"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
Kenneth Grahame may have written 'The Wind in the Willows' nearly a century ago, but his touching tale of Toad, Mole and Rat taking to the water in search of adventure and good times is as inspiring today as it was back then.

But the sailors taking to the waters of Table Bay this December to compete in two of South Africa's premier yachting regattas are going to be doing more than simply messing about in their boats.

From the fun-filled CROCS Summer Regatta in and around Table Bay to a downwind dash across the South Atlantic Ocean, there is bound to be high adventure on the high seas in Cape Town this summer.

The Cape of Good Hope has a rich nautical history, dating back to 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck established a refreshment station here for passing ships of the Dutch East India Company. In those early days the sailors could rest, restock and take shelter from the howling Southeaster – nowadays affectionately known as 'The Cape Doctor' - which whips across the Cape Flats in summer and turns Table Bay into a sea of white-caps.

And in 350 years not much has changed: the strong seasonal winds still put sailors to the test, and the welcome on dry land is as warm as it was back then. No wonder the city is also known as the Tavern of the Seas!

"Sail hard, Party hard." That's what the CROCS Summer Regatta is all about, says Ron Keytel, Sailing Officer at Royal Cape Yacht Club. Based on the Caribbean's popular Antigua Week, the CROCS Summer Regatta will showcase the magnificent sailing on offer in and around Table Bay.

Unlike the round-the-buoys sailing of the famous Lipton Cup "the emphasis is on longer races to actual places," says Keytel. One day will see the fleet racing towards the sparkling waters and glistening beaches of Clifton (covered, as usual, with glistening sun-tanners), while other courses will be out towards Robben Island, where former president Nelson Mandela spent 18 years behind bars, or ending in the popular V&A Waterfront.

Wherever the yachts are headed, the magnificent skyline of Table Mountain will be the backdrop to four days of competitive yachting in the chilly waters of Table Bay.

Rob Meek, the Organising Chairman, says that up to 70 boats are expected to enter the regatta, making for exciting racing.

"Between our local and overseas yachts we have a range of entries from racing boats to more sedate cruisers, but the regatta is really about exploring the corners of Table Bay.

"However, last year we arrived at Clifton in the pouring rain to find the beach completely deserted. Even our welcoming party of bikini girls had left, so this year we're hoping for warmer weather!"

While the (hopefully) sunny skies and short courses of the CROCS Summer Regatta will make for enjoyable day-racing, the hardened yachties on the quaysides of Cape Town are also gearing up for one of the world's most famous blue-water regattas: The Governor's Cup.

"The Governor's Cup is an exciting 1700-mile summer ocean race from Cape Town to James Bay on St. Helena Island," says Andrew McKenzie, Vice Chairman of the False Bay Yacht Club, which organises the race. "Entrants typically range from fast racing boats with experienced crews to cruising boats manned by small families."

Famous for its stunning sub-tropical landscapes and as the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte, St. Helena is a paradise in the South Atlantic only accessible by sea. The supply ship RMS St. Helena sails from Cape Town to the island roughly every four weeks, and accompanies the fleet to the island, but if you haven't booked a berth then a yacht is your only ticket to the island of Saints!

Held every two years since 1996 The Governor's Cup isn't always plain-sailing though.

In 2006 the fleet was hit by a fierce cold front on the first night out of Cape Town. "Cold, wet and seasick" is how many of the crew described themselves, says McKenzie. Which brings to mind the sailors' adage: "For the first hour that you're seasick you feel like you're going to die. After that you're worried you won't!"

So what's the attraction in spending 10 days at sea getting damp and delirious, you might ask?

While the cut-glass trophy donated by the Governor of St. Helena in 1996 is incentive enough, Petr Muzik, who won the Cruising class on his yacht 'Shoestring' in 2004, reckons that the race is quite simply a life-changing event.

"St Helena will blow you away with its charm and hospitality. The sail there is idyllic in the South East Trades and the 1650-odd miles will bring back happy memories for years to come."

Warm island hospitality is just one of the attractions of sailing in The Governor's Cup.

In a previous race the organisers were alarmed when one yacht veered a long way off the conventional course to the island. Was it storms or sickness that had pushed the yacht out into the Atlantic? No, it turned out that the crew were all keen anglers and wanted to try their luck on the Vema Seamount in the South Atlantic!

From day-sailors to salty sea dogs, it's not hard to see the attraction of "messing about in boats", but as one weathered sailor on the quayside of False Bay Yacht Club remarked recently: "A yacht race is really just an excuse to go sailing".

True words indeed, and the Governor's Cup and CROCS Summer Regatta are as good an excuse as any to enjoy a few days (or weeks!) on the water this summer.

The Governor's Cup starts in Table Bay at 2pm on 29 December. Visit www.thegovernorscuponline.com to find out more.

The CROCS Summer Regatta takes place from 13-16 December in Table Bay. Visit the website of the Royal Cape Yacht Club at www.rcyc.co.za

» This article was originally published in Sawubona , the in-flight magazine of South African Airways.

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