Melkbos to Witsand

On the water just after 5am. The swell had picked up and the tide was low, so it took a bit of timing to make it to the back line. The day’s plan was simple: the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so I headed straight across Table Bay with Robben Island to my right.

For some reason the VHF comms with Warren stopped working, the external microphone had stuck on transmit and drained the battery. I switched to cell phone, only to find the Land Rover phone on silent. Teething problems worth sorting out close to home.

Rounding Karbonkelberg things got a bit bumpy, a 3m swell still running, so I opted out of the straight line between the rocks. From there a north-westerly started to blow and I got my first taste of a downwind, a broad smile showing all the way to Slangkop Lighthouse, only to disappear approaching the point off Witsand, where the surf was pounding and my heart sank at the thought of a tricky landing, until I rounded the point and found a clear path to the slipway. Smile back on.