Departure - Take Four!

Zac and friend spent much of today reassembling the Monitor windvane, getting it back to the boat and reattaching it to Intrepid. Zac jumped in the water to ensure that everything was lined up and attached well. After this quote from a previous boater's experience with getting ashore at St Helena, I have new understanding as to why he may have been reluctant to haul the thing ashore. As it was, parents grabbed their children and stared as Zac walked down the street with the vane in arms!

This quote is from the folks on board the S/V Valiam out of Australia. It describes their experience getting ashore at Jamestown on St Helena. They were berthed next to Zac when he arrived in Durban and are slightly ahead of him on a very similar route.

http://www.sailblogs.com/member/valiam/?xjMsgID=81421

"Shortly after anchoring at midday - 10 days 22 hours after leaving Simons Town, South Africa we were given permission over the radio by Port Control to go ashore. A young man with Creole features took us ashore in his wooden boat ('ferry'). The exciting part was disembarking as the boat rose in the swell as we had to grab hold of the hanging ropes to jump ashore on to wet concrete steps. This was not easy when we hadn't got our 'land legs'
yet! "

Winds in the bay were light so after installing the Monitor, Zac checked over everything while still moored and felt that things were functioning as they were before he dismantled the poor thing. The true test, of course, will be tomorrow as he heads out into the Atlantic.

Zac is checked out with customs again. I wonder what the guys down at customs must think as this is about the third time he has checked out!

He has had several farewell parties with his false departures. Tonight he was to have small gathering with friends and surrogate parents Mike and Bernice (thanks Betty!).

Here's to a successful launch and getting our boy home soon!

Cheers,
Marianne