Friends Ahoy
Quick Facts
E 18°20'46''
Budget Getaways Review
Ahoy there all ye budget seekers, here's a getaway that's literally on the water - a grand old sailing vessel moored at Hout Bay harbour.
Originally the Hawa Shamaal (meaning North Wind) hailing from Bahrain, this old lady has since found her way around Africa to the fairest Cape, and been rechristened Friends Ahoy.
An apt renaming as life in the Cape is a sociable and vibrant affair: a daily exchange of tinkering yachtsmen, seals, fish and chips, and Kaapse fishermen banter.
Before you hop aboard, take note that Friends Ahoy will remain moored to the pier during your stay - no need for a skippers license, and unfortunately no booze cruises into the blue yonder.
That established, onto the deck we step, where you’ll find chairs and cushions scattered about and a novel setting to unfold the portable braai and put those prawns to work, while the missus cracks open the Graca in time for Friday sundowners.
Heading below into the bow, you've got a small cabin with double bed, with roof hatch above, which can be thrown open at night to catch the salty breeze and Milky Way.
The main cabin doubles up as living and sleeping area - a three-quarter and single bed is your seating during the day. There’s a large dining table down here as well, should things get a little blustery up on deck.
The galley kitchen is fully equipped with two-plate stove, microwave, fridge and snackwich maker - we reckon though, give these a miss and head to the nearest restaurant instead, of which you'll find many.
The ablutions are limited to an onboard loo and hand basin, with hot showers available at the yacht club. Remember, you're on a real macoy yacht…
If you’re worried about where to leave the Cortina while you’re living it up on board, don’t fret, there’s secure parking and general security on the jetty.
Apart from Hout Bay's beach and restaurants a mere 500m away, you could simply just enjoy your time sunning like a lizard on the deck and absorbing the sociable port bustle.
Be it a couple, small family or two couples who don't mind shacking up close together, a night or so aboard this floating getaway is bound to be heaps of fun.
Rustle up the crew, invest in a pair of Le Coqs and hit the deck running. Motionless sailing has never looked better.
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Where You'll Also Find Us
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans) • Barrydale • Beaufort West • Betty's Bay • Bonnievale • Bot River • Bredasdorp • Caledon • Calitzdorp • Cape Agulhas and Struisbaai • Cape Town area • Ceres • Citrusdal • Clanwilliam & Cederberg • Darling • De Rust • Franschhoek • Gansbaai • George • Grabouw & Elgin Valley • Greyton • Heidelberg • Hermanus • Knysna • Ladismith • Laingsburg • Lamberts Bay • Langebaan • Malgas • Matjiesfontein • McGregor • Montagu • Mossel Bay • Napier • Oudtshoorn • Paarl • Paternoster • Plettenberg Bay • Prince Albert • Pringle Bay, Betty's Bay and Kleinmond • Riebeek West and Riebeek-Kasteel • Riversdale • Riviersonderend • Robertson • St Helena Bay • Stanford • Stilbaai • Strand, Gordon's Bay and Somerset West • Swellendam • Tulbagh • Velddrif • Vermaaklikheid • Wilderness • Witsand • Worcester & Hex Valley • Yzerfontein • Baviaanskloof • Cape St Francis & St Francis Bay • East London • Graaff-Reinet • Hogsback • Jeffreys Bay • Makhanda (Grahamstown) • Middelburg • Nieu-Bethesda • Rhodes • Sutherland