South of Madagascar

Mhadei crossed about 150 Nm South of the Island of Madagascar this morning and is now rushing for the South Eastern tip of the African continent in good following winds and seas. The winds are predicted to remain Easterly for the next two days which should translate into some fast progress as we get closer to the fast moving Agulhas current and a fast passage to Cape Town in time for New Years! Bets are on, on board, whether we celebrate the New Year's in Cape Town or at Sea! A bit too early to predict yet. We will get a better idea in the next few days!

Across the Tropic of Capricorn

Off Mauritius

09 Dec 10

Across the Line yet again!

Mhadei crossed the Equator and got back in the Southern Hemisphere at 0258 on 03 Dec 10. This crossing, the fifth in eighteen months was rather interesting. A rouge minion of Neptune in the form of a nasty squall was waiting to ambush her within minutes of entering the Southern Hemisphere. Luckily the same had been detected on the radar and the boat was well prepared for it when it hit. All it could do in the end was to send her a bit off course at a fast clip while giving plenty of cool fresh water to the crew to have a shower and wash clothes!

We have been getting good steady winds since the last two days, translating into good progress on a Southerly course. We will continue heading South till we meet the South Easterly trade winds which will help us shape a straight downwind course to the South African coast.

As I write, it is a beautiful starlit night outside with a sky so clear and stars so bright that the horizon is visible by starlight alone! Mhadei is sailing along merrily on a cool steady Westerly breeze. A perfect time to lie out on the deck and do some stargazing!

Posting some pics by Gautam Khajuria, on his first trip with Mhadei.