23/11/14

Team breakfast was upset by Bill being told that the start had been delayed by a minimum of 18 hours on account of the weather. 

Much debate was enjoined sitting on the boat drinking coffee and watching John Eustace of Discovery performing an heroic task (real customer service). The forward heads had blocked and so he donned a less than fashionable set of swimming trunks in-front of the departure crowd dived under the boat and with a wire unblocked the heads. Despite a monumental hangover his backstroke once the heads cleared into the Marina was something to be observed. 

We finally decided that the weather was less of a problem than the harbour authorities and so the decision to sail was taken. Once the shore based team (wives) had washed up and made our sandwiches they were ushered off the boat bestowed a peck on the cheek and we cast off saying good bye to land for approx 3 weeks. We crossed the harbour bar at 1.15 the only ARC boat to do so and sailed out in sunshine with 40 kts of wind on the stern boat speed 8 kts. sea and wind conditions were variable down the coast of Gran Canaria, some 20 meter seas with squalls up to 40 kts before finding ourselves in the wind shadow of the mountains to the south of the island. Once we cleared the Island the swell increased to 30 meters and the wind to 50 kts. Juno took this all in her stride and we sailed bumpily through the night.

We heard later that our neighbours in the harbour, some cheerful chaps on an Oyster 575 called Atalanta, left the harbour too and are chasing us.

We lead the fleet still.....

Miles run in first 23 hours to midday 24/11/14 - 145nm

Breakages:

Chipped porcelain mug (sic)

Chart drawer

Diesel leak from starboard tank (how that smell helps ones seasickness)

Forward heads tank