ARC Europe May 2011

4^th May 2011

Have cooked up 4 x 3 portion servings of bolognese, two of chicken jalfrezi (adapted) and two meatballs.  To come, beef curry, beef hotpot and a pork bake.  So that's about twelve meals for 3 and we hope to supplement that with fresh fish. I expect I will do some more in Bermuda since Field Marshall Mander, affectionately known as Dick the Fish, will eat us out of house and home.

So we are on our way back.  We have one crew, our neighbour Jonathan, helping us across to Bermuda then he leaves and Dick joins for the 8 or 9 day trip to Azores. 

We must thank everyone in Annapolis who has looked after Kalandia so well and of course Pip who has put us up when over here to prepare the boat.  Kalandia has been here since August.  She arrived in a spectacular heat wave and a few months later was wrapped up in plastic to protect her from fierce cold and ice and snow. So thanks to Garth and team at Annapolis Yacht Sales who serviced the boat and looked after her.  They are based at Bert Jabin’s Yard in Eastport.  We highly recommend Jabins.  So clean, efficient and has all the facilities including a 50 ton lift and two 30 tons. Many outfits operate out of here so you don’t have to go far to find what you are looking for.  Thanks also to Jay for the new rigging.  Yes, Kalandia has new sheets and furlers.  It is amazing what the sun has done to all the ropes over 2 years of cruising.  Bill was very pleased with the sails which needed minimal repair.  Kalandia is looking spick and span.

6^th May2011

We are now in Hampton at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay.  The overnight sail from Annapolis was so quick.  We anticipated a 20 hour sail, but the front that passed over the previous day left a brisk 25 kn wind which carried us to Hampton in just 14 hours – a distance of 114 nm.  We have met up with three other boats joining ARC Europe.  One had bought a MobMat from our distributor Adec Marine only a few weeks previously.  Small world.

Today Kalandia became the Committee Boat for the start of this leg of the rally.  It was only three boats but we did it properly with count downs and burgees and horns to mark the crossing of the start line.  An incoming aircraft carrier with its accompanying coast guard boat got us delayed a bit.  At first they did not know what to make of us anchored just outside the channel. Norfolk is the main naval base after all. We counted 5 aircraft carriers in port.

So our new adventure begins.  It may not be quite as cushy as the journey east to west and certainly not as warm.  I hope we are not being too blasé about it, but Bill did spend 2 weeks over here in March getting the boat ready so I am sure all will be well.  Only concern is the wind direction as we enter the Gulf Stream. Some fronts are expected.  The GS is going east for about 250 miles at its strongest which would be an advantage as long as there is no easterly component to the wind.  We will clarify that and if it is a problem we will drop south more.  But at the moment it is looking like we will leave early afternoon Saturday 7^th.  Now only waiting for Jonathan to arrive.