Atlantic Blog #6 - Saturday 29th November 2014

Still more strong winds today, but thank goodness for wind to blow Laros along.  We are looking forward to some sunshine as the dull leaden skies bringing occasional drizzle during the day and squalls during the night, and it is becoming tedious.  It is colder than we expected, so some sun please!  We have continued our SW progress well and look like we shall clock up our usual 150+ miles/day.  Reef in and out of the main and furling reef in the genoa are commonplace every 3-4 hours.  Battery management seems to be under control as we now have an almost constant 12.3v from the main house battery - that at the expense of turning most things off.  Thank goodness for LED bulbs on the masthead!  Fuel pre filters in the 2 engines were changed today, to ensure smooth diesel flow for the rest of the passage.  We have consigned the 240v battery charger to the metaphoric bin as it will and then it won't change.  The main engine alternators will suffice to keep up what we use, oh, and the solar panel when THE SUN STARTS TO SHINE!  Today we completed 5 full days sailing and passed into the last 2000 miles to St Lucia - sounds good, that!  We are pleased as it means we've cracked 800!  The galley continues to produce firsts - of course, that's people in the galley, well 2 people actually.  Danny and Johnny sail, and Tanya and Debs create firsts in the galley.  Today's first was a 'never fail fruit cake'.  I can't answer your question yet, as it's still in the oven. Watch routine is very well settled in.  Just the sun to sort itself out.  Have I mentioned the sun needs to get its act in gear?

Atlantic Blog #5 - Friday 28th November 2014

Today was characterised by strong NW winds gusting to 30 knots.  Consequently, we were sailing with 2 reefs in the main and the genoa, and sailing nicely at a steady 7+ knots.  We have been able to average 155 miles each day, with 2027 miles to St Lucia.  As I write we have covered 767 miles so far and are positioned about 300 miles to the north of the Cape Verde Islands.  Batteries have been a cause for much deep thinking as we cannot trace what appears to be a rogue discharge from the house batteries.  We are conserving as much power as we can, so continue a 24 hour manual helm.  Good for the sailing soul!  Huge highlights of the day came from the kitchen.  Tanya's chocolate fudge brownie, AND, her stew and mustard dumplings are to die for.  Deb kept up the standard with baked bread which looks and feels fantastic.  Danny and Johnny just looked on, salivating.  Role on breakfast when we will at last be allowed to taste it.  We are promised lighter winds and moving from NW to NE in the next 24-36 hours.  It will be a welcome break from the pounding of the swell on the starboard sides of Laros.  No doubt we will be wishing for stronger winds in 2 or 3 days!

Atlantic Blog #4 - Thursday 27th November 2014

Squalls overnight last night were a significant part of the passage, and after hasty reefing and judicious helming, we came out the other side of rain and high winds unscathed.  We have taken to manual helming through the night the give James (the autopilot) a rest, and more importantly the batteries topped up.  It was a make and mend day today, with mainsail car glued, big batteries separated to give the charging system a better chance at doing its job (found a major error from the electrician in Las Palmas !!), and chocolate brownies homemade from the oven.  A large pod of dolphins were a highlight of early this afternoon.  The clouds seem to be becoming NE trade puffs, a sky Danny calls the Simpson sky (can't think why?).  We are sailing in company with 3 other yachts of the Rally, Soulmate being out on our starboard quarter in sight.  Showers were had by all today, the fragrance of perfumed bodies has been wafting around the cockpit.  We are eating like kings, although we shared some vegetables with the fishes today.  Fishing has yet to begin.  If tomorrow is like today, I am betting it will be fresh tuna on the barbie for tomorrow's supper.  Beards are in evidence, rather stubble more than anything else, designer stubble designed by a blind man, adorns Danny and Johnny's merry faces.  The end result will not be sex symbol of the year!  Morale will significantly boost if the washing machine gets going at the weekend (we need the port tack for the waste, as the basin outflow floods on starboard - hence the sea-cock closed normally).  Thank you for all the support from home.  Keep your letters and requests flowing in.  We sing each day.  If there is a special song let us know and we'll sing it on 'Laros Sings Friday@.  You can tell it's horrendous here, can't you!

Atlantic Blog #3 - Wednesday 26 November 2014

We are already into our third day and routine is settling down.  Our watch system has fallen into a 4 hour paired watch overnight (8-12 midnight, then to 4, then to 8 am).  Deb and Johnny, Danny and Tanya.  Makes for less disturbance at watch change.  Seems to be working.  Sundowners leads into supper, leads into an hours rest for the oncoming watch at 8pm who do 2 watches overnight.  Today we had brunch at 10am, a recipe of fried potatoes, beans mixed with cheese and worcester sauce, and fresh damper, which was out of this world. Thanks go to Susie for the beans recipe, and the Australian bush tuckerman for the damper (Deb's traditional fare).  We have enjoyed great winds today, steady at around 18-20 knots.  This morning we headed mostly SSW with our poled-out genoa goose-winged.  This afternoon we put a little more west in our course, and now are romping along at an average of 8 knots on a broad reach.  The moon is quarter full on the rise and casting a long glow on the waters, leading us on a 250' course.  It is superbly quiet down below.  With a hearty diet, lots of air, sleep is deep and fullsome.  Battery power has been an issue today, though we managed to bring the State of Charge back up to working level, and with his electrician's expertise, Danny sorted the solar panel supply.  A broken mainsail track car is our one outstanding casualty to which we will apply G5 tomorrow, otherwise it's one reef in the main all the rest of the way!  St Lucia is 2376 miles away.  383 miles under our belt as I write (9.15pm).  We are in good heart.

Atlantic Blog #2 - Tuesday 25th November 2014

Appetizing aromas of frying chicken waft up the companionway stairs as I type this blog. Tanya is chef of the day (well, for supper anyway) as she proclaims an enthusiastic desire to cook every meal - OK by me!  We experienced a stop-start-terrific gusty night last night, caused primarily by the wind shadow to the south of Gran Canaria.  Nevertheless, we seem to have been reasonably successful in keeping the wind in our favour as we understand from you all that we are up in the front third.  The first HF radio schedule with position reporting at 1200hrs today also indicated that we were only a handful of boats back from the westerly front runner (from those who answered).  Must mean we are doing some things right! This morning and afternoon have been bright sunshine with big seas, but still chilly.  No dolphins today.  We still see the odd boat of the fleet here and there, but they are becoming few and far between.  HF email comms is good, and thank you all for quick responses.  Good to get mail from back home up here in the front lines.  Weather forecast from ARC control has shown a low pressure front coming from the north, so the advice is to head south, then turn west again in a couple of days.  So that's what we are doing.  Danny has suffered mal de tum, out of character, but he has chirped up this afternoon after our first shower session of the crossing. Two clean, two still pongy.  Just hope the watermaker works tomorrow, otherwise we're in the ....  Fishing line not yet deployed as we are gathering ourselves together after an impromptu watch rota last night. Really, only the after effects of our first night at sea.  All is good, and morale is climbing.  Tea this afternoon was accompanied by yoghurt cake - yum! Sundowner drinks are in the fridge, and the damper mix is being prepared! My, what an experience this is turning out to be!

Atlantic Blog #1 - Monday 24th November

This is the first blog from Yacht Laros on the high seas as part of ARC 2014 comes to you via HF radio link and the good offices of the Blogmasters Jane and Laura McCulloch. We have been delayed from starting by almost one day due to a tropical low pressure storm pashing through Las Palmas creating unseasonal waves.  It nearly washed out the crew dinner, out on a patio overlooking the marina with sunshade canvass as our only protection.  Monday morning started early waving off our fifth crew member to the airport, Chris Austin, who very sadly has had to return to UK at short notice. The crew consists of Tanya (CJ), Danny McCulloch (sweet tooth), Debs and Johnny. We managed a creditable start in the top third of the pack, and choose to head south with first sighting of dolphins of the trip under our bow when most others headed southeast. We have made up considerable ground over the afternoon and are looking forward to a more westerly routing during the first night.  Sails will be reefed for a comfortable sail to get into the groove.  Swell currently 3-4 metres and Sweet Tooth is surfing us down the waves at anything between 15.4 knots/hour (tops) and 7.  We are swiftly loosing sight of Gran Canaria and the rest of the fleet.  Surprising how quickly we become one of one visually.  The AIS though gives us a good picture of others, and we look forward to the Yellow Brick update which, thanks to an early Christmas present from co-owner to co-owner (iPad Air - wow) can give us a picture of the other boats, as you see them! We are looking forward to further wind tonight after Tanya's chili con carne.  A very good first day and more to come, for sure.  The forecast is for stable NE tradewinds which will bode well for a fast crossing.

Six days to go

Getting very exciting now. 168 of the 180 boats taking part have now arrived in LP. Meeting lots of people from all corners of the world. Opening ceremony yesterday in glorious sunshine. 

Boat passed safety inspection and we are now preparing to provision the boat for three weeks. Finding  spaces for everything is a little tricky. Our three extra crew arrive on Wednesday. 

We will have access to email while crossing. The email address is mnem9@sailmail.com please don't send any pics. 

Also, you can follow us by downloading the APP yellow brick. You will have to pay to down load the race. About £1.99. Don't download until Sunday. Make sure it is ARC 2014. NOT ARC+2014.

We will try to update the blog daily. 

Some pictures from our time in LP

Opening ceremony

LP old town

Tony caught another fish - nice tuna

Las Palmas

Morroco to Canary Islands

A good catch

Well..... We are here.  The Canary Islands.

After waiting in Gibraltar for over a week for a weather window we decided to have a change and sailed across the straight to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (on the Morrocan side). Had a great three days and nights touring this lovely city. Lots of history. A great mix of Spanish and Morrocan flavours.

Back to Gibraltar for a few days then finally the wind stopped blowing from the west and we set off. Started with a good blow from the east then as we came out of the straights and started heading south the winds died and we motor sailed for 24 hours with a 3 mt swell. During the night the winds picked up and up go the sails and we managed to sail some miles before the wind died again. Having had enough of the engine, we decided to head into Rabat on the Morrocan coast. Sadly the port was closed due to the swell and we had to keep going another 30 nm to Mohammedia. A truly Morrocan fishing harbour. Stayed here for two nights. Caught the train into Rabat next morning and had a wonderful day discovering this capital city. So much nicer than Tangier. Made some new friends sailing on a Nicholson 35 across the Atlantic, though not with the ARC. 

Next thought is to head south to Agadir and a bit more of Morocco. After a couple of hours out and great winds we decide to head straight to the Canaries. Three nights and four days later we arrive in Arracifie on Lanzarote. Land was a welcome sight.

 Having recovered from the sail we hired a car and toured this amazing island. Such a diverse landscape. So volcanic, arid and mountainous. Almost desert like in some areas.

After five days we decide to head to Las Palmas on Gran Canaria and check out the  ARC marina. 

Great friends Fred and Debs Threadgold arrive for four days so we decide to hire a car and tour the. island.  Even more mountainous than Lanzarote and with roads that wind forever. Johnny kept saying what great roads they were for motor biking. Too wiggley for me! 

More to come soon - promise!! 

Mahamedia early morning as the fishing fleet come in. 

Lanzarote. 

Lava flow on Lanzarote. 

More waste land.

Top of the volcano 

Vast sand dunes on Gran Canaria.

Two days in Tangier- amazing colours