Moving from my Bedfordview house to presently on a passage from Richards Bay to Cape Town, I am amazed at how one is able to down scale from 650 m2 to 60 m2 and from a closet the size of a room, to a hatch, which incredibly is sufficient. If I could travel with a small bag on a stick, I would be happy, because the less you have the further you can go and the faster too.

Marc is amazing on the boat he knows how to fix most things and scientifically works out what we need in energy and water etc. to make life comfortable.

His investment in his "island" Atlantis has given him the freedom and the chance of experiencing something 99% of people dream of, and that is ............... "To live on a Catamaran"! After one year of "hard" work Atlantis is finally ready to take to the "big blue".

Atlantis was named the "nauti cat", because she decided one day to let herself loose and play by "herself" with the big ships in the Richards Bay channel! The conscientious night watchman and neighbouring boats went out to get her.

Richards Bay at Pelican Island, Zululand Yacht Club brought beautiful days of swimming in the bay, surrounded by dolphins. There was a warning sign of Crocodiles but the closest thing we saw to a crocodile was a log which took a crocodile shape.

After beaching Atlantis and cleaning the barnacles, which the fish swimming around Marc's feet took as a gourmet meal, enjoying fresh beach cuisine.

Having no watches, we lived according to nature, at "Tweet Time" we woke up, and evening "Tweet Time", went to bed, sun gone, pyjamas on!

Atlantis flew from Richards Bay to Durban in Excess of 10 knots. Marc was thrilled at the performance of Atlantis, a pay off for everything he has put into the boat!

Being in Durban harbour has been nothing other than amazing. People pay high dollar to be in touch with the scenery we witnessed. Every quarter is based with Cargo ships, tug boats, Royal and Point Yacht club with Palm trees and an amazing Durban Skyline.

We were up close to MSC Opera in the dingie, maybe a bit too close since the police boat came charging toward us, almost on a head on collision!

Durban City offers the Maritime Museum, Natural Science Museum, Victoria Indian Market with medicine for the "shangoma", or witch doctor.

Gold, Diamonds and Skins are found in "the Workshop" the old Durban station at the Springbuk shop. Great place for a "bunny chow".

Zulu dancing appeared at 'Ushaka Marine World'. We will miss the Playhouse Theatre, and the Roma Revolving Resturant, but the Weather Window to East London is more important at this stage .... Who knows where we will be for new year.

Helen