Day 1 - Las Palmas and onwards 28:11.49N 15:44.26W
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Tue 1 Dec 2009 21:36
into a 23 foot wide slot despite a brisk cross wind - well done Colin. Lots
of
jobs. Victualling done by Led, Ant and Giles (any thoughts of a dry crossing
were forgotten when Ant the Scot said"I like whisky occassioanlly, that
would be nice." The damn burst
and the trolley was filled with suitable libations to suit all palates.
Meanwhile Colin and K were doing some last minute jobs and stocking up on
equipment at the
chandlery. Most notably of a dan buoy and a piece of webbing that was to
become highly significant later in the trip.
Then the cooking gas. Oh the cooking gas! Colin had spent some weeks trying
to find somewhere to top up his gas tanks - aprt of the reason for diverting
to Las Palmas was the reasurance that this would be possible there - sadly
this was not to be - new cylinders which didn't fit the connections were
purchased later by Colin and Giles from a chap called Enrique who lived in a
small van next to a tin shed next to the harbour office. The shed contained
a large array of parafenalia which he tried to sell to the boys. Back at the
boat Colin called his man in the UK. It was evening in the UK but he kindly
talked Colin through hacksawing through some of the connectors and
fashioning new connections with a kit he had sent out. Finally with gas on
board and thanks given ..lines were cast off. With a mixture of excitement
and a certain amount of trepiditation Pacific Bliss motored into the
Atlantic at 10.00pm
Perfect wind, exciting seas,a beautiful night. PB surfing down the waves
passing the Gran Canaria lighthouse on the port side with the lights of
Tenerife on the starboard in the distance. What a start. We all knew it was
going to be a great trip. Humour was already confirmed as the preferred
method of
communication. PB was proving a safe sturdy vessel well able to look after
us whilst the crew rose to the occasion to ensure that the passage was going
to be entertaining and fun.