RCYC, Capetown, SA

We are back on the boat at the RCYC after a visit from Jennifer and  her friend Ed. They arrived last Sunday and we had a very busy week sightseeing. The yacht club had a live jazz band playing on Sunday and we had a very boozy lunch listening to the music. On Monday, we took the red tourist bus which took us all over Capetown and we took the cable car to the top of the Table Mountain and then lunch overlooking the beach at Blues in Camp Bay.
Next day,we went on the boat to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned until 1992. A well worthwhile tour and strongly recommended.
We wandered around the V and A waterfront area for the afternoon, lots of stores there. On Wednesday we rented a car and we took Jennifer to renew her ENG-1 in downtown Capetown and on to lunch in Kalk Bay at Live Bait and then to Simonstown to see the African penguins. We drove all the way down False bay to Cape Point and took the cable car to the most south westerly point in Africa. Most spectacular views! We drove back through Hout Bay, so it was a long and tiring day but we saw a great deal of the cape.
On Thursday we took the car to Franschhoek and took the rather kitschy " wine tram" to all the various vineyards in the area. I'm not too sure about the tram but there was no other easy way of doing this without a designated driver as we were all a bit tipsy by late afternoon, having visited four vineyards. Franschhoek valley is an experience.
 Dozens of vineyards, mostly small, but some larger commercial ones. Our favorite was Grand Provence. In many ways more beautiful than Napa and Sonoma with incredible scenery and views from the surrounding mountains.
We had a superb lunch the next day at the Grand Provence with some delicious wine and then went on to look at Stellenbosch the other famous wine growing valley. The town was much bigger than Franschhoek with a younger vibe and also surrounded by vineyards, though these seemed much bigger and more commercial than Franschhoek.
Both valleys are only about 90 minutes drive from Capetown and we will definitely go  and spend more time in Franschhoek when we get back from Namibia.
We had some dinner at a fairly divey looking restaurant close to RCYC called Panama Jacks. Very good seafood and sushi and full of locals.
Yesterday, we took a ride to Groot Constantia which is the oldest vineyard in South Africa and we did the the wine tour and tasting and had a very good lunch. We visited the botanical gardens at Kirstenbosch which was excellent but we unfortunately had three hours to spend there before closing time. We will return to spend a day there in January.
The yacht club was busy on our return following a big race sponsored by Mount Gay Rum. And you all know what happens when free rum and sailors are combined. It was a loud and lively evening.
Jenn and Ed left this morning for their tour of Knysna and the Garden Route and we will see them again on Thursday.
We are back to boat chores today and my new dinghy and motor will arrive tomorrow and the Volvo boys will be back with my heat exchanger and aftercooler and will fit them and do the cam belt and some other maintenence.
I still haven't found a new speed log impeller but I hope I will be able to source one this week.
Photos to follow.