Communication

                       We Didn't Break It                             

Communications within the Neuse Sailing association has never been easier!  For  the last two years,  Bill and I had fun contributing our time as NSA vice commodores of communications making this easy communication a reality. We started our tour of duty following a simple rule: ‘don’t break the website’ -- an homage to all the great work done by our predecessors on the site.  Quickly we realized that web technology had marched on since the original site was started and that better (cheaper!) solutions existed in the ether. So we updated the web site as well as other functions.   Some of the key improvements included

• transferring the website to the Wild apricot service, resulting in an over 200% savings in web costs but more importantly, more streamlined web interactions for members and bridge.
• ability to take credit card payments at Oyster Roast, Shrimperoo and Poker Run
• enabled photo contest voting by members.

We are delighted that Tracy Vail and Robert Pugh have agreed to take the VC communications role for 2019!  This is another example where bridge officers don’t have to serve solo—sharing the role is sharing the fun! One other great advantage of the web platform we chose is that it is quick to learn and after just one orientation session (that included a delicious dinner prepared by Robert)  Tracy and Robert are off and running the site.

Keep on communicating!

Susanne and Bill Lovelace

s/v TRiO

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Misto on World Arc

Season’s Greetings from Misto in Cape Town

The Zululand Yacht Club in Richards Bay, near Durban, was extremely welcoming and put on a number of great social events while we were there.  We enjoyed a wine tasting, typical Zulu food and dancing as well as the opportunity to braai (South African for grill or barbecue!) with our friends from other boats. We also enjoyed a game viewing trip to Umfolozi game reserve where we had a great day which included many elephant and rhino sightings, and two trips to the St Lucia game reserve where crocs and hippos are the main attraction.

 There is a large boatyard right at the yacht club and plenty of services, but       we were concerned about how long some things were expected to take.  So we had Misto waxed and polished but put off jobs like repairing the gel coat, damaged in Mauritius, to Cape Town.  The sailmaker did repair our gennaker in double quick time, and measured for our new sails, while the rigger measured for new standing rigging.  Misto has now completed over 40 000 nm so although the standing rigging looked OK we decided to go ahead and have it replaced in Cape Town.

The challenge in South Africa is timing   a weather window to get to Cape Town.  To make this journey you have to go   with the mighty Aghulas current along the coast of South Africa.  This current  is analogous to the Gulf Stream, but is stronger and in major south westerly winds is known to create 100’ waves  and huge “holes” that swallow ships far bigger than us.  With help from local sailors and  Chris Parker, a weather router from the US, we chose a weather window with easterly wind and set off down the coast.  The initial part of the passage from Richards Bay to Durban was very uncomfortable but after that the seas calmed down and we made excellent time, with a current of up to 5 knots speeding us along.  There are only a few stopping places for yachts on the South African coast and some boats stopped in East London, but we continued, concerned that if we stopped there we would get stuck for over a week before there was another weather window. So we kept going and also bypassed Port Elizabeth, however, as we approached Mossel Bay we had to make a decision to keep going with some south westerly wind or stop. Based on local advice we decided to stop and spent a couple of nights anchored in Mossel Bay.  The weather was uncharacteristically cold and wet and we huddled down looking for our next opportunity to continue on our journey.  Unfortunately this anchorage becomes untenable in an easterly wind and the yacht club there can not accommodate catamarans, so as a window of easterly wind approached we were forced to depart.  We had to beat out of the bay for 8 hours into strong head winds, swells and current. After that the wind turned in our favor, our course became more westerly, and therefore conditions improved as we rounded  Cape Aghulas, the most southerly point of Africa, and headed towards the Cape of Good Hope.  We completed the last stretch of this 950 nm journey in brilliant sunshine with stunning views of Table mountain.

We are staying in the Victoria and Alfred marina in the vibrant waterfront of Cape Town.  Here we have been able to have our gel coat repaired, our rigging replaced, our dinghy sent for repairs and are awaiting our new sails later in December. It would be tempting to just stay put as there are all the attractions of Cape Town and the surrounding areas, such as the wine lands, to enjoy. But this is our opportunity to visit old friends (we lived in South Africa for almost 18 years) and so we have set off to do just that, starting by flying to Port Elizabeth.

And so that brings us close to the end of 2018. We wish you all a very happy holiday season, whether you are on the water or off it, and the very best of sailing for 2019.

Ros and Howard Cheetham
s/v Misto

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Neuse Sailing Association | PO Box 253 | Oriental, NC 28571