HI TO YOU ALL
We are almost halfway through 2013 and it was Christmas just yesterday.
Mila was lying at anchor in Kraalbaai since late December and we all had  fun times on her.
Hennie, my son, and his family spent the  holidays on her and I spent time on her over the weekends. The South Easter played her part and I had a horrible Easter  with the wind howling at 30 knots.
It was time time to leave Kraalbaai and I took Mila to Port Owen, but after being told about all the instruments and goods that were stolen and break ins, I change my mind and took Mila back to Saldanha. She is now safely tied up in the marina at Yachtport. Quite expensive but the facilities are excellent and the marina is well protected and the security is of a very high standard.
I replaced all the old Navman instruments with the new range of Raymarine instruments and she is getting new TBS material on the deck. I fitted a new silent flush Jabsco toilet so hopefully that problem will go away. I think one can write a book about problems with toilets on a yacht.
I will slowly get her ready for the crossing next year.
That's all for now till next time



MILA AT ANCHOR IN KRAALBAAI

To all my family and friends all over the world my wish is that the year 2013 will be a healthy, happy and a prosperous year for all.
It is this time of the year that one should pause make a quiet moment and think. Remember those that past away in 2013 cherise their memories. Think of all the good things that happened and wipe out those bad things. We always wish people happiness but do we always try and contribute.
My resolution for this year is to be more compassionate, try and do good to others, be  a better driver on the roads be more tolerant even to the Black Taxis, although this will be very difficult.
Plans for this year is to be more involved in my son's business. Spend more time with my loveones. Do some more maintenance on Mila, spend more time in the gym and just enjoy a healthy lifestyle
To all my cruising friends out there on the seven seas I hope that you will have fair winds and beautiful anchorages
Till later

Salvador Brazil

Christmas came and Christmas went and I do hope that all my family and friends wherever you
are in this world had a very blessed day. For  2013 that's lurking around the corner my wishes are that it will be a prosperous and happy year for all. We are on the eve of this new year and we should all strive to make this  world a better place to live in for our children and grandchildren

Mila was launched on the 20th December after spending six weeks on the hard. I had her bottom sandblasted and painted and she received two coats of anti fouling. There were some rust in the anchor locker and this was fixed. She is looking great with her polished topsides and varnish work.

Carlene and I sailed her to Kraalbaai and it was such a fantastic feeling to drop the hook again in this beautiful setting after an absence of nearly 9 years.
Hennie my son and his family are spending the Christmas holidays on her. I will then sail her back to Port Owen on the 5th January where she will be moored to the dock almost in the same spot where she was before we left in 2006.

Mila's mast have some electrolysis so I will have to get the mast people to step the mast and get it painted, and at the same time I will get the new wind instruments fitted.

We had plans, that is my son and I, to sail Mila to the Med in 2013 but due to circumstances we decided to postpone our trip till 2014. He has to attend a concrete congress in America and I will have to manage the business in his absence. Then there is the houseboat that must be completed so it looks like 2013 will be a busy year for all
That's all the news for the moment
Till later

MILA BACK IN SOUTH AFRICA
After 42 days Mila is safely back in South Africa. She is tied up in Mykonos Marina for those of you that don't know, Mykonos Marina is situated about 130 kilos north from Cape Town on the West Coast.
Mila needs a lot of TLC now. Her bottom is covered with barnacles and her woodwork needs varnishing. I am planning to put her on the hard to get all the work done. It is winter now in Cape Town so we will have to wait for the warmer weather to haul her.
Once she is painted I will launch her and keep her in the marina. Mykonos is situated in the Langebaan Lagoon and it is a wonderful area for sailing. I am very fond of Kraalbaai and will be spending the Christmas Holidays there with the family.
Milo the boat cat is living with me in Durbanville and he is getting use to the apartment. I think he misses the warm weather of the Caribbean because he spends most of his time in front of the heater. I fitted a cat door for him so he comes and goes at his leisure. My granddaughter Mila has a cat named Donsie and we all thought that Milo and Donsie will fight but they became great friends and team up to give Lizzy the dog a hard time.
That's all the news for now.

Blown Jib on Mila after the storm

Belem on the River Para

Adriane Space Centre
in Kourou
French Guiana

BACK IN CAPE TOWN

A lot has happened since my last post. I launched Mila on the 20th December 2011 in Trinidad and sailed to Scotland Bay to prepare Mila for the trip South. Yanke my 4th granddaughter was born on the 21/12/2011 .
I left Scotland Bay early on the 22nd and rounded Trinidad at 16h00. Motored due West and had bad weather. Squalls came from all directions and I had one with 45knts of wind. Motored for three days and eventually started sailing and setting a course for rounding the horn of Brazil
This was not to be. During the night of the 26th a squall came and in huge seas I slipped in the boat and hurt my knee. It was so bad that I had to crawl around in the boat. Eventually I phoned my son on the sat phone and told him about the accident and decided to sail for Ile du Salut on the French Guiana coast.
All the time the weather was lousy, the wind on the nose and the current of 4 knots agains me.
I anchored at Ile du Salut but after a rolly night decided the next morning to sail for De Grad de Cann.
Anchored in the river at De Grad and went to have an Xray taken of my knee. I tore a ligament and got some pain killers. Chilled out in the river for a week and then set sail for Kourou to wait for my son to help me sail Mila to Fortaleza.
Hennie arrived after 21 days and we left Kourou for  Fortaleza.
Again we had bad weather and after a big blow during the night we found the head sail in pieces.
Our only option was to change our course and sail for Belem.
This stretch of our trip was a nightmare with only the stay sail to drive the boat. The current of 4 knots was against us all the way and at times our speed was 1knt on the GPS.
Eventually we arrived at Belem. Belem is situated in the River Para which is part of the Amazon River. The River Para is muddy and very big. The mouth of the river is 40 miles wide. The tide difference is four meters, so you can imagine the current, at times 6 knts.
The City is big and approx. 80 miles upstream. Here we waited for David Schutte and C J Vlok to join the boat and Hennie and I left for Sao Paolo on our way to Cape Town. Took a flight with Turkish Airline to Cape Town via Istanbul. I have traveled over the years on many airlines but can recomenned Turkish Airlines to anybody. We were back in Cape Town Feb the 17th..
David and CJ and Milo the boat cat sailed to Fortaleza.
We decided to get a new sail made in Cape Town and get it by air to Fortaleza.
Again a nightmare. The sail was made and delivered to the freight agent who sent the sail to Fortaleza. This was done 3 weeks ago. As of today the sail is still at the airport and the clearing agent there is busy clearing the sail. The clearing charges amounts to more than the freight charges from Cape Town to Fortaleza. The Marina Park Hotel has pushed the price up to 1US dollar per foot per day. It used to be 20cent per ft.
Hopefully they will get the sail and start on the trip to Cape Town within the next few days
Till later