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 .

Monday, December 21, 2015

CRUISING SEASON 2015 .

CHAPADA DIAMANTINA .
OUR VISIT TO THIS BEAUTIFUL PART OF CENTRAL BAHIA COINCIDED WITH THE ANNUAL VALE DO CAPAO JAZZ FESTIVAL .

CACHOEIRA DA FUMACA ( SMOKE FALLS ).
BRAZIL'S HIGHEST WATERFALL .

JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL IN PARATY .
WE HAPPENED TO BE IN THE HISTORIC CITY FOR BOTH THE 2014 & 2015 FESTIVALS .

AFTER HAULING OUT AT THE PORTO IMPERIAL MARINA FOR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE
WINDWARD IS NOW READY TO SAIL .

WE WERE FORTUNATE TO BE INVITED TO THIS EXCLUSIVE YACHT CLUB ON THREE OCCASIONS .

WE REALLY ENJOYED OUR TIME IN RIO VISITING IT'S FAMOUS BEACHES AND ICONIC LANDMARKS .

CHILLING WHILE ANCHORED OFF PRAIA DO FORNO , ARRAIAL DO CABO .

GOOD TIMES IN BUZIOS WITH FELLOW CRUISERS FRANCO & CATH FROM WALES .

AN ELEVATED VIEW OF VITORIA FROM THE PENHA CONVENT .
THIRD BRIDGE AS IT IS KNOWN LOCALLY IS THE SECOND TALLEST BRIDGE IN BRAZIL AND HAS BECOME ONE OF THE CITY'S MAIN LANDMARKS .

AN ELEVATED VIEW OF THE ABROLHOS ARCHIPELAGO FROM THE TOP OF THE LIGHTHOUSE .

DANI ABRAS , THE WHALE LADY WHO MADE OUR STAY ON THE ABROLHOS ARCHIPELAGO VERY SPECIAL .

WE HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY WHALES AS WE DID WHILE SAILING TO THIS SPECIAL PLACE .
OUR VISIT TO THE ARCHIPELAGO COINCIDED WITH THE ANNUAL MIGRATION OF HUMPBACK WHALES UP THE BRAZILIAN COAST .

ANCHORED IN THE RIO JOAO de TIBA IN SANTO ANDRE .
THIS VILLAGE IS WHERE THE GERMAN SQUAD BASED THEMSELVES DURING THEIR VERY SUCCESSFUL SOCCER WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN . 

RELAXING AT THE GAIVOTA RESTAURANT IN SANTO ANDRE .

PASSARELA DO ALCOOL ( BOOZE ALLEY ) IN PORTO SEGURO .
DEAD DURING THE DAY BUT IT COMES ALIVE AT NIGHT .

THE CHURCH THAT LOOKS DOWN ONTO THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ CABRALIA .
WHEN ARRIVING FROM OFFSHORE IT IS VERY CONSPICUOUS HIGH UP ON THE HILL .

USING RADAR AND KEEPING A SHARP LOOKOUT AT NIGHT IS PARAMOUNT OFF THE BRAZILIAN COAST AS HUNDREDS OF FISHING BOATS , SOME WITHOUT LIGHTS PLY THESE WATERS . 

TAKING A TOUR OF A CACAO FARM WITH THE OWNER IN ILHEUS .

THE VIEW FROM JORGE AMADO'S ( THE FAMOUS BRAZILIAN WRITER ) HOME IN ILHEUS.

ANCHORED OFF ISLA DO GOIO IN CAMAMU .
BAIA DE CAMAMU IS KNOWN FOR ITS QUIET AND PEACEFUL ANCHORAGES WHERE DUGOUT CANOES ARE STILL USED TODAY FOR GETTING ABOUT ON THE RIVER .

OUR DUCK WORKED OVERTIME THIS SEASON EXPLORING THE RIVERS AND MANGROVES .

ANCHORED OFF THE TOWN OF MARAU WITH IT'S UNIQUE STRUCTURE IN THE BACKGROUND .

POSTCARD ANCHORAGES UP THE RIO MARAU .

CACHOEIRA DE TREMEMBE .
MILES AWAY FROM THE OCEAN UP THE RIO MARAU .

THE ANCIENT ENTRANCE TO THE TOURISTY TOWN OF MORRO DE SAO PAULO .

THE QUIET FISHING VILLAGE OF GALEAO LOOKING OUT OVER THE RIO PEQUIE .

THE MONASTERY ON THE HILL IN CAIRU .

THE ELEVADOR LACERDA WHICH LINKS THE UPPER AND LOWER CITIES IN SALVADOR .

THE PELOURINHO .
THE HISTORIC CENTRE OF SALVADOR WHERE SLAVES WERE WHIPPED WHILE TIED TO A POST .

GOOD TIMES WITH GOOD MATES IN SALVADOR .

AFTER THE UNTIMELY DROWNING OF A GOOD FRIEND WHO WAS LOST OVERBOARD WE BECAME VERY SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY WHILE ALONE IN THE COCKPIT .

OUR DEAR FRIEND & ON BOARD PHYSICIST PHILIPPE GOUFFON WHO SAILED THE LAST 500nm OF THIS SEASON'S PASSAGE WITH US .

SITTING HIGH UP ON A HILL IN THE HISTORIC CITY OF OLINDA ADMIRING THE VIEW WITH THE CITY OF RECIFE IN THE DISTANCE .

WE ENJOYED SOME GREAT SAILING THIS SEASON WHILE ON PASSAGE UP THE BRAZILIAN COAST .

SNUG IN HER BERTH AT PETER'S PIER IN JACARE WAITING FOR US TO RETURN FOR NEXT YEAR'S PASSAGE TO THE CARIBBEAN .

THE AMAZING IGUASSU FALLS AS SEEN FROM THE BRAZILIAN SIDE .

THE VIEWS OF THESE IMPRESSIVE FALLS FROM THE ARGENTINIAN SIDE .

AN OUTDOOR MILONGA IN PLAZA DORREGO IN BUENOS ARIES WHERE LOCALS DANCE THE TANGO UNTIL LATE .

THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF BUENOS AIRES .

CLASSIC VINTAGE FERRIES BUILT OUT OF MAHOGANY FERRYING PASSENGERS FROM TIGRE IN ARGENTINA .

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