Well, the forecast ‘easing’ of the weather did not happen. Last night the seas continued to build with a combination of swell from the NW due to north Atlantic weather patterns and swell from the NE due to more local winds. The winds continued at 22 knots gusting up to 27 knots and the seas …
Last night our ideal downwind sail set-up took an early demise. The mounting seas and wind astern had us surfing and corkscrewing down the waves, putting a lot of strain on our genoa and spinnaker pole which gave up with a bang. I was snoozing down below and heard the bang but Jonathan, listening to …
The sea state built overnight, just as predicted, and today we find ourselves rolling from side to side, and gripping onto every available handhold just to stay upright!, Cate spent much of the day repacking cupboards, the contents of which have been crashing around, and stuffing them with cushions. We’re gradually learning the tricks for …
It’s the evening of our second day at sea and, so far, it has been magical. The seas have been calm but the wind a little too light. We’ve been trying several downwind sail set-ups – goosewinging the headsails, the main on preventer with a poled-out genoa or conventional set up depending on whether the …
At last! The day we have been planning for, for so long, has arrived! At 09.10 we were the first Vikings to depart Las Palmas, in the rain! We’re one of the smallest boats so we’re likely to be one of the last to arrive at Mindelo, Capo Verde. As we left the pontoon there …
Not wishing to alarm anyone, but Oliver (pictured) and Carlota from the Viking Explorers organised a liferaft practice on the beach next to the marina. Few of us were willing to get in the water, and Cate and I had the excuse that we have already completed a sea survival course (done in Falmouth in …
Final preparations! In the last couple of days we have been running around the boat and around the supermarkets. It is amazing how many things we are remembering and trying to sort out, when just a week or two ago we thought we had it all done. Even the passage plan to Cape Verde proved …
The rally begins! …or, any least we have started with the seminars and get-togethers with our fellow Vikings. The rally is co-organised by Carlota and Oliver, who have talked us through a series of subjects from boat safety, to provisioning, with plenty of tips on all aspects of the crossing. The seminars have been held …
We have made the start line! After only one more passage, from Pasito Blanco on the South of Gran Canaria to the capital at Las Palmas, we are now on a pontoon in the marina meeting our fellow Vikings Explorers sailors. The last couple of weeks have been more than a little frustrating. When we …
We have taken a little break from sailing… Merryn is safely tucked away on the hard in Pasito Blanco, on the south coast of Gran Canaria. She is having some minor repair work done so we have taken a few weeks off. Our first stop was back in the UK, where we packed a lot …