A Not-so-Nice Trip to Nice-Na (Knysna)

When we sail, and talk about waiting for weather windows, it means that we are waiting for the best wind direction for us, which is usually from behind, or some degree from the side. We don’t want the wind coming from the front, because that will cause the boat to slam into the waves. On this South African coast, for the direction we were going in, from PE to Knysna, we were looking for wind in a south easterly direction, which is the weather window we chose when leaving PE. The South-Easter is usually accompanied by fair weather. However, if the South-Easter is accompanied by a cut-off low as occasionally happens in the spring and autumn months, this can cause heavy rains to fall over the Eastern Cape. It is a violent, fast moving front which, along with the heavy rains, brings strong winds and high seas. It is known as a “black South-Easter”, and this is what we experienced out at sea in the pitch black of night from 7:00pm till around 1:00am on November 14th, when it finally passed over us, and subsided to a relatively calm 25 knots of wind, while the seas still remained huge!

Gaby tried to capture the big seas we were going through

It was only one night, but it far surpassed any bad passages we’ve had to date, in our entire trip. The wind got up to 40 knots, and the seas were coming at us from the side. We had numerous waves breaking right over us, one was so bad, that even with all the canvases down, the water still gushed into the cockpit, through the salon and down the stairs into the starboard hull! The worst of it was between Cape St. Francis and Plettenberg Bay. Our mistake was that we were too close to shore as we rounded Cape St. Francis, because we didn’t want to be too far out, as winds were stronger out there. But what we didn’t anticipate, was the strength of this storm, the wind being so strong and the sea so huge, and it was gradually pushing us closer and closer to shore. Catamarans generally don’t point well into the wind, so we were unable to steer further away from shore, and slowly we got closer and closer, at one point we were just 2 miles off-shore. Luckily, as we got closer to the point of Plettenberg Bay, the wind subsided somewhat, and we were able to point more into the wind, and away from land!

Knysna Heads - view from land - for perspective in the middle of the photo is a 10m (33ft) inflatable RIB dinghy with two big outboard engines coming in through the surf!

By the time we arrived at the Knysna Heads, at about 8:00am on Wednesday morning, November 15th, my nerves were shot, and we still had to negotiate entry into the Knysna Lagoon through the infamous Heads, 2 steep and rocky outcrops that provide a narrow entrance into a tranquil lagoon! We called the local NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) to ask if they thought it was OK for us to enter. They said all looked good, and to follow the leading lights into the lagoon. There is a submerged rock in the middle of the entrance, and one side of the entrance is very shallow and rocky, so you have to come in really close to the port side, so close that you feel you can touch the rocks! It was, of course, cold and raining, but we all had full confidence in our excellent skipper, who had negotiated narrow coral-lined passes in the Society Islands and Tuamotus, and conquered the infamous bars in Australia, and true to form, calmly and expertly guided Cool Runnings through the Heads and into the safety of the Knysna Lagoon! It was an exhausted, bedraggled crew that limped into Knysna on that morning, but we were oh, so thankful to be there, and be safe!

This is a shot from the live Knysna webcam.  We managed to capture the moment the camera caught us coming in!

Inside the Lagoon - safe at last!  Ben and Gaby in their foul weather gear.  It was the first time in the entire journey that we have used our foul weather gear!

The Heads on another day.  We watched this boat, but it didn't go out!

The Heads looking back into the lagoon

We were about to anchor, when a voice came on the radio and told us to come and tie up at the Knysna Yacht Club jetty. Colin Forster was there to help with the lines, even though it was pouring with rain. We were made to feel so welcome, it was wonderful! We treated ourselves to a hot, cooked breakfast at the Yacht Club, and were also welcomed there by Alan, the commodore of the club. We stayed on the jetty for the day and that night, and took the time to recover, and then explore our surroundings on foot.

Cool Runnings tied up to the Knysna Yacht Club jetty

A calm morning, a day or two after we arrived - tranquility at last!

The lagoon on a windless morning, looking back to the Heads

The Knysna Quay with its waterfront shops is right behind the yacht club, and a short walk from the boat. Although very much geared to the tour buses that arrived every day, it was still nice to peruse the shops and marvel at all the lovely African souvenirs, I especially love all the wire work…big giraffe and other animals all woven out of wire. On one walk a little further up the main street, we spotted a dentist, and decided it was time for the kids to have a check-up, and for Ben, in particular, to have some teeth removed. He had 2 very stubborn baby teeth that were not coming out, with the grown up teeth growing right over them.

Part of the Knysna waterfront area (unfortunately in the rain!)

The friendly Knysna Yacht Club

We went inside and asked if we could bring the kids in. We made an appointment for later that day, and while I stayed behind and cleaned and tidied the boat, Dave took Ben and Gaby to the dentist! Lucikly for the kids, Dr. van Zyl was fantastic, and they both declared that if she were their dentist at home, they would never mind going to the dentist! Both of them had a checkup, each had teeth removed and x-rays done, and it cost us just over $200! That amount would not even have covered any co-pay we would have had to pay at home!

Gaby at the dentist

Ben's turn!

So, with all the necessary evils of dentist visits, cleaning and vacuuming and laundry done, and with no good weather window to Cape Town for about a week, we decided to rent a car, and do some land exploration. Knysna is situated on the beautiful “Garden Route”, and it is also not a long distance to go inland to Oudtshoorn and the Klein Karoo. So on Saturday morning, November 18th, we left Cool Runnings safely at anchor and headed off in our little VW "Vivo" rental car to see what we could see!