sternsheet
New Member
Planning a passage from UK to Cape Town later this year. Anyone done it before willing to share experiences?
Anyone sailed UK to Cape Town?
- Thread starter sternsheet
- Start date
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
It was the standard first leg in the old Whitbread Round the World races. I remember one of the boats saying that had spent days (over 20 I think), on the same tack. When eventually they went about the crew collected plenty of bruises because they kept falling over.
D
Deleted member 478
Guest
Not actually done the whole trip, but have done most of it.
UK to Canaries in northern hemisphere summer - easy sail.
Canaries to Brazil is doable at any time of year (via Cap Verde) - easy sail.
Salvador (Brazil) to Cape Town any time between Jan and March (IIRC), heading deep south as far south as 40 deg, then turn left. Expect some very brisk sailing.
In Salvador, head across the bay to Itaparica and look for the old German couple (Pieter and ????) that now live there and who lived in Cape Town for many years. They tell a wonderful story of running out of SA wine very late one evening, so immediately lifted the anchor and sailed back to Cape Town in order to restock. Quite sensible if you ask me. They've done that leg of your trip, in both directions, several times. They are well known at the popular bars (about three) in Itaparica, so not difficult to track down. And, if you are at a bar and hear an elderly German couple, both talking at the same time and saying exactly the same thing, you would have found them
UK to Canaries in northern hemisphere summer - easy sail.
Canaries to Brazil is doable at any time of year (via Cap Verde) - easy sail.
Salvador (Brazil) to Cape Town any time between Jan and March (IIRC), heading deep south as far south as 40 deg, then turn left. Expect some very brisk sailing.
In Salvador, head across the bay to Itaparica and look for the old German couple (Pieter and ????) that now live there and who lived in Cape Town for many years. They tell a wonderful story of running out of SA wine very late one evening, so immediately lifted the anchor and sailed back to Cape Town in order to restock. Quite sensible if you ask me. They've done that leg of your trip, in both directions, several times. They are well known at the popular bars (about three) in Itaparica, so not difficult to track down. And, if you are at a bar and hear an elderly German couple, both talking at the same time and saying exactly the same thing, you would have found them
Tiddy Oggy
Active Member
Approach from SW
I would emphasise what Stingo says about your last lap to Cape Town -- stay well south of Cape Town's latitude as you approach it from the west, because strong southeasterlies (very common there) can set you north of the port and make it difficult to get back against wind and current.
The southeasterlies are not so common in the southern winter (June, July) however, so much depends on what time of year you're going to arrive there. Jimmy Cornell recommends you get there between December and February.
He recommends crossing the equator between 27°W and 29°W and says Cape Town, ideally, should be approached from the southwest.
Good alternative harbours of refuge are Hout Bay on the west side of the Cape Peninsula and Simonstown, on the east side. The Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town is very welcoming and the local beer (Castle Lager) is not 'arf bad.
I would emphasise what Stingo says about your last lap to Cape Town -- stay well south of Cape Town's latitude as you approach it from the west, because strong southeasterlies (very common there) can set you north of the port and make it difficult to get back against wind and current.
The southeasterlies are not so common in the southern winter (June, July) however, so much depends on what time of year you're going to arrive there. Jimmy Cornell recommends you get there between December and February.
He recommends crossing the equator between 27°W and 29°W and says Cape Town, ideally, should be approached from the southwest.
Good alternative harbours of refuge are Hout Bay on the west side of the Cape Peninsula and Simonstown, on the east side. The Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town is very welcoming and the local beer (Castle Lager) is not 'arf bad.
sternsheet
New Member
Current planning is to leave Malta around 15th October, so should be approaching Cape Town around 15th December....
chinita
Well-Known Member
But most liveaboard couples do that!
scotty123
Well-Known Member
Clipper Ventures doing it in August, via Rio!
Clyde_Wanderer
Well-Known Member
multihullsailor6
Well-Known Member
That's the time when what we call the "normal" South Easter blows with 30kts (and when the typical white Table Mountain tablecloth appears), when a "Cape Doctor" blows (then the tablecloth turns grey) its again from the SE but with 40kts+! So beware and approach Cape Town from the SE if the forecasts predict a South Easter.
70M north of Cape Town is the next harbour in Saldanha Bay, nice cruising ground if your course couldn't lay Cape Town.
malds
Member
Is it not possible to sail from the Canaries south to cape town? Why the Brazil bounce?
Lady Campanula
N/A
SAWDOC
Well-Known Member
Have a look at the Volvo Ocean Race leg 1 just finishing same story.
Conachair
Guest
estarzinger
Well-Known Member
MAy pilot chart below. You can see the quite stable high pressure around st helena, with southerlies to the east and easterlies to the west.
View attachment 14944
View attachment 14944
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estarzinger
Well-Known Member
Last edited:
estarzinger
Well-Known Member
And just for kicks, here is the current situation/surface chart. The high has drifted down low right now, as it sometimes does during the summer. And you would have to go below the latitude of Capetown to efficiently get down and around it.
View attachment 14952
View attachment 14952
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tamaroa
New Member
Jeanne Socrotes Blogg /Website
I have not done this trip myself but I have followed Jeanne Socotes via her blog on her circumnavigations via Cape Town.
She provides lots of detail and insight into her trip (which was full of unexpected trials and tribulations).
This link takes you to her web site.
http://www.svnereida.com/
I have not done this trip myself but I have followed Jeanne Socotes via her blog on her circumnavigations via Cape Town.
She provides lots of detail and insight into her trip (which was full of unexpected trials and tribulations).
This link takes you to her web site.
http://www.svnereida.com/
cgull
Well-Known Member
I did it once when I emigrated to Australia in 1970. on a ship.
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
A mate of mine sailed from Spain to South Africa coasting,he worked in some ports was ill with some tropical illness.He rounded the Cape and coasted up the other side then crossed to India IIRC.Before they invented pirates!
