Sailing into Durban – Indian Ocean Complete

It is 4am and my final night-watch. There are all the usual creaks and groans of the boat, the same star-studded Southern Sky, but tonight a beautiful halo of light is crowning the horizon. It’s beautiful, because it is the lights of Africa. I can’t see land yet, but it’s there, and oh man – I am itching to get off this boat and onto it!

Apparently it is only 71 days since we left Australia, but I find that hard to believe. It feels much longer. In fact, I can hardly remember life before the boat. For all this time I’ve lived in a strange and disconnected bubble, with contact restricted to crew-mates and the occasional email reassuring the parents I’m still alive. The world could be on the verge of nuclear war and I would have no idea. For most of the last 71 days, the horizon has been empty, punctuated with islands just often enough to stop me going crazy. Those islands have been the highlights, Ashmore Reef, Christmas Island, Cocos Keeling… some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

I have heard extreme mountaineers say that you don’t conquer the mountain, you simply sneak up while it isn’t watching. I understand them completely; we hadn’t beaten the Indian Ocean. If anything, it is our healthy respect for the Ocean that has allowed us to sail so far. The Indian Ocean was always in charge and we just clung to what little control we had.

The Indian Ocean has taken its toll on Leia B (our boat) and we couldn’t be limping towards the finish line any more than we are; thanks to the ongoing heavy weather we have a torn sail, a snapped halyard (rope), a broken rudder, two overheated engines, flat batteries and two exhausted crew. Durban Sea Rescue have heard of our plight from Wyn’s brother and are concerned about whether we can make it through the large waves at the mouth of the harbour. They want to come and tow us in, but Wyn, who is on the verge of completing his circumnavigation has rejected this offer. We will radio our situation to Sea Rescue every hour, and they will remain on standby until we arrive.

8 hours after we first saw land, we are now getting close. The buildings and figures have taken shape, and I see the giant stadium from the 2010 Football World Cup which dominates the view. Suddenly a jet of water sprays out of the water 50 metres ahead. I can’t see what it is. Moments later, the dark bulk of a whale’s back grows from the water, closely followed by a giant tail less than 5 metres from me. It is the first whale I have seen in the entire ocean crossing, and it seems to be welcoming me to Africa, or perhaps congratulating me on the achievement.

As we maneuver between giant tanker ships and into the harbour, Durban Sea Rescue volunteers stand on the sea walls, clapping and waving to us. Their boat is lowered into the water where it has been waiting to come and rescue us all day. This is one of the happiest moments of my life, I’m at the front of the boat, with appropriate music pumping through my headphones. I’m fist-pumping the sky, dancing and singing as loud as I can. “I bless the rains down in AFRICAAAA…”, “Ah, savenya… It’s the circle of life”, “In the jungle, the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight… howooooooo-ooo-ooo-ooo awim, wimboweh!”. The fishermen are staring at me strangely, but it doesn’t matter… I’m in AFRICA!

Sailing into Durban was the same as cycling into Sydney. It is one of those moments of total euphoria and joy. There are many challenges and low moments on adventures like these, but that overwhelming sense of completion makes it all worthwhile. The memories of sailing the Indian Ocean will last forever.