Dear Family and Friends
Happy to report the crew is all well on board Rocket/Stop Rhino Poaching. Also VERY happy to advise that RR managed to install our new sound system and we now have music on the boat! Another great note is that the Water maker is STILL working - Yaaaaaay :)
We posted a picture on Facebook yesterday showing us at Skipper Gerrie's birthday dinner. (Rex as lead technologist, offered to get the self timer on his camera to take the pic. Surprise, surprise - he did not make it into the pic :)
At the dinner we all received our official Cape2Rio hats. I need to explain the titles painted onto each hat.
Sweater: Pieter is a recent top athlete having won the initial Sani2Sea mountain bike race and competed internationally. He is our muscle man and he is inevitably assigned to "sweat" the halyards (the ropes which pull up the sails). Lots of power to spare combined with an undying sense of humour (even when "all hands" are called 20 min after he hits the sack) and an
encyclopaedic knowledge of music - he is our official sweater. No foredeck activity happens without Pieter up front!
Google. Johan truly is our local Google when we cannot get online - and he is a lot faster giving the most pertinent results. His general knowledge expands from stars to birds (even though he says he knows nothing) to science to arts. He too is assigned to the Front Deck with junior brother Pieter and its clear the whole family can pack immense power. Johan is our official medical officer and happily his general knowledge extends widely into this sphere. Always ready with a willing hand is Johan.
Long Street Cape Town. Volker has sailed everywhere - and sailed back there again. The stories which come out over night watch are inevitably hilarious. He has been arrested for not paying his bill in a downtown bar in Rio and delivered yachts to the rich and powerful. He says he is very much at home in Long Street - and we believe him. He has a wealth of sailing knowledge and always willing to share this knowledge. He is rock solid at the helm in touchy maneuvers.
Wiz Kid. Gareth lives up to the name fully. He is only 26 yet has immense sailing knowledge and experience. He is certainly the go to person that Gerrie debates strategy with. As a formidable sailor this must make him an all round Fixit man. He has found workarounds to repair our ripped apart spinnaker pole track. He installed the new sound system. He has been to the top of the pole and even under the boat. He does all the activities with huge energy, enthusiasm and professionalism - a fantastic find for this crew just one week prior to departure.
Skipper, Water Maker, Scribe, Footloose Steering mechanic, Masterchef - I suspect most of the family may know who these are - check out tomorrow's report.
Our winds vary from 5 knots (golf weather) to short periods of 15 knots (much more sailing friendly) with significant variations around rain squalls. We expect this to stay for another day or so which of course delays arrival in Rio at least by an extra day.
Lots of love and best wishes to all our family and friends
Regards
Mike on behalf of Team Rocket/Stop Rhino Poaching
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