Land ohoy! final ARC blog
Skye Blue sailing
Stephen and Malene
Tue 13 Dec 2022 07:08
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This blog was written in advance of our crossing the
finishing line - for practical reasons the last day of sailing is a busy one.
But rest assured if you are reading this: we are safe; we are well and we have
made it to Rodney Bay. And after several rum punches we will most likely be
'3-sheets-to-the-wind', much like Skye Blue has been over the last few weeks.
Following which, we will be re-introduced back into society just as soon as
we're scrubbed and the crew is made hygienic again.
Well, what and adventure it's been, after leaving Las
Palmas some 20 days ago. There are too many highlights to share in this post as
previous entries will attest. However, suffice to say from the: excitement of
the choppy waters of the early days; to the blustery winds of a southerly
bearing sail; to the hypnotic night skies and twinkling stars; to the majestic
sunrises and sunsets; to the waxing and waning moon; to the restless yet
windless days when the trade winds deserted us; to the image of Neil prancing
about top deck in his budgie smugglers - all have left a searing and indelible
mark on our memories.
In an expedition such as this there are many thank you's
to be made...
Thanks to you our friends and family for your positive
support and kind messages received before and throughout our
journey.
Thanks to Laura, Victoria, Dorthe and Mags for making
the long flight's to St. Lucia - or the "cheats way" as we are now calling it!
We look forward to celebrating with you.
Thanks to Stephen, Malene, Janet, Brian, Carolyn and
David for navigating Skye Blue from its home over the last 2 years in Troon to
the Canary's in preparation for the start of this race.
A huge thanks go to the 'Yellow Shirts' and ARC
organisers. We appreciate your dedication, easy manner, and smiling faces -
creating a welcome and secure environment and facilitating a forum to meet and
enjoy time with fellow competitors. Our crossing would be otherwise less special
without all your hard work.
The biggest thanks of all, and speaking on behalf of my
fellow crew members of course must go to Malene and Stephen for allowing us to
share in the start of their big around-the-world adventure. Your generosity,
wise counsel, hard work, expertise, and humour has given us a much loved
experience we will always cherish. And from this writer's perspective it has
been a privilege to work with you on both on renovating 'Skye Blue' over this
last year - many thanks for allowing me the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of
our labour. We hope you have a safe and happy onward journey and look
forward to future blogs on adventures yet to come. Take care of Maja also in her
gap year - try not to send her up the mast too often. From your Atlantic Skye
Blue Crew...It's been a blast, many thanks.
A final note on what has made this
crossing do special - is it the sights we have seen?, the excitement
of the sailing?, the endurance of living 3 weeks in close quarters to each
other?, or the challenge of continually helming a sail boat 24 hours a day? Yes,
to all! But equally it has been about the new friendships forged or old ones
rekindled, and the many laughs and sing-along's we've
had a long the way.
As to who won the competition amongst the crew of
correctly predicting our date and time of arrival - well, it looks like it is
between Ulrich, Raymond and Neil, but for now lets just say and to quote Bob
Dylan - "The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in
the wind".
And now as we hear the faint soundings of the steel
drums, heralding our arrival and as the finishing line homes into view, bringing
with it the safe port of Rodney Bay. We gasp a sigh of relief and with a big
smile we look forward to enjoying the spoils of victory, in reaching our
destination some 2.800 nautical miles from where we began. Until the next
adventure...
Your Skye Blue Crew - Stephen, Malene, Janet, Neil,
Ulrich, Raymond, Ross and Maja.
Merry Christmas all!
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