Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Durban: reconfiguration day; tentative departure date; additions


        This morning I filled the four five gallon/19 liter jerry cans with water and reconfigured GANNET’s interior from harbor to passage mode.  This took a little over two hours.  When I walked back from my shower I observed that the little sloop’s bow is down to the very top of the anti-fouling.  Today was the first day I haven’t shopped in a week.  Nothing more needs to come on board and any bottles of water or cans of liquid that do will live between the pipe berths until consumed.  I will sleep tonight on the port pipe berth and on one or the other of the pipe berths for at least the next two months.

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       I presently use LuckGrib to download GRIBs twice a day, morning and evening.  While the forecast is not as favorable for as long as I wish, if it remains largely unchanged, I plan to clear with the officials on Friday for an 0800 departure Monday morning, February 6.
        I’m not sure I will be able to make Port Elizabeth before the wind heads us, but I should be able to reach East London.  And, depending on conditions, I may heave to or head offshore until the wind again becomes favorable.  It is not impossible that I will sail directly from Durban to St. Helena.
        I created a new default Yellowbrick tracking page for this year and turned the Yellowbrick on to send a couple of positions.  GANNET’s tracking page is https://my.yb.tl/gannet  
        I’ve again deactivated the device and will turn it back on before I depart.  It is set to send a position every six hours.
        Previous year’s tracks are still viewable by clicking on the event window to the left of center at the top of the page.

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        Last month I added an update to the Introduction to the main site, and today I added the items I love to the lists page.
        I also reread the Credo.  Sometimes I get it right.

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        I’m tired of shopping and working.  I want to go sailing.

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        The photo was taken from the viewing platform at the top of the arch at Durban’s soccer stadium built for the 2010 World Cup.  Chris drove me there yesterday for which I thank him.  The view is spectacular, as is the stadium.
        The entrance to the harbor is just this side of the headland.