Day /: The 15 year plan to reach St. Lucia

Ronja
Jan Morten Ruud
Mon 30 Nov 2009 13:50

 
 
Dear reader,
 
if you think our societies and lives have become too regulated, too boring, and too "social democratized" we recommend that you try surfing down a 3 meter wave with 25 knots worth of wind from behind in a 49 feet long sailboat. OH MY GOD THIS IS SIMPLY TOO COOL! We have unleashed secret weapon no. 1 and we are zooming along at 8-12 knots. (Due to competitive concerns we are not able to share the content of this now, but Harald got so excited that he actually wrote a Christmas Carol about it. It will be published in due time.) Before we reach the finish line we will unleash secret weapon no. 2 (Code name: North Beach) so as you may already understand the spirit aboard simply have never been better. Sometime tonight we will be halfway to St. Lucia and we will celebrate with Spanish Ham and Norwegian Cake.
 
Many moons ago we promised to publish our "15 year plan to reach St. Lucia". We think this guide fills an important niche. There are numerous books such as "Rondney Bay in 15 days - the super detailed guide to sail and rig trimming for Atlantic conditions" whose objective is to let you cross as soon as possible. But we have not found anyone decribing how you can maximise the time spent from your home base to St. Lucia. The following chapter outlines our 15 year plan:
 
Day 1
Take cabin cruiser out on the Oslo Fjord and drive at max speed. Realize that (a) during the last 10 minutes you spent €50 on fuel and (b) at this level of fuel consumption we might make it to Horten before refueling is necessary.
 
Day 2:
Sit at home and think: Ahhh this sailling stuff is quite troublesome with all the ropes and the sheets and the mast height and stuff. BUT: Sails don't need refueling and the range is great.
 
Day 3 - 365
Study market for sailboats. Find good sailboat. Break Piggy Bank. Buy sailboat.
 
Year 2, week 1:
Learn to sail by sailing the boat from the yard (Dunquerke, France) to Oslo. (And make it home alive......)'
 
Year 2, week 2 - 26
Realize that a round-the-world trip is what you always wanted to do
 
Year 2, week 26 - 52
Convince rest of family that a round-the-world trip is what they always wanted to do.
 
Year 3, Week 1
Realize that the boat needs a little bit more equipment in order to be ready for a round-the-world trip.
 
Year 3, Week 2 - 5
Buy extra equipment. Realize that the cost of the "little bit more equipment" is about same as purchase price for boat. Break Piggy Bank no. 2.
 
Year 3, Week 6 - 53
Install extra equipment. Follow up installers. Shout at installers. Make peace with installers.
 
Year 4
Take skipper and security certificates. Memorize every sentence Jimmy Cornell ever published. Perform Due Diligence on Round-the-world-trip organizers and select ARC & World Arc.
 
Year 5
Inform customers and collegaues that I will (ahem) "not be in the office for a little while".
Buy Michelin's "Guide to the best coastal reastaurants from Leangen to Las Palmas".
 
Year 6 - Day 1
Off we go - leave Leangen!
 
Year 6, Day 1 - Day 7
Zoom along Scandinavian coastline. (Which is possibly the world's most beautiful archipelago but we've been there & done that)
 
Year 6, Week 2
Relive the Riddle of the Sand around the Frisian Islands
 
Year 6, Week 3
Go to Bretagne. Insist on a completely calm sea before crossing the Bay of Biscay.While waiting, start visiting small cities along the Bay.
 
Year 7, Day 1
Realize that Bay of Biscay will never be completely calm, but it doesn't matter because you have now visited every city and find that you are actually across the bay.
 
Year 7, Day 1 - Day 30
Go to Las Palmas. Realize that you need a few extra items for the boat that your neighbors on the Pontoon talked about. Order the stuff. Break Piggy Bank no. 3. Install extra stuff. At the Pontoon, wave goodbye to the employees and owners of Rolnautic who together with their financial dependants shows up to bid farewell and to thank you for your business.
 
Year 7, Day 31
Start the Arc race. Realize that a few improvements to the ARC communications infrastructure could be made (and there will be a separate blog entry about this, dear Readers).
 
Year 7, Day 32
Realize that sailing directly with the wind is by far the most comfortable course. Realize that this means going to Rio de Janeiro. Go to Rio.
 
Year 7 (rest of) + Years 8 - 12
In Rio, buy early tickets to the Olypic Games. Take samba lessons. Participate in a few carnevals and enjoy the games. (Stian, the sportsman among us, knows all the rules so he can explain.)
 
Year 13, day 1 - 25
Follow our trusted friend "Frivind Mads" advise and head for 20 dgr North, 35 dgr West and wait for the other Norwegian boats. Realize that they left "some time ago"
 
Year 13 (rest of) + Year 14
Go to Cuba and drop Harald off so he can seek his fortune and replace Fidel / Raoul. Hang around the islands for a while to make sure Harald stays out of trouble.
 
Year 15, day 1 - 360
Go to Guantanamo Bay and work on Harald's release. (He ended up in a spot of trouble after all, but then Harald claims that one always end up in trouble in the Caribbean in any case)
 
Year 15, day 360 - 365
Head towards Rodney Bay. Fly the ARC 2009 flag, ask for ARC office and register for social programme.
 
And that, dear readers, was a small outline of the plan. A more detailed book will soon be published by High Seas Productions. Tomorrow we will discuss ARC communications infrastructure in more detail. We believe we have a breakthrough idea, so make sure to visit this humble blog tomorrow also!
 
Best regards from your affectionate crew aboard S/Y Ronja.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Coordinates:   W36.40.413., N20.13.540

Distance totalt current rute: 2720 Nm
Sailed distance last 24 hours: 171
Sailed distance since start:1364,2 Nm
Distance left (current route to St. Lucia): 1425 Nm