Three months... and we've made it to the start line
A year afloat: to the Caribbean and back
Sam and Alex Fortescue
Tue 9 Nov 2010 19:52
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28:06.0N
15:25.0W We've sailed more than 2,000 miles, been penned
into port by gale force winds, hammered our way through 6m high waves, but we've
made it after 3 months... we're in Las Palmas at the start line for the Atlantic
crossing. We didn't expect to feel so elated just for turning up, but in truth,
it seems as if a large part of the achievement is already behind us. Maybe we'll
have a different view when we get to Rodney Bay.
It's been a day without wind and as of about
midnight last night, we've been proceeding only under the donk. In usual style,
a nice little wind sprang up as we turned into the harbour, dodging scores of
gigantic tankers and freighters apparently milling around waiting for our
arrival. But the calm day gave us a chance to try out our fluorescent orange
storm sails and practice rigging the double headsails - the set up which will
waft us across the Atlantic on the trades. The technique is simple: put two
sails at the bow of the boat and keep them open with poles, attached to the
mast.
There's a bit of art to getting it all in place,
using some 12 ropes to secure everything in place. But it felt secure and the
good thing about it is that we'll just be able to roll up a little sail if we
feel overpowered. The bad news is that it is likely to make us roll from side to
side quite badly.
Because we got to Las Palmas a full week earlier
than expected in an attempt to get the watermaker running again, we have more
time than we budgeted for. Will and Graham, respectively Galley Slave and Powder
Monkey, don't get out until early next week, along with mission control from
Dorset. It'll give us a bit of time to get involved in the ARC shindigs. We've
already managed to get our hands on some tickets for tonight's 'fiesta', which
we're going to crash in sandals and shorts, having literally just moored up in
the marina.
Hopes for a cracking night are high, although we
may be snoozing by 10 after two nights of shocking bad sleep. I'll let you know
what Vela Latina was like in the morning...
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