our first fresh bread in our little gas oven. I couldn't resist taking a photo for you with his hands full of clammy dough!

The compliment of his bread was in his family devouring the fresh warm slices with Irish butter.

Bravo, Jaco!

Two skippers for Catlyn!

I always said I will do the sailing thing , but I have to know how to do everything! That was really said easier than done! We went for the eye test to see whether we are colour blind or not, and although Johan's fashion sense proof otherwise he also succeeded. We made copies of our log book to proof the mileage we've done, and then we downloaded all the study material we going to need.

Down to the books. As usual I started immediately and Johan decided to make use of his very short term memory again. We were ready! The COLREGS was not too bad and I could recognise all the lights of all different vessels on the sea, all the Lateral and Cardinal Marks warning you like street signs and robots on the high way. And then I also had to know which way to go when their is traffic in your area....keeping left of the white line doesn't help when your road is a foamy and moving one.

But then it was me and the compass and the plotter and the chart on my floor...North kept on changing and I had to get the True One and the Magnetic One and then search for the currents and the wind and how it is going to push my boat where, and how many nautical miles the Light house is from me...and..and... I really tried to dig hard into my Matric Geography but that was just too long ago for my long term memory! What made me feel a little bit better is that I wasn't the only one having a hard time getting these brain cells moving again...Johan was getting the best position on his bed to make life comfortable while working, as usual, but unfortunately lost the rubber or ruler every now and then....not the North like me.

And then we were ready to do the exam. John out examiner came and the suffering started! It was difficult! Enough said. But the sea gods were smiling on me, and helped me pass! I sighed a big sigh of big relief, but it was short lived. The next morning I was woken with the news to take Catlyn out and come back to park her nicely at the jetty! If you haven't been to Elliot Basin before you won't understand my anxiety! Newly delivered yachts all around you, dilapidated jetties hanging in the water, and then all these pillars narrowing your way in and out. I'm only going to say that Catlyn was moored at the jetty with no harm done. Another big sigh of relief!

Friday morning came and John told me to take Catlyn out again to the open sea to show him how I will rescue a man overboard....poor me. I felt like the girl overboard. The wind was howling a whole twenty knots, and I realised that it is not going to be like the practise runs I did on the smooth Langebaan Lagoon! I am sure there was a mermaid holding on to the danbuoy John threw into the big waves, because after a while battling with the wind ,the sails, the engines, Marco had the danbuoy safely in his hands. Johan had his turn and I helped his "man overboard" safely back into Catlyn. He was supposed to take Catlyn back and I was so relieved, but then John decided it might be good for my confidence to take Catlyn back in. Oh no!

He coached me a bit with his gentle manner, and calmed all my raw nerves, and although the wind was pushing and although Johan and John had a couple of scary moments with me I did it!

I DID IT! Two skippers for Catlyn!

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!