[Cruise News] Second Atlantic crossing .... A summary

New and bigger boat, quicker crossing.  Well that was the plan: 18 or 19 days at a steady 7 knots.  The reality didn't quite work out that way with nature conspiring against us to deliver SW winds for the first week when we wanted to go south-west, and then not giving us the consistent trade winds when we finally got down to the Cape Verdes to blow us across to the Caribbean.  Plus an incorrect installation of a key piece of equipment needed for downwind sailing didn't help.  So between the natural and man-made shortfalls it actually took us 2.5 days longer this time.

On the plus side the three of us worked very well as a team, covering our watches and thinking creatively to work-around any mechanical hitches along the way.  I loved having the SSB radio this time which allowed us to speak to other boats in the rally (nice to know their actually are other boats out there) and to send/receive emails throughout.  Incredibly this works better after dark ... less active ions in the atmosphere apparently!  We ate well but our collective bread-making skills left a lot to be desired .... thank heaven for part-baked bread.

We didn't experience the same dramatic sunsets, meteor showers or marine life, but we had one spectacular lightning storm which ran parallel to us through the night before moving south to engulf us at dawn  We saw more boats this time, and once again had one pass within a few feet of us out in the middle of nowhere.  One other storm so us experiencing wind speeds of more than 50 knots with 5m seas, but Tumi and her crew sailed through brilliantly.

I think because it was our second crossing it didn't feel such a big adventure but that's not to take anything away from the achievement of crossing the Atlantic for the second time (third for Paul of course!).  And now we've got a winter in the Caribbean to look forward to  .... lucky us!

[Cruise News] Marina Lanzarote, the day before departure

We've had a busy week but are largely ready for departure, apart from a couple of little jobs that we've left to do today.  Andy, our crewman, arrived on Thursday afternoon as did friends from Northern Ireland who have come to wave us off.  We all enjoyed a cocktail party at a neighbouring marina that evening and chatted to a number of the other Atlantic Odyssey participants.

Yesterday we hired a car to tour the north end of the island, quite different scenically from the south .... more gentle somehow.  Anyway we got some lovely views of turquoise waters and neighbouring islands and had a lovely day.

Today is about final preparations before the farewell drinks and fireworks this evening at Arrecife Yacht Club.  And then tomorrow at 11am we'll be heading off.  I'm looking forward to the trip, if a little apprehensive, but Tumi is a solid boat and we should have a good crossing.  Caribbean here we come! 

[Captains Blog] Lanzarote

Well we are back here on the island and have a few days to get the boat ready for the crossing. We re-fuelled today which was not an easy task in the crosswinds that are blowing and we would have preferred a calmer day to manoeuvre around the busy marina. But we paid a good price for the fuel at €1.04/litre - thank goodness for tax free spending!

When we got back to Tumi, there had obviously been a few sandstorms wafting over from the Sahara as the deck was covered in a mucky brown sand. I have had two attempts at washing it off, and will have to do it a third or possibly a fourth time to get it clean again. I still need to go up the mast to fit the anti-chafe strips to the spreaders so that the sails don't wear excessively when we are downwind sailing for such a long time, but this time it should be much easier for Debra to get me up there with the electric winches to do the work. Other than that, I think we are ready boatwise. We still have to provision, but Debra has that in hand. We are better prepared this time around having been through the exercise two years ago.

We had a good seminar on medical issues today, and I got to see some suturing up close as part of the demonstration. I even got to practice tying the knots properly, so I feel much better equipped to be able to do a neat job if I am called upon to do so. At least the knots shouldn't come undone!!!

The Atlantic Odyssey flag is now flying on our port side, we have a number for the crossing - 41 - and I will be fitting those tomorrow to the safety rails. The last ones we had for the ARC fell apart when the topsides touched the water. Hopefully these ones will survive intact.

[Cruise News] Marina Lanzarote, Arrecife

Well we're back on board after nearly 7 weeks back in the UK and with only 6 days to prepare for the crossing.  The marina has now officially opened with quite a few of the retail units and restaurants operational but still half of them to come online.  It will superb when it is all finished.  At least from our point of view "thefacilities" are available so laundry will get done and wifi is good. Tumi was covered in Saharan sand when we arrived so Paul's first job this morning was hosing her off, but it's going to take another couple of attempts to get her looking shiny bright again.

The rally seminars started today and we went along to a couple - passage planning and what happens after the Caribbean, where we saw amongst other things photos of the various Pacific islands .... they look amazing.  The rest of the day was spent unpacking what we'd brought back with us, re-sorting storage and working out what provisions we need to buy before departure.  Exhausted by the end of the day so a bottle of wine and movie was a welcome chance to relax.

We hope to get all the boat preparations and provisioning done in the next couple of days leaving Friday and Saturday free to sight-see with friends.  Well, that's the plan!

[Captains Blog] Lanzarote

We arrived here on the morning of the 28th September, having a slow trip down from Cascais (Lisbon) with no wind at all. Honestly, we just can't seem to hit the weather right on this trip - it is either blowing a gale with the wind from the wrong direction or there is no wind at all. This was the case on our last leg and we had to motorsail nearly all the way. However, it helps us to know that the engine is sound, we have measured our fuel consumption at different engine speeds and we have a much better idea of our fuel payloads range under engine. All positive stuff.

One thing that I really enjoy on night passage is watching the dyno-flaggellants sparkling and fluorescing in the water as we go. It really fascinates me and I can sit and watch them for hours. All those pulses of energy around the boat as we make waves are amazing to say the least, and occasionally I would see a jellyfish in among the sparkles, glowing bright as a recognizable semi-solid form in among the haze of individual specks.

On our last day before arriving in Lanzarote I heard a whale spout behind me. Turning around, I saw it had surfaced literally 10 metres behind us, very large, very serene, and completely unphased by the fact that we were there. It continued with its grazing along the continental shelf for several minutes before our continuing journey took it out of sight. I had only commented to Debra that there had been a complete lack of sea life only hours before this appearance, and then it was like London buses, we had dolphins galore come to see us too. Obviously there are rich food pickings where the sea bed rises steeply and the big mammals take full advantage.

We are returning to the UK today as my mother died yesterday morning. We might not be returning to the Canaries before we leave on the Atlantic Odyssey in time to explore the islands which will be a shame. The two times we have been in the Canaries, sadly, one of our parents have died and we have therefore not been able to make the most of the boat's time here. Once again we will have to wait until another time to visit the different anchorages that are on offer and explore the land. That's a shame. but family has to come first.