We anchored in St George's Harbour Bermuda early on a beautiful windless Sunday morning
Customs dock at St Geroge, Bermuda
Customs dock at St Geroge, Bermuda
Bermuda is a charming small island and is British as witnessed by the telephone boxes, red post boxes and the policeman's uniform. It is very sophisticated compared to the Caribbean and also very expensive! We had a very expensive refuelling exercise and spent the next 4 days doing repairs etc. We had a beer ashore and Keith was very excited because he had his first Guinness for 10 months (although he was not impressed with its freshness).
Gibs lighthouse
The Old Dockyard (looking very similar to Portsmouh Dockyard with it's Georgian buildings)
Keith finally got the fresh water pump mended as far as possible and we had a toilet again eventually, so on the fourth day we took a day off for sightseeing. A wiz round the island on the bus with a visit to the maritime museum and dockyard, Hamilton the capital, a climb up the Gibbs Hill lighthouse and return to St Georges via the ferry and that was the island about done! Very pretty clean place and a lovely climate compared to the oppressive heat of the Caribbean at times (although I really noticed the difference in water temperature when I went under the boat to clean the hull. 22 degress compared to 29 in the Caribbean........God knows what I will be like when I go diving in the UK again!)
Re enactment of the ducking stool in Old St Geroges town square
Pete and Dan flew in from UK that evening at midnight and spent the next day doing repairs while I took a walk along part of the disused raliway line with Andy and Sue from Spuce. A pity we didn't have more time as there are lots of nice walks along the old railway line which was used during the war but was too expensive to maintain afterwards.
Walking along the old railway trackway with Sue and Andy from Spruce
Pete and Dan arrive
Across the Atlantic from Bermuda to Azores
Exerts from my crossing diary:
Exerts from my crossing diary:
Day 1
Left Bermuda Tuesday 8 June at 11.oohrs for the 1,850 mile passage to the Azores after saying goodbye to all our freinds on various boats in the anchorage (some will be going to the Azores and some to America (as it Spruce). Just settling down to the passage when Old Harry (our vital wind steering vane) lost an important pin! So 2 hours later saw us sailing back into St Georges Harbour and tying up at the customs dock to try to repair it. Pete and Dan fashioned a new pin from a bolt and we were off again at 14.20hrs!
Mending Old Harry
An hour into our passage saw a squal pass through with bucketing rain and 25k winds (seems like someone doesn't want us to leave!)
Pete, not impressed with his sunny Bermuda exit!
Day 2
Nice winds 15-20k and sailing along nicely. Don't seem to be able to catch any fish though.
Dan learns to eat from a dog bowl which is our custom at sea
Dan learns to eat from a dog bowl which is our custom at sea
The general plan when leaving Bermuda is to sail north as far as 38-40 degrees and then catch the winds going east to the Azores, this will hopefully avoid getting caught in the high pressure system known as the Azores high which is devoid of wind. This year the Azores high is not where it should be so we are able to make to the east and follow the rum line. At the moment this is also to avoid a low pressure system to the north with strong winds at the moment.
One of the many lovely tropic birds spotted on the trip
Did 111 nautical miles in the last 24 hours which is not as impressive as we would have liked
Pete looking cool when the sun came back
Pete looking cool when the sun came back
Day 6
Wind is very light, keep tracking east still to stay out of the depressions further north. Put up the cruising chute as winds so light. We are afraid we are now stuck in a high pressure system with no wind.
Flying the crusing chute
Had a pasta culinary delight from Dan for tea.
Day 7
On a sea of glass!
Motored all day as no wind. We seem to be becalmed and the sea is like glass, you would think we were on a lake not in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. We only have a certain amount of fuel so cannot keep motoring if we are caught in the doldrums.
Taking advantage of the calm hot weather
Lots of man of war jelly fish are passing us by regularly.
Washed my hair in seawater and made a pizza for lunch.
Washed my hair in seawater and made a pizza for lunch.
Had to have double sundowners cos the beer was cold as we had the fridge on as the engine was running.
Saw a whale gracefully swimming past about 50m away, blowing occasionally. Looked like a Fin whale.
A passing fin whale
The whale blowing about 50m away
Only made 75 miles in the last 24 hours!
Day 8 and 9
Wind has got up today and sailing along nicely at last. We put our clocks forward one hour as we have crossed 52 degrees 30mins west meridian.
Looking up at the following swell
Wind and swell increased, 3 reefs in the main and furled Genoa. Surfing down the waves increasing our speed greatly.
Trying to make some progress to the north while we have good wind.
Did 155 miles in the 24 hour run. This is a record for Rapau. Our previous best was from BVI to Bermuda at 146 miles.
Double sundowners as less than 1000 miles to go and a record mileage! Some dolphins joined us briefly (they obviously don't like warm beer).
Day 10
Wind died again, tried cruising chute but not enough wind even for that. Motoring again.
Got cruising chute up in the evening and Pete declared double sundowners cos he was pi....ed off with having no wind!
Made a potato and pea curry for tea. Livened it up with a tin of hot dog sausages! (We have long since run out of fresh provisions so imaginative cooking is the order of the day).
During the night the crusing chute disappeared under the boat towards the stern. The halyard has snapped somehow. All up on deck to try to retrieve it but thankfully it was not snagged on any of the rudder gear underneath etc.
Day 11 and 12
Wind is back again Hurrah!! We are flying (or rather bumping and crashing) along close reached with 3 reefs in the main on a miserable day with a big sea. Making toward the north east (not very comfortable but we are moving).
Wind died off later on day 12 so had the cruising chute up again and moving along slowly. Thick fog during the night of day 12.
Dolphins passed but didn't linger (not very sociable the dolphins on this trip, theyare larger than the Atlantic spotted dolphins we have been seeing.....bottlenose??)
In search of some inspirational cooking I found a recipe for a Daal, but on opening a packet of lentils found there were crawly things in there (not ready for that yet!)
Day 13 and 14
Still very foggy, wind died, motoring east again to avoid the depression to the north of us as predicted by Herb the forecaster on SSB radio. Only did 60 miles in the last 24 hours.
Made a pizza for lunch (quite pleased with the results.....watch out all those at home, this may become my new speciality so you will get it when you visit!)
Still foggy day 14 but it lifted later in the day. Still motoring (we need to keep fuel for the last 100 miles to the Azores because of calms. Keeping a good eye on fuel situation which could get crucial if we don't get more wind soon.
Made oakcakes and scones (forgot the oatcakes and they became burned cakes!)
Midsummer's day..............excuse for double sundowners.
STILL no fish!!
Day 15-17
STILL next to no wind but creeping along at 2-3k under cruising chute as cannot afford to use any more fuel. Saw a ship and considered asking for a tow but might have ended up in Africa.
Put our clocks forward 1 hour (at least it make the day shorter).
Only making less than 80 miles a day under hot, hot sunny skies (if we could walk on water we would have been there by now!)
Made bread a couple of days (one loaf was a bit brick like and the other passable).
Still NO FISH........but some Atlantic spotted dolphins came to play with us which relieved the boredom for 10 minutes.
Day 18 and last day
The wind has finally arrived, the down side is so have the clouds and the rain. Miserable day but at least going in the right direction and not using any fuel.
Dan and Keith the night before arrival
We are now going to Flores in the Azores instead of the planned Faial as it is 130 miles nearer, Pete and Dan need to get back to UK for work and we are already behind schedule due to the lack of wind.
Flores through the fog
The last night the rain stopped but the morning brought mist and fog. We could not see our landfall until quite close and that was through the fog.
Finally arrived in the fog at the little village of Lajes Das Flores on the island of Flores in the Azores after 18 days 17hours and 13 mins. Just time for a bucks fizz all round and a quick oil change (plus a much needed shower) before Pete and Dan had to catch a taxi to the airport to make their way home.
