First Entry
Hi to all followers! This is our first entry on the Ida Rose weblog. As you now, we intend to cross the Atlantic Ocean from West to East starting the third week of May 2014, weather permitting. As can be expected, our route brings us from Norfolk VA to the Azores, following the Gulf Stream and then, after a short recovering pause in Horta, we’ll sail on to the South-West of the UK. Let’s start to give you some insight on our boat and crew members. The boat We will be sailing a 2005 built Tartan 4400, named Ida Rose. She is a beautiful, cutter rigged sailing yacht with lots of comfort and accommodation on board. Well shaped, this solidly built craft is also quit fast, offering secure and reliable characteristics. With her 45 feet, 11+ tons and a well dimensioned rig, she should be able to guarantee us a save passage. Crew members Guus, the skipper, gathered a lifetime sailing experience, navigating the coastal waters of the Netherlands, France, the UK and the East Coast of the US. He also sailed in the Mediterranean on Greek waters, where he and his crew explored many islands, probably doing unspeakable things. Piet, our newest sailing companion, is a less experienced sailor but a skilled mechanical engineer and all the more enthusiastic about this adventure. He will learn fast and has a big share of responsibilities providing the good foods which go with the good spirits. Pierre, the navigator in this enterprise, has earned his 45 years’ experience sailing mono- and multihulls throughout Europe and in the US. He’ll luckily be the only one on board the Ida Rose knowing what getting shipwrecked means, having dealt with this misfortune in the past. Therefore he will enforce high security levels on board Ida Rose. All by all, the three of us gather just a little under 200 years life experience. That should do the trick… with Ida Rose’s and the weather Gods’ cooperation! Program We’ll be very busy as of May 16th, technically preparing the Ida Rose and make sure we don’t get thirsty and hungry en route. Don’t worry about this last, particularly important aspect: we’d rather be sick getting too much than too little! We’ll be back… Tartan 4400
Ida Rose in Portsmouth Marina, VA USA
Ida Rose in Charlestown
Ida Rose’s nice back side
Ida Rose should sail back to Stellendam, in the Netherlands
The skipper at work
Pierre having a bite
Pierre hard working at the wheel
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