The Cosmos Adventure - News
Joe Dorr Report Received November 16, 2002Cosmos
George and I are back aboard Cosmos with our new crewman, Mario Viljoen. Mario was going to cross the Indian Ocean aboard Cosmos, but was detained by something called "Work." We finally met Mario in Cape Town and continued our air journey on to Durban on Friday, November 8. The trip by air took about four hours. The passage back to Cape Town by water might take a month. The voyage by sailboat from Durban to Cape Town can be one of the most dangerous of our circumnavigation, but with accurate weather forecasts and patience, we expect a good ride.
We found Cosmos to be pretty clean when we returned. Derek and Brendan, who live aboard Shanon, a 37 foot Prout catamaran located about ten slips down from Cosmos' slip, were very nice to keep a watch on the boat and have the outside cleaned right before we arrived here.
We immediately started to work, getting Cosmos ready for the trip down the coast of Africa, hoping to be on our way within a couple of days. Saturday and Sunday, the wind blew from the southwest (our intended direction), so we couldn't leave even if we wanted to. Monday we were able to put on the sails and took things out of storage, while six boats pulled out for the run to East London.
The trip from Durban to Cape Town typically consists of three segments: 250 miles from Durban to East London, 125 miles from East London to Port Elizabeth, and 240 miles from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town. Sailboats wait in each place until the weather is suitable to sail, and then make a dash for the next port to get there before the next storm hits. On average, a high-pressure system forms every three days southwest of Cape Town and moves northeast, up the East Coast of Africa. The wind blows 25 to 35 knots in a northeast direction, against the Agulhas Current, which runs southwest at about 5 knots. The wind, blowing against the current, often makes waves of sixty feet.
When we arrived, we were told about a German single-handed sailor who has been sailing for 13 years. Last week, he tried to make a run all the way to Cape Town without stopping and got caught in weather. His 42-foot boat was demasted as it rolled over six times. He was lifted off the boat by helicopter after sustaining a broken jaw and having some teeth knocked out. Definitely something we wish to avoid.
We missed the departure weather window that lasted all of four hours Monday morning. Today, Tuesday, we heard the forecaster say no departure window is expected in his weather forecast that extends to next Monday. So we arrived on Friday, and were ready to leave on Monday, shortly after the weather window closed; the next weather window is at least a week away. Guess we will continue our work on Cosmos. I am sure George will tell about the things we are fixing.
We have seen a number of sailors that we met in various ports across the Indian Ocean. First there was Jimmy, a single-handed sailor from Kansas. We first met him in Rodrigues, on the other side of Madagascar. Second was Dave and Jema, whom we met about 5,000 miles across the Indian Ocean in Darwin, and third was Mike, another single-handed sailor we met in Rodrigues. Meetings such as these once again give credence to the adage, "big oceans, small harbors."
Now back to work on the boat.
Best wishes to everyone back home.
Joe Dorr, Captain of the Cosmos
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