CALLISTO: January 2015

Saturday, January 31, 2015

V and A Waterfront Marina, Capetown, SA

Much has happened since our return from Namibia. We left the Royal cape yacht Club and we are now at the V and A waterfront marina and it's a much better place. The howling Southeasters are blocked by the high rise buildings and there is no swell or other problems here except for the local seal colony who hang out on the pontoons and make a lot of noise and sometimes leave special presents. Only goes to show nothing is ever perfect but the V and A is a great improvement.
We were unable to extend our visas upon our return to SA so once our current 90 days are up the admiral and I will go back to the UK to see new baby Genevieve. She will stay until March and I will return to SA later in February to get the boat ready for the Atlantic voyage on April 1.
Our friends David and Marian from Kilkea II are here and we just spent a pleasant weekend in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek with them. Our new cockpit cushions have arrived and very comfortable they are too.
Days are spent wandering around Capetown and doing boat chores. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.

Wedding anniversary dinner at the Cape Grace Hotel

View of table mountain from the company gardens

The oldest synagogue is Capetown

The road to nowhere. Downtown Capetown

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Daan Valjoen, Namibia

Some photos

Genevieve Elizabeth Donoghue born Jan 3 2015, 7lb. 7 oz. 21 1nches tall

tiny town in the Namibian desert

Barbeque area at the lodge. Great food

me on the dune

old car in the desert

Dinner the Sossusvlie Lodge Animals came out to drink at the flood lit waterhole. This oryx did not suspect his brother was on the menu

fairy circles. an odd phenomenon in the Namib where no vegetation grows in the circles

queen of the world atop the big dune

these dunes are really big. Note tiny people on bottom right

wild ostrich

shadow in the morning

pass on the way to the dunes. Crazy road

chalet at the lodge. Half tent and half house, very strange

dunes at ground level

sossusvlie and deadvlie from the air. this is the one we climbed

balloon rising over the desert

Monday, January 5, 2015

Daan Viljoen Game Park, Namibia

This the last night of our Namibia walkabout. It's difficult to understand where seventeen days went, we have seen so much.
We have just returned from from two days at the Sossusvlei Lodge. It was worth the 400 km drive on un paved roads to get there. Our trusty rental Toyota did very well and did the same job that the massive 4x4's did. The resort was wonderful and it is just as well this trip is done because I think I am going to eat myself to death. The Sossusvlei dunes were brilliant and we spent one day walking in the park and this morning took a 60 minute helicopter ride around the park. A great experience but now have 700 still images and an hour of video to edit. Oh well.
We leave for Capetown tomorrow and will post some photos .
Oh, and I almost forgot. We do have some other most important news.
Our second grand child, Genevieve Elizabeth Donoghue was born on January 3 rd. 7 lbs. 7 oz. 21 inches tall and a week early. Jessica and baby are both doing well.
Baby photos to follow, too