We DID IT!!!
ChilliOyster
Dave & Becky Werrett
Mon 15 Dec 2008 11:28
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Position - 14.04N, 60.57W
WE DID IT!!!!! - It took 20 days, 8 hours and 8 mins - but we
did it! And out of 225 boats - we came a respectable 118th!
We crossed the finish line at 21.08 on the evening of
Sat 13th - it was an amazing experience, we saw land about 4 hours before that
and for me it was a very emotional moment, I cried and Thanked God that He got
us all here safely. On arrival into the marina, Karel from Bombardino was
waiting on the dock with the ARC team, a small steel band was there playing and
Marg was there! She had booked it as a surprise when she booked Sam's flights in
september but hadn't told anyone including me(!) that she was going to be there
- unfortunately, she had been in St Lucia on her own for a week waiting for
us - the crossing this year took so much longer than everyone anticipated given
the lack of wind! So we arrived on sat night and then she,Dave and Sam had
to fly home yesterday (sunday) afternoon! It was such a shame that they didn't
get chance to relax and just enjoy being here.
Anyway - Marg had a champagne bucket full of ice, beer
and a bottle of Fizz, the welcoming party also gave us all rum punches with
ice and a large basket of fruit, and people were clapping and hugging us, then
to top it all - we looked up and a large Cat was gliding past the end of our
boat - WINDANCER IV, our hero's!!!! Everyone was yelling and sounding fog horns
- it was tuly a very special moment and we hugged them again and again - without
them - I,m not sure we would have made it! We weren't entirley forthcoming with
some of our Blog's mainly because we didn't want to worry family at home who
were already a nervous wreck, but we didn't just lose the generator midway - we
lost the engine! The starter motor fell off - and the bolt that Windancer gave
us mid ocean was the only thing that held it on long enough for us to generate
enough power to keep running the autohelm and nav equipement, and also to let us
use the engine should we need it in a an emergency situation - like you need to
get out of the way of a weather system, or have poiwer to drive the winches
when the squalls hit and we needed to change sails quickly. I will
post a write up on the blog later today that Dave wrote after the event - it
gives a fairly factual (as you might expect) account of what happened. The only
other thing I'll say here - is that 8 days into the trip - Windancer tore
their mainsail, 4 feet from the top of the mast, the bolt they gave us was the
bolt that was holding their sail onto the mast! If they hadn't torn their sail -
they couldn't have helped us. Funny how things work out!
Anyway - as you might imagine we all got extremely drunk
- so drunk that we were not conscious when Sophistikate arrived at 3am that
moring - I think they have now forgiven us for not being there to also welcome
them in.
The last 24 hrs have passed in a haze, part alcohol induced,
part complete exhaustion and part just manic activity. We have been moved by the
dock master 4 times! As they couldn't find us a pontoon that had 220V electric
and as our gnerator is still kaput - we desperatley needed power - but I now
have fridge & freezer back up and running and I am shortly off to buy
ice!!!!! I am still waiting for customs and the official Vet to clear Molly
- so the poor dog has not been allowed to land yet. I handed over 4 tons of
dirty laundry to Sparkle the laundry man who arrived alongside ChilliOyster
in his little wooden boat - no money or receipts changed hands - I am assuming
it will all be returned at some point - that is the caribbean way! Jordan
disappeared at 6am on sunday monring as his girlfriend (a Belgian Girl on a boat
called Crazy Maybe) arrived - I haven't seen him since! And some degree of order
is now being returned to our salty, greasy boat. My first
shower after 2 weeks - was close to being an orgasmic experience and
washing up in hot soapy water is an absolute joy!
I will write more when my head has stopped spinning - we just
plan to relax and enjoy this week, there are just as many parties this side as
there were in Las Palmas - and everyone wants to talk and share stories, the
tale of our rescue seems to have got round and we are being interviewed by
yachting world later today!
Will keep you posted - much love to everyone, especially to
all thse who sent emails of encourgament etc It was always so good to hear from
home.
We'll be back in the UK this time next week.
Loads of Love
The Chilli Crew
(We crossed the atlantic you
know....) |