Spectra's Web Diary - Heading West Seventh Blog, nearly there

Heading West Seventh Blog, nearly there

Spectra

Paul & Norma Russell

Tue 9 Dec 2014 21:03

12:53.412N 58:20.328W

Heading West Seventh Blog, nearly there

9^th December 2014

Seventh edition of the going west blogs and we are on the home run. At the present speed we should be in by about 4 in the morning so this is only going to be a quick update to let everyone know that we are safe and all still speaking to each other. The wind has come up this morning and we are averaging 7 knots today with a double reef in the main and a few rolls in the foresail so no complaints there.

That’s about it for this one I will update tomorrow or more likely the day after once we have cleared customs had a good sleep and found out were we can get on line etc, but first a cool beer.

I will write soon…………………

Email:

Spectra {CHANGE TO AT} mailasail {DOT} com

No attachment or pics please as this is a very low bandwidth satellite link and costs a small fortune per minute for downloads and they block up my weather reports.

If you want to send normal email pics attachment etc.

Paul {DOT} russell732 {CHANGE TO AT} hotmail {DOT} co {DOT} uk and I will pick it up when I am on WiFi

Blog Entries

2023

Jul 2023

Thu 27 Jul 15:07
- Back Home and the end of this chapter in our lives

Jun 2023

Wed 21 Jun 14:15
- Two weeks later- What we have been up to while the boat dried out Part 4
Tue 20 Jun 18:05
Sun 18 Jun 15:51
- One week later-And we are drying out
Thu 8 Jun 12:56
- Bermuda to Nova Scotia the final night and our rescue
Wed 7 Jun 09:15

May 2023

Mon 29 May 02:06
- Last few days in Bermuda
Fri 26 May 22:30
- Captain Stokes Marina Bermuda
Tue 23 May 18:22
- Crossing the Bermuda Triangle - Dominican Republic to Bermuda
- Things definitely did not go to plan – stuck in Bahai

Apr 2023

Tue 25 Apr 21:14
- A 247 mile loop and we are back where we started
Thu 20 Apr 21:48
- A bit of luxury for a few days, we are all crewed up for the trip to Nova Scotia and Mad, Mad, Mad driving in The Dominican Republic
Fri 14 Apr 21:26
- 3 nights at sea and we are in Samana Marina Dominican Republic
Tue 11 Apr 17:16
- SV Spectra to mission control-We have internet on the go
Fri 7 Apr 00:17
- test
- In the Lagoon and definitely ‘Stir Crazy’

Mar 2023

Fri 31 Mar 13:28
- Back in St Martin and beginning to go ‘Stir Crazy’
Fri 17 Mar 20:02
- Anguilla – Weatherbound in Paradise
Mon 13 Mar 14:35
- St Martin - Sundowners and maintenance
Fri 10 Mar 17:14
Thu 2 Mar 19:09
- Broken Props and Extended Stops

Feb 2023

Tue 28 Feb 15:02
- Tony has gone home, and we are stuck in English harbour for the next we while
Thu 16 Feb 19:12
- Tony arrived and we started an Island cruise
Tue 14 Feb 21:36
- Dominica to Jolly Harbour - slipped anchors and a rough night passage
Sun 12 Feb 14:22
- Portsmouth Dominica PAYS and The Salty Dawgs sailing association.
Mon 6 Feb 20:05
- Isle de Saintes – And I damaged my propeller.

Jan 2023

Tue 31 Jan 22:12
- Guadeloupe - Basse Terre and a troublesome winch
Mon 30 Jan 12:51
- Guadeloupe - Murder in Paradise and Hot Rivers
Thu 26 Jan 17:16
- Antigua to Guadeloupe 26 January 2023
Tue 24 Jan 13:40
- Week 3 and we have arrived in Antigua 5125 miles since leaving Sandwich
Thu 19 Jan 19:20
- Going West week 2
- Going West - Week 1

2022

Dec 2022

Fri 30 Dec 22:59
- Tenerife getting ready to go
Tue 27 Dec 08:58
- Gibraltar to Tenerife picture gallery in no particular order
Mon 26 Dec 10:35
- We arrived in time for Christmas in Tenerife 26th December 2022
Sat 17 Dec 15:25
- Satellite communications are working
Thu 15 Dec 17:46
- All change with the trip plans 15th December 2022
Thu 1 Dec 10:11
- It all went a bit wrong so and we are back in Gibraltar 1st December 2022

Nov 2022

Mon 21 Nov 18:26
- We start our holiday in Morocco 21 Nov 2022
Fri 18 Nov 11:33
- We are in Gibraltar Fish-Chips-pub quiz, Jen has a baby et al - 14 Nov 2022
Wed 9 Nov 08:05
- Cadiz and Barbate waiting to start the final part of this chapter in our travels
Thu 3 Nov 10:17
- Another two hops and we are in Chipiona - 3rd November 2022

Oct 2022

Sat 29 Oct 10:51
- Two hops down the road and we are at the Spanish border
Tue 25 Oct 15:47
- We have a working freezer and have moved to Vilamoura 25 - October 2022
Tue 18 Oct 12:57
- We are very nearly famous
Mon 17 Oct 13:28
- Now we are stuck in Lagos – Freezer repairs and the Fosters go home 17-October 2022
Tue 11 Oct 09:15
- Sines to Lagos - A bumpy night at anchor of Cape St Vincent 8-9 October 2022
Mon 10 Oct 08:15
- Cascais to Sines - We meet Orcas and lose a good friend 1-4 October 2022
Sun 9 Oct 13:27
- Peniche to Cascais - Loud music and a broken freezer 1-4 October 2022
Sat 1 Oct 14:32
- Lots of things have happened - Povoa de Vazim to Peniche - 1st October

Sep 2022

Fri 23 Sep 11:25
- We Arrived in Portugal -22-23 September 2022
Mon 19 Sep 08:21
- Rigging my emergency anti Orca device on the steering – 19 September 2022
Sun 18 Sep 17:56
- Muros - Michal – Mirka – Orcas – and more Rain - 1 8 September 2022
Tue 13 Sep 20:44
- It’s raining again and just how long does it take to c hange a light bulb?
Sat 10 Sep 17:18
- We have arrived in Muros and the weather is fine. 42:46.59N 9:03.38W
Wed 7 Sep 18:30
- The spare parts didn’t arrive, but the weather did - s till in Caramarinas 7th Sept 2022
Sun 4 Sep 14:07
- Chris leaves us, waiting on spare parts and the weather in Caramarinas
Sat 3 Sep 07:59
- Catching up and getting started properly July to September 2022

Aug 2022

Tue 16 Aug 13:33
- Turning right instead of left - back to Dover

May 2022

Fri 20 May 16:17
- And we are still stuck in Lowestoft
Wed 11 May 15:36
- Another false start - Stuck in Lowestoft

2021

Jul 2021

Mon 12 Jul 16:28
- July 2021 relaunched and getting ready to go. Sandwich, Kent

2015

Jul 2015

Fri 24 Jul 13:27
- Ramsgate home again
Fri 17 Jul 17:09
- Eastbourne to Dover and it’s n early all over
Wed 15 Jul 20:25
- Sovereign Harbour Eastbourne
Tue 14 Jul 19:18
- Yarmouth IOW
Mon 13 Jul 18:33
- Arrived Lymington
Sun 12 Jul 16:45
- Brixham to Weymouth…..Martha has arrived
Thu 9 Jul 11:39
- Horta to Brixham…..5 arrived
Tue 7 Jul 08:32
- Horta to Brixham…..4
Sun 5 Jul 10:09
- Horta to Brixham 3
Fri 3 Jul 09:28
- Horta to Brixham 2
Wed 1 Jul 08:41
- Horta to Brixham 1

Jun 2015

Mon 29 Jun 13:18
- Horta...Azores
Fri 26 Jun 14:05
- Flores to Horta…Willem arrives a nd we have a great stay on a lov ely island
Tue 23 Jun 09:40
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 8 ... Picture Gallery B
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 8 ... Picture Gallery A
Mon 22 Jun 10:49
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 7 ... The final run in
Sun 21 Jun 11:52
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 6 ... Nearly lost the mast by Jen
Fri 19 Jun 13:27
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 5 ... just bob-bob-bobbing along
Wed 17 Jun 16:02
- Fw: Bermuda to Flores, Azores 4...Norma has her say
Mon 15 Jun 09:16
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 3, Strong winds and wet decks
Sat 13 Jun 13:58
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 2, Jen has her say!
Thu 11 Jun 19:10
- Bermuda to Flores, Azores 1
Tue 9 Jun 13:16
- Bermuda Departure day and my Birthday
Sun 7 Jun 19:57
- Wilmington to Bermuda Day 7 Arrived
Sat 6 Jun 10:39
- Wilmington to Bermuda Day 6 Saturday
Wed 3 Jun 10:37
- Wilmington to Bermuda Day 4
Mon 1 Jun 10:34
- Wilmington to Bermuda Day 2

May 2015

Sun 31 May 12:34
- On our way Wilmington to Bermuda
Fri 29 May 12:24
- Wilmington: Shopping, Shopping, New batteries, Alligators and Snakes
Fri 22 May 22:50
- Wilmington area with Tommy and Sue.
Sun 17 May 16:04
- Georgetown to Wilmington and we finish with the ICW.
Wed 13 May 13:30
- Georgetown North Carolina….Mosqu itoes, No-See-Ums and things tha t go bite in the night
Sat 9 May 03:06
- Beaufort North Carolina to Charlestown...Rain, Wind and we meet Jen
Wed 6 May 14:48
- We are in Savannah I do declare...Forest Gump, lovely people, and new crew

Apr 2015

Thu 30 Apr 01:10
- Good bye to Right Turn, Lovely St Marys, shallow water, No-See-Ums and Otters
Sat 25 Apr 00:37
- Tourists in St Augustine, Flying dolphins and transformers
Mon 20 Apr 17:06
- Arrived in St Augustine, aground again and anchored under a forts guns
Tue 14 Apr 22:53
- Arrived Titusville
- Fort Pierce, Air boats, Aligators, Manatees, Racoons and Spacemen
Fri 10 Apr 19:29
- Riveira Beach to Fort Pierce, Gemma, Duncan, Lily, and the bump gets a name.

Mar 2015

Tue 31 Mar 01:13
- Nassau, Chubb Cay, overnight to Fort Lauderdale and we start up the ICW.
Mon 30 Mar 22:34
- Position update Fort Lauderdale
- Position Update Chubb Cay
Tue 24 Mar 14:13
- Waderwick Wells-Cay-Allans Cay and back to Nassau picture update+change of plans
Mon 23 Mar 18:58
- Oyster Cay-Waderwick Wells-Cay-B oo Boo Hill–Coral reefs and big barracuda
Sun 22 Mar 23:04
- Nassau, Visas and back South to Oyster Cay & a close encounter with a big shark
Mon 16 Mar 12:23
- Thunderball Grotto, Normans Cay and Nassau
Fri 13 Mar 14:45
- Farmers Cay to Big Majors Spot - Dolphins, Sharks, and swimming pigs
Thu 12 Mar 11:52
- George Town to Farmers Cay, Bahamas and I catch a big fish with big teeth.
Sat 7 Mar 14:53
- Turks and Caicos to George Town, Bahamas
Fri 6 Mar 14:50
- Crooked Island position update
Wed 4 Mar 14:49
Sun 1 Mar 17:20
- Puerto Rico and Goodbye to Steve v1.1

Feb 2015

Thu 26 Feb 19:46
- USVI's, The Spanish Virgin Islands and we arrive in Puer to Rico
Sat 21 Feb 17:36
- BVI’s and USVI’s
Wed 18 Feb 12:48
- Anguilla to Virgin Gorda and onto Tortola
Sat 14 Feb 12:51
- St Kitts, Eustacia, Sint Maarten, St Martin and Anguilla
Tue 10 Feb 17:56
- Sint Maarten position update
Thu 5 Feb 16:21
- Montserrat....Whales, a horrible nights sleep at anchor and lost Irish kingdoms
Wed 4 Feb 03:39
- Antigua………….Big boats, Madem oiselles in distress and Jump up s.

Jan 2015

Fri 30 Jan 14:53
- Guadeloupe-Antigua………….Turtle re scues and Cul de Sacs
- Guadeloupe position update
Mon 26 Jan 23:32
Thu 22 Jan 18:00
- Martinique
Sun 18 Jan 14:57
- St Lucia – Rodney Bay
Thu 15 Jan 14:40
- St Lucia – Marigot Bay
Wed 14 Jan 14:31
Sat 10 Jan 16:44
- St Vincent and the Grenadines-Union Island and poison fruit
Thu 8 Jan 14:32
- Grenada 4 . . . Hog Island, True Blue Bay and Carriacou
- Grenada 3 photo update
Sun 4 Jan 20:43
- Grenada 2
Fri 2 Jan 13:26
- Barbados to Grenada 1

2014

Dec 2014

Fri 26 Dec 15:43
- Barbados 3
Wed 17 Dec 13:44
- Barbados 2, 17th Dec catch up
Tue 16 Dec 14:37
Sat 13 Dec 16:11
- Barbados 1
Tue 9 Dec 21:03
- Heading West Seventh Blog, nearly there
Sun 7 Dec 16:32
- Heading West Sixth Blog, Special moments, S:@t, Ships, Sails and Soda bread
Fri 5 Dec 14:07
- Heading West Fifth Blog, back to me I'm afraid
Wed 3 Dec 13:43
- Heading West Fourth Blog, Peter has his say
Mon 1 Dec 12:32
- Heading West Third Blog, A view from the Bosons chair

Nov 2014

Sat 29 Nov 13:13
- Heading West Second Blog, Norma's bit
Thu 27 Nov 12:48
- Heading West first blog
Tue 25 Nov 09:17
- The big off
Sun 23 Nov 10:53
- Mindelo Cape Verdes and 3000 milestone reached
Thu 20 Nov 13:54
Tue 18 Nov 12:21
- Nearly There
Sun 16 Nov 10:11
- Jo
Sat 15 Nov 11:25
- Clear Skies and Steady Winds 150 Miles West of Morocco
Thu 13 Nov 09:32
- Goodbye Tenerife
Mon 10 Nov 19:05
- Lift out and a room with a bath
Wed 5 Nov 17:11
- Tenerife San Miguel Marina

Oct 2014

Thu 30 Oct 23:05
- Salvage Islands (Ilhas Selvagens) to Tennerife
Wed 29 Oct 12:24
- Madeira to the Salvage Islands -------- Ilhas Selvagens
Sun 26 Oct 13:24
- a few more pics
- Madeira at last
Wed 22 Oct 15:36
- Sines to Madeira-------------Or Tyranny of the Tiller!!!
Mon 20 Oct 14:08
- Sines to Madeira update
Sat 18 Oct 14:47
- Stir crazy in Sines
Thu 16 Oct 07:46
- We are stuck for the moment
Wed 15 Oct 20:22
- Fw: Peniche, Cascais, Sines and new Crew
Sat 11 Oct 08:17
- 38:41.30N 9:25.11W
Thu 9 Oct 10:15
- Figueira da Foz to Nazare to Pen iche…………… ………. and a fish at last!
Tue 7 Oct 08:10
- 39:35.5N 9:04.5W
Sun 5 Oct 10:24
- Porto and Figuiera da Foz with lots of dolphins!
Thu 2 Oct 09:26
- Vigo to Viana do Castelo and on to Porto…………First 1000 miles log ged

Sep 2014

Tue 30 Sep 13:24
- Viana do Castelo
Mon 29 Sep 17:46
- Caraminal to Eugenia (Uxia) to Isla Salvora to Vigo or a lot of firsts
Sun 28 Sep 20:11
- isla Salvora 27 September 2014
- Eugenia position update
Fri 26 Sep 11:35
- Fw: Muros to Caraminal, or high winds and fish hooks
Tue 23 Sep 21:22
- Portosin and Muros, or plan left go right.
Sun 21 Sep 16:15
- All alone and the great escape
Fri 19 Sep 10:20
- Weather, more weather and Fare-thee-Wells, 19 September 2014
Wed 17 Sep 14:17
- La Caruna to Muxia, Dancing in the streets and weather bound
Sun 14 Sep 22:33
- La Coruna the day after the night before
Sat 13 Sep 10:04
- Arrived La Caruna
Fri 12 Sep 11:49
- Guernsey-Biscay-La Coruna days 2-3
Wed 10 Sep 13:25
- Position Report 1530 FST 10 Sept 2014
Mon 8 Sep 18:15
- Guernsey and the Alderney Race
Sun 7 Sep 21:03
- 49:38.7N 01:37.2W
Sat 6 Sep 19:09
- Maintenance, Changing plans, hitch hikers and fog: 4-6 Sept 2014
Thu 4 Sep 18:08
- A day on the beach
Tue 2 Sep 20:04
- Calais to St Valery Sur Somme 50:10.82N 1:38.72E
Mon 1 Sep 18:05
- (no subject)

Aug 2014

Sun 31 Aug 17:47
- First Blog getting ready to go and Calais end of Aug 2014
Wed 27 Aug 13:06
- (no subject)