Despite bright sunshine and a general temperature of 26 degrees today, here in Kommetjie we are subject to the cooling influence of the sea which is no more than a stone's throw away from my house (if you have an arm like a catapult, that is!). It's been nothing short of delightful to stroll along the walkway, daisies and fynbos to the left, sparkling sea to the right and the towering white lighthouse ahead. A thick fog is now shrouding the ships that pass the Cape of Good Hope in a neverending stream and foghorns boom hollowly from its midst.
I wonder if a collision has ever been avoided due to a foghorn? It is quite interesting that in this age of such advanced (relatively speaking) technology we still rely on the human ear and the crew on watch to navigate such conditions. Fog brings an eerie stillness and one can only imagine how frightening it would be to be in a small boat with a supertanker suddenly coming within sight a few metres away, not to say potentially fatal.
The sea is a force to be respected, as conditions can change dramatically within minutes, bring disaster or relief. Those who travel the high seas in small boats are a special breed, fearless and adventure-seeking. Their rewards must be huge for the risks they take. I have to admit to a lifelong yearning to sail the world in a good-sized yacht, but also a sense of relief that it is unlikely to happen!
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