We sailed into Durban, South Africa and welcomed daughter Kelley and boyfriend (later to become fiancé – stay tuned) Erik.We made them stay up for a nice ocean-front lunch and enjoyed an afternoon in the big waves. Durban sits on the east side of Africa, and thus sees the warm water of the Indian Ocean. It’s a surfer’s paradise, and while I was tempted to try, just getting out through the waves seemed as much a challenge as surfing. That is until we saw that most run out to the end of a pier and leap off the railing with the “NO JUMPING” sign posted.

After a long, brutal Connecticut winter, the warm water and waves kept Kelley and Erik entertained despite their 24 hour flight in coach. Sitting on the beach, Debra and I were again taken with what seems to be the South Africans’ general comfort with racial diversity and integration. It was just over 20 years ago that apartheid was abolished and  Nelson Mandela voted for the first time. Today blacks, whites, and “coloreds” cluster together for the best waves on the otherwise empty miles-long beach. I don’t remember seeing such a sight in the U.S. despite it being 150 years after our Civil War.

On day 2 in Durban, we planned to do the “The Big Swing,” a jump of 720 feet from the top of the new soccer stadium. The youtube videos looked frightening – it’s reportedly the world’s biggest swing. Kelley, Erik and I were excited. With Debra’s fear of heights, we had a volunteer photographer, so I saw it as a great blog opportunity.   Sadly (luckily?), when we got to the stadium, we found the jump was closed and we were only able to ride the tram to the top for a view. The swing was closed because they were setting up for a Michael Bouble concert – ouch! We’d gotten psyched all morning – it was a big letdown.

While sailing from Durban around the Cape of Good Hope to the Atlantic Ocean on the west, we introduced Kelley and Erik to our on-board version of cricket since the World Cup was underway. Both did well until Erik smashed a ball over the fence into the ocean incurring a minus-20-run penalty. Hitting “ground balls,” as you should to score, just isn’t in his nature.

After two days of sailing, we got up for a beautiful sunrise entry into Cape Town, South Africa – one of the most scenic cities in the world.

We sent Kelley and Erik off on a tour with the guide we used and loved last year and played golf at Pearl Valley, a beautiful Jack Nicklaus course that hosted the SA Open three times. The following day, we hosted another “foodie tour,” for which Debra has become noted. We sampled every local specialty, including roasted worms – actually caterpillars. The fact that Debra organizes these tours and I need blog material makes me the guinea pig for all such “delicacies.”   The locals loved that we all tried them – I didn’t so much.  If you have a queasy stomach, you might skip the video below.

On our last full day with the kids, we did a wine tour to Stark-Conde vineyard outside of Stellenbosch. I’m mostly a beer drinker, so I can’t speak intelligently for the wine, but the setting was spectacular. Mountains, though recently “ravaged” by a brush fire, were beautiful against the blue sky.

But the highlight of the week with Kelley and Erik was their last half-day. Erik, a trained jeweler, found a stone he thought perfect for Kelley. In his Ecuadorian tradition, he asked Debra permission to marry Kelley (as if she has any influence), then proposed to her on the top deck of the ship. Champagne was shared by all, and they went home a happy young couple. Congratulations you two, we love you both!

A comprehensive video of our first trip in 2014 is at the bottom of the blog, but this 7 minute version includes Durban, Kelley and Erik, and the worms: