The above photo was taken at our arrival at Durban at around 4:30 a.m. on the 18th. None of us had more the two hours sleep in the previous 24 hours but, of course, you couldn't tell from the photo. Below is a picture of Carrie's boat's arrival about ten hours earlier. She's quick to point out that she hasn't showered in 11 days or slept in two in that photo (click on it to see it in hi resolution) but, hey, that's life on a boat.
I'm grabbing just a few minutes at an internet cafe to grab these pictures off the web and post them with a few thoughts but the full story of Durban and Carrie's and mine Thanksgiving in the bush with animals all around and millipedes dropping off the ceiling all night will have to wait until I compile the photos and compose the text at sea, then post once I'm in Australia.
Australia, I should note, is a key destination for me. Not only am I very familiar with it, having spent seven intense weeks there last winter in support of Sir Robin's race, but I also have a dear friend there, Gay (read back to the Croatian and Austrian trips last July) who lives literally two blocks from where our boats will dock. Since it's a full two week stay, incorporating both Christmas and New Years, we as a boat have decided to rent a house. Quite amazingly, with the assistance of Gay, we've found a house that will actually house all of the 15 or so people we'd want it to, again only a few blocks from the marina.
Australia, then, will be the closest thing to a home port any of us will have on this 10 month, 35,000 mile voyage.
Okay, back to the boat to get it ready for tomorrow's departure. Somebody's broken the toilet and, as the below decks engineer, it's my job to fix it. I'll be up to my elbows in you-know-what for the rest of today.
Ah...sailing.
