Thursday 19 January 2012

The cruises of Ocean Cloud,a short history.

Gulliver of Knysna by name was no more,she sailed on as Ocean Cloud,a name change and a hull line colour change too.I had seen her being launched at the RCYC,in many ways a sister ship to French Connection,one of the better Endurance 37 ever seen.


Gulliver of Knysna was on a trip from Knysna to Cape Town,four days into that trip she was rolled over just past the Cape Point light seen in the picture above,the next light house was Slangkop,its was right there she was rolled in the black of night.



This was not as I found and bought her,she was well out to sea and in the surf at low tide,I took the view she could be saved if I could get a crane?



The story of the sea resucue of Gullivers four male crew was well writen about,the painting of the rescue is to be found in Station Eights club room.



A week later she was mine,I had the job to repair the rather (very) large hole on the port side,it was closed one week later,then the refit started.



Fifty one weeks after she was taken from the rocks,we re launched the boat and named her Ocean Cloud.We used our marina berth at Cape Towns RCYC and sailed of a year or so later on a day like this.



Brasil was exciting,so was Fernando Noranja,Lorna climbed Pico with friends,we were at anchor not far from the bays below.


Next was Brasils Athol das Rocas,a wonderfull over night stop on a coral island in the middle of the South Atlantic,there are no persons living on the isalnd.



Our stop at Venzuelas Mochima is a highlight of my cruising life,its one of those places we are supposed to visit,we did!



This picture says it all,there is hardly need for words,we are at the end of a days cruise,the bay is Punta Pargo and our last nights stay in Venezuela before and eventual and eventfull trip to Tinidads Port of Spain the following day.

How hard can this be?

R McB

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