{"id":9245,"date":"2019-11-12T13:22:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-12T13:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/svslowflight.com\/?p=9245"},"modified":"2020-01-04T12:09:50","modified_gmt":"2020-01-04T12:09:50","slug":"richards-bay-south-africa-clearance-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/svslowflight.com\/index.php\/2019\/11\/12\/richards-bay-south-africa-clearance-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Richards Bay, South Africa – Clearance in"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Google image of Richards Bay port. We hailed port control on VHF ch 12 when we were 1 mile out from the break water…nothing more nothing less : )<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ahhh…Never thought I would set foot on the Continent of Africa…but here we are…in Richards Bay!!! After the 12 day passage, including our 3 day stop in Bazaruto, Mozambique to wait for a weather window, we were finally setting foot on land! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to dock to clear in<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On the morning of November 8th, we asked SV Starry Horizons who was just ahead of us, to hail us to let us know what the situation was in the Small Craft Harbor wharf. The informed us there was not a lot of space left and there were already 10+ boats on “the wall” and many were rafted up to one another. We knew of 2-3 boats coming in behind us so eager to be tied to something permanent, Trevor saw a space right at the end of one of a “wall” and squeezed us in…like a pro…I was so proud! There are no cleats and it is a concrete wall so lines have to be adjusted for the tidal swing (3 feet). There are metal rings you have to tie your lines through but thankfully there were many cruisers to help catch lines and pull us in the final few feet. Soon we were returning the favor and helping 5 other boats tie or raft up to others in a matter of hours. When the space was all filled…literally as full as the channel could be to let a boat out if they wanted to leave….other vessels tied up to the TUG BOAT wharf. Though later those at the tug wharf wall, and even us at the small craft wharf wall, were asked to move…it is at least a place to land to sort out clearance in procedures and marina berths. We know of 2 boats who made night arrival in Richards Bay and anchored right off the hotel\/resort in the little bay. If it was blowing hard, I might not want to anchor here as it is a lee shore in every direction…but for them it was fine until first light. <\/p>\n\n\n\n