From: svjenny

Sent: Friday, December 05, 2014 11:01 AM

To: svjenny {CHANGE TO AT} mailasail {DOT} com ; rmagnus10 {CHANGE TO AT} gmail {DOT} com ; jgane77 {CHANGE TO AT} hotmail {DOT} com

Subject: On transatlantic passage, 28:31.34N 16:17.28W

Dear Family and Friends,

 

We left Puerto Calero, Lanzarote late morning yesterday, having installed a different comms system. We have made good progress, sailing 142 miles in 23 hours, sailing between the southern tip of Lanzarote and the northernmost point of Fuerteventura, north of Gran Canaria and Tenerife. We are now on passage w x s, passing the west cost of Tenerife, and to the west of La Gomera in about 6 hours time, late afternoon. When we leave sight of Isla de Hierro, the most sw of the Canaries, our next landfall will be about 2900 away.

 

With so many frustrations and delays due to last minute works and faults it was a relief to finally be on passage. We had a lovely sail in warm sunshine along the Lanzarote coast, turning into windier conditions as we entered the islands strait. Cruising the west coast of Fuerteventura, it is much like that of its neighbour Lanzarote. Amazingly both islands had a simmer of green on the dark brown landscape, with so much rain and the plants and grasses are growing where all had been barren before.

 

Gran Canaria, when I came on watch at 11pm was a defined by threads of golden light, the light loom visible low on the horizon long before the lights themselves simmered into view. The same was true of Tenerife. Coming back on deck this morning, we were passing the dramatic cliffs of its northern and western coast. Alan related the tale of a previous visit here, where he had taken a day cruise past these sheer cliffs, rising 400+ ft in going to within 4 m of their base, with no water depth recorded such is the depth and steepness of the fall below the water line!

 

I am thankful for all the advice received about life on board, particularly about having prepared meals. So last night was mild curried chicken in a light mango and coconut sauce with rice, from the freezer. The Atlantic swell means that I can only cope with short periods below. Having had some violent lurches, we some bruised fruit today!

 

Daily ablutions when taken are exercises in the extreme. The plug has to be held in, you have to hold on all the time and complete everything else one handed, I’ll leave you to imaging the rest!

 

Sleep is difficult with such a rolling motion even in the aft cabins generally considered less rolly than the fore cabin. When we get dog tired we will be sleeping anywhere!

 

Everyone is well and looking forward to making landfall just about 20 days to go!

 

All our best, Lynne Alan and James