Sail the World (Coastal) - 06 February 2013

"After people have had a taste of the waters around Cape Town, they feel that their time sailing is one of the best things they experience over an extended trip to South Africa" writes Mike Osler in 'Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die*'.

The waters around Cape Town are framed by Table Mountain, a magnificent elevation that rises over 3,500 feet above sea level from a point just a few miles north of the bay. The main face of the mesa is nearly two miles wide. It is an extraordinary sight and people out in the bay say they feel it is like sailing at the foot of a mountain.

Mike says "One of the amazing things about cruising around Cape Town is that you can sail in two oceans in one day. Leaving the Victoria and Albert docks in the Atlantic side, you can sail around Cape Point, where you enter the Indian Ocean. On the Atlantic side, the water is fairly cool, thanks to the Beguela current; when you get to the eastern side of Cape Point, the warm Agulhus current raises the water temperature dramatically. It's a unique experience to sail two oceans in one day."

Off the water, Cape Town is a wonderfully diverse and cosmopolitan city. Some people compare it with San Francisco for its lively, sophisticated and fun atmosphere. You could make this a holiday of a lifetime - a week's sailing from Cape Town and spend some time in the city as well.

*Fifty Places to Sail Before You Die by Chris Santella

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