I’ve just gone through the en route blog postings. Clearly there were a couple of occasions when the end of the message disappeared into the ether but apart from those everything seems to have come through ok. Thank you to Rebecca for monitoring the postings and editing the subject line of each one from a very technical satellite phone header to a date and topic. The fact that keying a blog entry into the satellite phone was so difficult did at least mean that I only posted when there was something of note to report and so spared you my ramblings.

The one highlight we all agreed on but don’t have a picture of is sailing into the moonlight - barefoot, shorts and t-shirt, alone on deck, the boat sailing fast and straight as if on rails down this shimmering silvery path that stretches all of the way to the horizon. Fantastic.

And now, a few pictures.

Waiting for that blog post to transmit.

Touch of Grey took line honours at the start (pictures from the committee boat: http://cornellsailing.com/2016/11/atlantic-odyssey-fleet-leaves-tenerife-bound-for-barbados/). With a couple of minutes to go I knew we were going too fast and would be over the line so asked Linda to spin the boat through 360 degrees - we came out of that turn as the one minute gun went, unfurled and set the cruising foresail to perfection and powered over the line just after the gun went. Once a racer always a racer.  I think most of the other boats had taken the guidance that “this isn’t a race” too literally and we were soon showing them a clean transom …

When the weather was good, the sunrises and sunsets were spectacular.

Sunrise 25 November

Sunset 1 December

On 28 November (day 8) the winds were so light that we were able to take a dip in the Atlantic. Very glad that we did so then as the opportunity never arose again. 

Where we took our dip

If we didn’t catch some fish, plan B was tinned sardines. Pleased to report that the sardines were able to rest easy for another day.

The first of three bluefin tuna to be landed, 65 cm nose to tail, about 1.3kg.  Not the youngest of specimens and so not the best of cuts but tasty all the same.

Let the filleting begin.

This one was younger and smaller - perfect sashimi, eaten with the wasabi that Ted brought along in anticipation.

Number three, similar in size to the first, waiting for the filleter to arrive.

Almost there. Flag officer Fraser (IT retd) hoists the Barbados national flag (signifying that we recognise their sovereignty and come in peace) and the international code flag Q (my vessel is healthy and I request free pratique - permission granted to a ship to have dealings with a port, given after quarantine or on showing a clean bill of health).

Able seaman Toth savours the calmer waters found in the lee of the Barbados.

Entering the main harbour at Bridgetown.