Sailing Magazine
by Richard Crockett
Way back in 1987 a Compass 47 owned by Tony Drayton crossed the bar of the Breede River and moored 10km down river from Malgas. Little was known of this feat which I can now share as I stumbled upon it in my archives recently.
Some years later in 2015 Nicholas and Deidre Mace decided that they wanted to explore the Breede River aboard their 50′ catamaran, so did all the research necessary and two years running sailed from Cape Town to the Breede River to spend the Christmas festive season.
I was lucky enough to be invited to spend time with them on the river in 2016, a few days of being in paradise in an idyllic environment.
The only downside for me was “Mr Plod” who patrolled the river on his duck, and was thoroughly unpleasant as he appeared not to want others to share in his paradise. That aside, it’s worth considering as a cruising venue, but ONLY if you do your homework and plan well.
There are three different features on the Breede today, starting with the first known passage up the river by an ocean going yacht in 1987 and concluding with my time on the river in 2016.
READ “ACROSS THE BAR INTO THE BREEDE RIVER” HERE: Pages from 1987 02 – SA Yachting – OCR
READ “THE BREEDE RIVER” HERE: 2015 02 – Sailing Mag – breede
READ “PARADISE LOST – AND FOUND AGAIN!” HERE: 2016 03 – Sailing Mag – breede
