Author: Ulrich Fingscheidt

With a loud bang the padeye for the main sheet block broke when I tensioned the main sheet yesterday. The padeye (red line) and the rubber stand-up base flew into the sea. The breaking load of this block is 2,2 tonnes. I guess it was a fatigue break. At the moment, I can’t use the mainsail. I will do a provisional repair with Dyneema when the waves are smaller. Once arrived on Fernando de Noronha I will try to use one of the spinnaker standup blocks which can later be replaced once I reach Antigua.

Today I share with you the view out of my living room window.

This is the limited space where I am living for the next 26 days and nights. The waves are increasing, everything is continuously rocking and rolling. I always have to hold on to something when moving around on the boat.

The fog has decreased, but it’s still a grey day.

I am motoring along the westcoast of South Africa. 5 kn of wind. Light swell. Preparing for the night.

Leaving South Africa in low winds. For me, it has been a wonderful time in this country of contrasts. Easy is fully provisioned, the batteries are full. I am already tired since I could not get to sleep before 03:30. Luckily, the sea is pretty flat, so no seasickness so far.

Day 1 of the repair. Easy is enjoying some dry time on land with a view of the famous Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.

Lots of vessels and crayfish fishery far off the coast required some attention. I could not really sleep much this night, just some 20-min segments.

On my way to Cape Town I round the Cape with the sun setting.

On our trip from Richards Bay to Durban we met a pod of whales in the morning hours.