The skipper had an anxious watch from 01.00 to 5.000h during which time the haze thickened and the aircraft noises proved to be the sound of breakers, as the current was setting us inshore. He pinched "Penelope" and managed to steer a more southerly course at a tangent from the land.
Soon After, I went below, we lost Dassen Island light and failed to pick up, in the haze, the red and White occulting light on Robben Island, which should have winked through before Dassen Island Lighthouse was out of range.
At 06.00h I awoke and saw Juan's sea-booted legs on the ladder leading to the Navigation room. The sound of breakers was very loud and Juan was just about to call the skipper. It was then daylight, the haze had lifted and "Penelope" was just making way (estimated speed 1.1/2 knots) about 300 metres from a lee-shore at Blaauwberstrand, with collosal (sic) breakers pounding on the sand and the rocks to port. We called the skipper quickly, threw off the guys and jibed to starboard, whilst the skipper dived into the engine room and got the diesel moving with incredible rapidity. We slowly drew off the land and I made a cup of tea for all hands, with fresh brown bread, butter and cheddar cheese, bought at Saldanha.
Soon Afterwards Robben Island became visible through the haze, about 1.1/2 miles to starboard and we proceeded under sail and power into Table Bay.
At around 09.00h the haze lifted, Table Mountain came into view, we lowered sail and picked up the pilot.
By 10:30h we had passed through Duncan dock and were moored to a buoy in the Yacht basin, overlooking the handsome Royal Cape Yacht Club dependencies.
Our long voyage was over.
Yet another vessel had reached her destination and the readers of the "Shipping Intelligence" column of "the Times" on Monday might notice the brief announcement: "Penelope arrd. C'town 10th".
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