Hope, Faith, and Prosperity

These where the names of the three lanterns carried at the stern of the big Indiamen some 300 years ago. Used for signalling and no doubt for some religious purpose! These big square rigged ships sailed the same route as we are sailing today. Bringing spices from India and Indonesia. After having called in at Cape Town for fresh water and supplies and paying there taxes they would have left the roadstead and set a course for St Helena.

The first leg of the journey through the fog of the coast of South Africa. This is where the moist air brought in by the Westerlies crosses the cold Benguela current. The current sets north with an average of 1 kn, a welcome push in the back. Its counterpart on the East coast the Agulhas current, sets more or less South West along the coast. When it meets the opposing Westerly gales it can make for some seriously dangerous seas of the Cape of Good Hope. We are leaving all of this behind and are heading in to the trade wind area. In the Southern hemisphere they blow from the south at some 15 knots.

Yesterday the fog lifted and a promising breeze set in. However it didn’t persist. After the sun set the little breeze turned into a mere puff. Forecast gives us 15 knots from the South East this afternoon and later strengthening to 20 knots.

I’m not a religious man but I do have Hope for this wind to pick up, I  have great Faith in our little boat. she has brought us so far already, and after all the things that are happening around us I’m sure there will be a time in which we will Prosper.

All is well at 28’27s 012’37e

Jonny, Nico, Enki and Gijs

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