With the arrival of Paul and Eric, the full crew is now here....and preparations for the crossing intensify further.  Everyone has a "series of specialties" assigned by the captain for which they have primary responsibility....importantly, they are all qualified captains in their own right, and all 5 of us will be rotating as watch captains, in a special rotation designed by Paul...this crew is way over qualified, so we are assured a SAFE and FUN sail.  None of us have done "the Crossing", yet everyone has sailed on our previous Arbella, which is smaller but similar to the new Arbella (which is 30% larger).  So here is the crew:  SCOTT AKERMAN originally sailed with Mike and Vicki as captain for their sea trials from England to Belgium and Holland ten years ago on the first Arbella. In the years since Scott has been the delivery Captain for that boat and has sailed  back and forth from Annapolis to Tortola, BVI, many, many times. Scott has been a delivery and teaching captain for Oyster yachts for twelve years and  is married to Kathryn a travel executive in Portland, Maine and they have a six year old daughter Astrid. His day job is advertising sales manager for Blue Water Sailing magazine. He has 120,000 miles in 16 countries. Scott is "tactician and sail master" for the crossing. PAUL BULGER recently moved back to his home in Nederland, Colorado, after 2 years living and working in Newport, RI.  A former full-time yacht captain, with over 50K sea miles, Paul has been sailing with the rest of the crew for the past 15 years and the last 5 years on Arbella...with his wife, Lynne and 4 year old daughter, Devynn, all are awaiting a son to be born next April. Paul is "systems lead and 2nd to Scott". ERIC UNTERBORN (aka "Cap") is president of North Atlantic Yachting, a licensed Coast Guard captain since 1982, with Kennebunkport, Maine his home port...he has thousands of sea miles from the Caribbean to Maine...as sailing master, Cap has trained hundreds of adults and young sailors...he is currently the sailor master at Prout's Neck Yacht Club in Scarborough, Maine...his wife Bobbie, daughter Meaghan, grandkids Myles and Lydia will be following the trip...he is our "Galley Chief" and a fabulous cook!  ERIK GRIMNES comes from Maine where he lives with his wife Michelle and is expecting his first child in April.  Erik works in the family business selling and manufacturing fiberglass bridges and piers.  Erik previously worked for North Sails Norway, taught sailing in the Caribbean and was mate on the 74' ketch "Dragonera", captained by Paul.  Erik is "Arbella's" chief bosun's mate!  MIKE, is captain of this esteemed crew, and keeping "Arbella" in good shape for when his helmswoman and navigator, Vicki, will be aboard in the Caribbean next year...he has primary focus on electronics, communications, safety, and navigation...and he is trying to keep up this blog for family and friends, but especially for Alex (10), Nate (7), Issy (5), Henry (4), Will (7 months), and Jane (7 months)...they are the reason we originally started this blog!  The pictures show the crew at "Casa de Carmelo...great sangria and dinner!