Fun this morning. Twins up, a beautiful relaxing warm shower to release the aching muscles, enjoying a cup second coffee for the day, we were carefully monitoring the wind as it commenced creeping up and down, like a shy animal teasing as it slithered forward then back as one attempted to entice it out.

A sudden short sharp burst of 17 knots forcefully pushed against the twins. Remember that permapine wood pole insert Bob worked on and inserted into the two halves of the broken aluminium pole in Cocos? After nearly 3000 nautical miles, it finally gave up the ghost, cracking and crashing to the deck, in seconds destroying our morning of relaxing peace. In came the twins, out went the genie and staysail.

Light southerlies predicted, the decision was made to turn the bow landwards toward Port Elizabeth where we could make repairs on the pole, adjust the flood pump in the engine room and, if lucky, purchase new oil and temperature gauges.