GOOD BYE BERMUDA

Aquila
Alan and Sarah Bennett
Sun 1 Jun 2008 22:49
32:37.58N 64:14.92W
 
What a busy last few days we have had.  On Saturday morning before breakfast Ian was up the mast attending to a loose VHF ariel, and by 0900 we were saying goodbye to Pippa and Sebastian - what a superb crew they have been.  After they had gone to the airport by taxi, and while Sarah and Tom conducted 'the last shop', the skipper and Ian tackled the intermittent fridge - low voltage at the unit was diagnosed, caused by insufficiently sized supply and return cables.  After much preparatory work (badically taking most of the aft part of the saloon cabin to bits), we managed to run a larger cable, which, after 6 hours was declard by Sarah to have done the trick, as the temperature in the fridge was back down to what it should be.  Success!
 
In the afternoon Paulina Brooks took us all to her club, The Coral Beach and Tennis Club.  What luxury; white sand, dazzling blue sea, very stylish facilites, perfect temperatures, interesting snorkling - you get the idea.  And the Plantation Punches served to you while lazed on the sunloungers were superb!  Paulina, thank you so much, for this and everything else you have done for us during our stay.  Thereafter out to supper at Portofinos and an early night - we were exhausted!
 
Sunday dawned bright and clear.  by 1000 we had secured for sea, topped all the water tanks brim full, visited the refuelling berth to do the same for the diesel, and were proceeding out of Hamilton's harbour - but not before Jon, the skipper of Lady Christina, had hailed us to pass close alongside and given us each his ship's T-shirt.  Thank you Jon - keep in touch!
 
We had a gorious sail around to St George's - bright sunshine, SSE 2, sparkling blue water.  No sooner than we seem to have departed Hamilton we had sailed the 15 miles to St George's, and cleare customs.  As we were now ready in all respects, we decided to 'go for it', and at 1350 slipped our lines and headed for the Atlantic.
 
Our first hours have been perfect - more bright sunshine, SSE2 and 6 knots on the log.  The Duogen is back in its element doing its thing, and we are attending to last little jobs.
 
Tom on the beach
 
Tom's feet on the beach
 
Departing St George's...........next stop - Falmouth, 3,200 miles to go....!