Sailing Magazine
by Richard Crockett
Earlier this month I shared an editorial which prompted David Abromowitz to call me and share a very funny but rude story about a race, in days of yore, to PE. Be sure to ask him about it when you next see him!
On 26 December 1958 six yachts and their intrepid crew started the race from Simonstown to PE, as was reported in the January/February 1959 issue of SA Yachting.
“Six starters lined up at the Bullnose, Simonstown. for the second Simonstown to Port Elizabeth ocean race to be held by the Cruising Association of South Africa in conjunction with the Royal Cape Yacht Club. They all got away to a good start at 11.00 hours on Boxing Day in a fresh south-easter across False Bay, making for Cape Hangklip.
“There was feverish activity among most of the crews who were still reefing down on the starting line in the gusty fresh wind. As the yachts passed Cape Hangklip ‘Parergon Ill’ showed her power in these conditions by taking a definite lead, although at this stage she was still being challenged by ‘Viking’, close astern – with ‘Active’, ‘Parergon II’, ‘Atalanta’ and ‘Stella Maris’ all beginning to string out.
“The burning question for all the navigators on rounding Hangklip was to decide whether to stay close inshore, making short tacks in the hope of finding the light counter-currents which sometimes occur along this coast.”
READ MORE HERE: 1959 01-02 – SA Yachting – PE Race – OCR
