Allan & Ursula Ward: Port Owen, Cape West Coast, South Africa.

Shearwater 39:
- L.O.A. 43ft (13.22m)
- L.O.D. 39ft (12m)
- L.W.L. 34ft (10.3m)
- BEAM 13ft(3.9m)
- DRAFT 6ft(1.8m)



HOW IT ALL BEGAN .

I placed my order on Nebe Boats on the 19/10/1992 for what was initially planned to be a complete factory built yacht that l would sail home to Durban from Capetown once she was completed. Unfortunately due to the demise of Nebe Boats in the early days of her construction it did not turn out that way, so l decided to truck her home to Ramsgate on the KZN South Coast to finish building her in our garden at home.

For many years we could proudly boast that we had the most expensive piece of garden furniture in town, but at the time l had no idea of how massive this project would turn out to be. As anyone who has built a blue water cruiser will tell you, particularly if she is kitted out with all the systems and the equipment that a modern cruiser has onboard these days, it is a daunting task . Looking at the positive aspects of this project, l know the boat intimately in that l designed and installed the systems, so from a repair and maintenance perspective l have no issues carrying out the work that is necessary from time to time.



The big day arrived on the 29/8/2008 when we craned her out of the garden onto a rig to truck her through to Durban for launching . What followed was three months of preparations to ready her for the maiden voyage to our home port in Port Owen on the Cape West Coast.

We had a fast passage down the South African East Coast including a storm off the notorious Wild Coast and arrived in Port Owen in dense fog. Windward had passed her first test with flying colours and since then we have enjoyed some great sailing on the West Coast.


The master plan has always been to go cruising, so our plans are to leave for Brazil via Luderitz and St Helena Island at the end of February 2014. So far everything is on track although the “To Do“ list still grows each day.

The purpose of this blog is to record our adventure for ourselves, family and friends. Although it will probably end up being a brief summary of events while we are cruising, we hope you will enjoy and share some of our experiences with us.

LIVING THE DREAM .

Thursday, April 6, 2017

DOMINICA . THE NATURE ISLAND .

BROAD REACHING UP DOMINICA'S WEST COAST .

AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE WERE PICKING UP SURFS OF 9kns .
THIS FERRY CAME FLYING PAST US LIKE WE WERE STANDING STILL .

DOMINICA'S DRAMATIC SOUTH COAST .
MOUNTAINS RISING UP OUT OF THE SEA .

MADIBA CAFE .
THE FIRST LITTLE BUILDING OPPOSITE OUR MOORING . THE LADY OWNER IS A BIG NELSON MANDELA FAN .

THE INDIAN RIVER MOUTH .
HEADING UP RIVER BY BOAT IS LIKE BEING IN JURASSIC PARK .

JENNIFER , THE OWNER OF THE IGUANA RESTAURANT POSING AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE .

MY GORGEOUS PARTNER IN CRIME SIPPING ON A ICE COLD KUBULI AT THE IGUANA .
SEE IF YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THOSE FACES ON THE WALL .

DOWNTOWN PORTSMOUTH .

DITTO .

HOW CLOSE CAN YOU GET TO THE WATER .
ALL THIS GUY DOES IS TIP HIS BOAT IN AND HEAD OUT TO SEA .

UNDER THAT CLOUD LIES GUADELOUPE .

MY MAN CARTOUCHE PREPARING A QUICK COCONUT SNACK .
HE CAN PEEL A MANGO WITH HIS MACHETE .

IN MY ELEMENT .
WE HIKED THROUGH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RAINFOREST I HAVE EVER SEEN .

THE FIRST MATE HAVING AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT AFRICA WITH CARTOUCHE AND HIS LADY .

THE FIRST MATE ADMIRING THE BEAUTIFUL FOREST FLOWERS .

CARTOUCHE COLLECTING WILD FRUITS FOR LUNCH .

SPOT THE SNAKE .
THIS FELLA STARTED HUFFING & PUFFING AND APPARENTLY HE IS AGGRESSIVE AND IF HE GETS HIS FANGS INTO YOU , IT IS NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE .

URS AND HER FAMOUS PINK HIKING HAVIANAS .

CARTOUCHE GIVING JENNIFER A LESSON ON HOW TO HANDLE A SNAKE .
HE ONCE HAD A TUSSLE WITH A 4m BOA CONSTRICTOR .

THE MAGNIFICENT HIKING TRAIL THAT TRAVERSES THE ISLAND .
WE HIKED SECTION 13 & 14 .

OUR FAVOURITE CARIBBEAN ISLAND SO FAR .

ANCIENT TERRA CARPUS OFF-CIALIS TREES LINE THE INDIAN RIVER BANKS .

THEIR BUTTRESS ROOTS SPREAD OVER THEMSELVES AND PROTECT THE MANGROVES FROM EROSION .

THIS PIC IS FOR MY GRANDSON .
CALYPSO'S HOUSE IN PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN .

THE RASTA MAN GIVING INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO HANDLE LARGE CRABS WITH LARGE PINCERS .

SIPPING ON GINGER DRINKS IN THE JUNGLE BAR .

A GREAT EGRET .
BIRDS IN ABUNDANCE .

CHAUDIERE POOL .
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE MUCH IN THE PIC BUT I JUMPED OFF THE TOP ROCK AND IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET WET .

DOMINICA'S PICTURESQUE WINDWARD COAST .

EMERALD POOL .
LOCAL LEGEND HAS IT THAT AFTER COOLING OFF IN THIS WATER YOU WILL GET YOUNGER .

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