Boo Tiger - News Feed

Boo Tiger Log 11/12/2006

(@author) — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 23:45:45 UTC

11th Dec 2006 - Day 16

Amy and Clare Write
Nearly there! Only 157 nautical miles as I write so should arrive 6pm-ish
tomorrow.
Clare and I watched I Spy tonight and made ourselves feel sick. Georgia made
a chicken dinner. Ruth made a HUGE lunch. Duncan didn't make the boat go
fast enough! All in all a boring day but we don't care because we're nearly
there.
Still no whales or dolphins. Looks unlikely that we will see anything now.
Its like we have been staring the door of a secret world for weeks now and
still not discovered the secret handshake to let us in.
Can't believe that we have spent 16days cooped up on the boat. It seems like
a lifetime. We're all clock watching Trying to figure out exactly when we
will get in and hoping it will be in daylight. Although the wind has dropped
again so unless we can catch some tonight it looks likely we will get there
after dark!
One last night shift, which we are just about to start, and we should see
land in the morning. Cant wait. Very Exciting...

Boo Tiger Log 10/12/2006

(@author) — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:53:00 UTC

Sunday 10/12/06 - Day 15

Amy and Clare write (whilst Duncan watched):
Today we are all starting to go a little crazy!! Seeing Elvis in the clouds
kinda crazy! Pretending to be T-Rexs in a rolling boat below deck kinda
crazy (see photo)!
Whilst Ruth was attempting to fish at 8 knots (we're still yet to catch anything other than a seagull) we noticed a huge yacht on the
horizon but we're still trying to figure out whether it's an Arc boat or
not. Probably radio and chat to them later.
Georgia didn't do her cleaning on deck today and so we're debating whether
to kick her over. She has feet like a badger.
Soooo, 2 DAYS LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Duncan washed his shirt and shorts and keeps asking us all to touch them.
He's a perv but a clean one.
We are knackered and going mad. We are also sailing, we are sailing, cross
the Atlantic to St Lucia. We are sailing we are sailing and we're mad as
chips.
Bye.

"Throwing this should wake him up"

(@author) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:14:54 UTC

Sunrise over the Atlantic

(@author) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:13:38 UTC

It was all smiles til the wave broke...

(@author) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:13:04 UTC

Basil, Clare, Amy & Duncan

(@author) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:11:12 UTC

Boo Tiger Log 09/12/06

(@author) — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 22:08:07 UTC

Saturday 9th Dec 2006 - Day 14

Clare writes:

So we should be there in 3 days on 12th Dec and it couldn't come any sooner.
The swell is making the journey extremely tedious and uncomfortable.
Apparently there is a storm brewing which is why it's getting so choppy but
we should miss it by a couple of days as we will be on land. Ha ha.

Today we all listened to Cher and Tina Turner albums (v v bored). We ate
spaghetti and have so far managed to avoid the dreaded cabbage!

I helmed and managed to stay on course. Georgia shaved her legs, Ruth and
Duncan topped the diesel up and Amy struggled to understand The Picture of
Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde.

Ruth found a dying cockroach so Amy put it out of its misery and turned off
the Cher CD.

Boo Tiger Log 08/12/06

(@author) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 22:08:28 UTC

Ruth writes:
Less than 600 miles to go and we're all v excited. Batteries ran right down
yesterday. Power and energy management for such a long time at sea is a big
thing. None of us really bothered much with volts and amperes before but
we're pretty damn expert now. We consume about 200 amps per day (at
least) and the generator replenishes them at the rate of 50 per hour so
we must run generator for at least 4 hours a day. Sometimes when we overload
it, it trips out and yesterday we didn't notice it had done this. Result, 7pm,
all electrical systems went down - navigation, communications, lights,
cooking, water-making. We were just a dark little powerless tub bobbing on
the main, not even a nav light to warn big ships were were there.
Fortunately we're out of the shipping lanes and havn't seen many big ships
since a couple of days out of Las Palmas. Even the generator battery was too
flat to start the generator. However fortunately you can power up the
batteries from the engine and we always take the precaution of switching the
engine battery off when not motoring just in case of occurrances like this.
We got the motor started and powered up the jenny battery then ran it for
hours and hours to power up everything else. Just about back to normal now.

Boo Tiger Log 7/12/2006

(@author) — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 21:55:53 UTC

Thursday 7th Dec 2006 - Day 12
Amy writes:

Didn't write a log yesterday because we forgot! To be honest it would have been a struggle as so many squalls hit us (10 I think) so we were all preoccupied.

Georgia has apparently become the victim of a gypsy squall curse. The strongest always hit on her shift and it's funny to come up at the start of my shift to see her hunched over the helm wringing out her clothes like a little drowned rat (if rats wore clothes). It's miserable doing night shifts in heavy weather.

Today has been much better. Clear skies and nice and sunny but with a bit of cross swell which can catch you by surprise.

I keep waking up thinking I've fallen asleep on deck during my shift and start to panic. Just anxiety dreams but I think it's part of the odd sleep patterns as everyone else has reported similar things in the mornings.

Only 5 days til we get there by our calculations so we're all getting excited. Hopefully as we get closer to land we'll see some dolphins. They've been a bit shy this trip.

Boo Tiger Log 5/12/06

(@author) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 12:54:18 UTC

Day 10 - 5th Dec 2006
Clare writes
Wind and waves are the biggest so far today, which means we are getting good
speeds. Georgia 'the whirlwind' super helm managed to hit 39knots of wind
and 15.5knots of speed & hopes her sailing buddies reading this are suitably
impressed (show off!). We figured out that is approx the speed of a heavily
loaded tractor!
Whilst having lunch today Amy pointed and with a big grin on her face said
oh look at that big wave. The grin was wiped off her face when the boat went
into a broach (massive sideward spin) and lunch went everywhere as everyone
tried to hang on. It was like riding in the teacups only a little scarier.
Thanks to Duncan and Georgia's superior helming, although the ride gets
slightly uncomfortable, it is totally safe.
Managed to avoid a few squalls (small storm) today. Hopefully that will
continue however more wind is coming out the boat thanks to Amy's bottom. We
deduce that she is rotten inside. she agrees.
Whilst in harbour a month ago the workmen unplugged the freezer and left the
food to rot in there. As a result it was swarming with maggots and
cockroaches by the time Ruth got to Gran Canaria mid November. We de-bugged
the boat but recently at sea have seen a couple of cockroaches and people
are getting worried. Ruth spent the day de-cockraching the boat by speeding
powder and paste
everywhere. Those pesky critters aren't getting a free ride with us!
Even though the wind speeds and waves have increased we seemed to get a
decent night sleep for a change.

BooTiger Log Monday 4/12/2006

(@author) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:53:39 UTC

Monday 4th December 2006

Amy & Clare write:

We are 76th! Not bad out of 232 boats but we want to be top 10 at least! We
just want to get there ads fast as possible really.

Amy has finally found a book with a plot which has kept her occupied for a
while. Duncan has decided to take the boat off autohelm which has kept him
occupied for a while. Georgia is cleaning 7 dead fish off the deck which has
kept her occupied for a while. Clare has scrubbed the decks and added up for
the millionth time how long it will be before we get to land which has kept
her occupied for a while.

Chicken tonight and flying fish for pudding - not really. We don't like
chicken.

Zara - Duncan says can you to tell everyone the name of the boat as he forgot!

Boo Tiger log Sunday 3/11/2006

(@author) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 12:54:58 UTC

Sunday 3/11/2006
Amy writes:

Another day another window to open on our Pirates of the Caribbean advent
calendar. It was a pirate (shocker) and the chocolate was shaped like a
Christmas pudding which has nothing to do with pirates or the Caribbean.
Clare is disheartened by her purchase as she says the chocolate is not up to
scratch. I like it.it's chocolate after all.

We are under relentless attack from kamikaze flying fish. They strike only
at night and try to hit Clare. Sometimes they succeed but most of the time
they get caught behind the netting and can't get back in the water. Sometimes they even fly into the saloon through the open hatches! Yesterday the body count on deck was 4, today 3. I feel really sorry for them but we save the ones we can even though they make your hands stink when you touch them.

It's been quite rough since we hit the trade winds early yesterday. Everyone
is sliding around the boat and meal times are a test of who can get more
food in their mouth than on the table.

A fellow ARC yacht called Mustang was dismasted last night so we were on our
way to help out but Petite Lune are a bit closer so they are heading for it
instead. Everyone on board is fine but they're left drifting and probably
very pissed off.

As on our Bay of Biscay trip Clare and I have resorted to wearing men's
deodorant. It's the only thing that can take the pace out here! We all
stink. I don't know where sailing gets its glamorous image. We look like a
bunch of tramps who've stolen a boat.

Anyway, until the next time, ta ta. x

Boo Tiger Log 01/12/06

(@author) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:29:20 UTC

1st Dec 2006 - Day 6
Clare writes:
Adventure and High Jinx.
Last night was an eventful one, starting with a sail change which took
nearly two hours, resulted in my second rope burn, Duncan being sandwiched
between mast and pole and Georgia almost going for an evening swim.
Finally we got some wind and were motoring along nicely, until we went
through a school of flying fish Three of which needed emergency assistance,
a job I bravely stepped up for while Georgia and Duncan squealed and flapped
there arms!
Wind dropped again this morning so motored all day. V. frustrating.
Ate soup for lunch, cooked by Amy V.Nice. Dinner was v. nice, Moroccan
chicken cooked by Georgia eaten by everyone but me. Instead I went for a
frozen lasagne I had been eyeing up for days. Unfortunately as it was
written in Spanish it turned out to be made of Tuna and tasted like a fart
covered in a frothy cheese sauce.

Boo Tiger Log 30/11/2006

(@author) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 12:39:55 UTC

Thursday 30/11/2006
Amy writes:
Today we overtook the 100ft racing super yacht Fantasticaaa. I'd like to say
it was due to our amazing and unmatchable sailing skills but that would be a
total lie. We were becalmed so started the engine and, as racing class
boats like Fantasticaaa are disqualified for starting their engines, they
must wait until the wind picks up. As a cruising yacht we are allowed to
have engine time but will be penalised for it.not that we'll be bothered
because we'll be there quicker!
The weather changed completely today. No wind and very, very hot. So much so
that it is becoming more difficult to sleep down below. Soon we will all be
in hammocks on deck. At least then we may escape the ghost of Kenneth
Williams!
The water has gone from an English grey to a Tropics azure and it's really
warm and lovely.
Georgia and Clare saw a yacht with nobody on deck last night heading for us.
Georgia radioed them to see if they were ok and, having obviously woken them
up, got a curt response. I can't believe people put autohelm on and go to
sleep with nobody on watch. They must be bored and trying to add a little
danger to the event or are so knackered they don't care anymore.
Tomorrow I might wash my smalls but that's another day so until then, lots
of love from the crew on board Boo Tiger to their friends and family. xx

Boo Tiger Log 29/11/06

(@author) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 20:26:08 UTC

Day 4 - 29th November 2006 by Clare

What an exciting day!
Started with a bit of fishing. We had three catches, 1st - got away 2nd - got away with bait and 3rd - Was a bird!!!! (who was fine and flew away) So fishing rods were put away.
Today was shower day. Everyone managed to get one apart from Duncan and I, as the generator and therefore water maker stopped working. This is now fixed so hopefully tomorrow we can smell of medicated vosine shampoo too.
I think the madness has already started. I woke up this morning to the usual creaking and moaning from the cabin, but also what sounded like a man repeatedly saying erm, erm and dogs barking! In addition to this an old favourite is back, The ghost of Kenneth Williams, who was Oooohing with us all the way across Biscay has returned with vengeance.
Anyway we are finally getting some sense that we are getting closer. Even today has been very slow, arranging about 3-5kts due to no wind, we have managed to cross the tropic of Cancer.

Boo Tiger Log 29/11/06

(@author) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 11:54:41 UTC

Yesterday, Duncan and Clare decided to give their fishing skills a try.
After 2 hours of breathless anticipation, they got bored. They finally
resorted to chucking over the recently discovered gone-off chicken from the
bottom of the freezer to tempt the fish. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work.
They'll give it another go today.

Last night was a beautiful night at sea. As darkness fell, an incredibly
bright moon came out and thousands of stars were visible. From out here,
stars twinkle really brightly, sometimes looking red and sometimes bright
blue. Phospheresence sparkles in the wake of the boat and in the breaking
waves every night. All pretty amazing.

Anyway, today is a very exciting day - it's shower day! Great news as we're all a bit stinky.

The crew prepare to set sail (with Basil)

(@author) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 11:38:16 UTC

Clare and Amy's Boo Tiger wall painting in Gran Canaria

(@author) — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:59:17 UTC

The pirate drew a big crowd with her backless chaps

(@author) — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:38:51 UTC

Clare & Amy's Boo Tiger wall painting in Gran Canaria

(@author) — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 19:16:07 UTC