Day 21 Singing our way to St.Lucia
13Monday 16 December 2013
Day 21 and more Atlantic mountains and more wind. Minds are definitely swinging towards thoughts of the finish line – one moment thinking of the joy of making it, next moment the relief of making it!
Genoa poled out
And more 40 knot squalls – one person tends to stay upstairs and steers the boat through high winds and lashing rain while the rest stay dry down below. We have had two reefs in the genoa and two in the main sail. Again for our non-sailing friends, this is just a measure of how much of the good old white handkerchief you leave out.
Three weeks on and we started having no idea that we would be plagued by light winds to start and clobbered by heavy winds to finish. We live on our little Adina island oblivious to all. Indeed we had no idea of the sad passing of Nelson Mandela until it was posted in a comment. And the Ashes – have England triumphed or is it service as normal?
Tunes are a big part of the day now – they fluctuate between Lindsay’s ‘Chick flick’ range and the boys liking Tattoo. A special mention to Sarah G for the playlist made for this crossing – it’s pleasing all palettes.
Some people have asked how we manage changing time zones. To be honest, we’ve based changes on what Adina likes – and we like a bit of sunset with our dinner at 7pm! When the sun rises after 8am, we know it’s time to change to the next time zone. When we get to St.Lucia this means we’ll be one hour ahead of the local time but that’s easily managed as we probably won’t know whether we’re coming or going anyway.
Good news for all of you worried about Gareth’s flight on the 17th – he’s got it changed and will now be able to enjoy a bit of St.Lucia instead of dashing for his flight. Relief all round and thanks to all those who pulled it off back at home!
Many thanks for all the suggested songs for our finish line. It resulted in a spontaneous sing-a-long of the suggestions in the cockpit after dinner! Well, of those we knew anyway! No clear winner yet – so please submit more entries!
Dinner was Burmese rice – a meal added to Adina’s recipe book by Roger and Judith when they stayed with us in Ibiza – quick to make, better to eat!
Overnight we set the sails and ended up being a bit more south than we would have liked but Skippy got itchy feet around 8am and had people up for a gybe. Result looks like one tack to St.Lucia but we know what the wind is like and something else will no doubt materialise.
So we’re on a bouncy route to St.Lucia or as the skippers were calling it in today’s radio check-in – rough!
This is Adina singing “We’re on our way to happiness, a-ha, a-ha”
I think some Pat Benatar “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” would be suitably rousing for the crew as well as “Ain’t no mountain high enough”. Keep up the karaoke – your finish time is edging earlier and earlier so hold it together and some rum will be your reward (and Lins’ mum and dad and bringing over some booty with them too!). Still sounds horrendous to me but happy to join in the singsong albeit remotely and on dry land.
Hi Adina
Wow, two reefs and still making max hull speed!
The island (hopefully St Lucia) should be appearing on the bow very soon after you receive this missive – do NOT however lose your sailing focus during the last 4 or 5 mls. So far you have had all the space in the world – make sure you arrive in style and control and not like someone known to Lins off S Turkey many years ago!! You should certainly get there before us, we therefore accept defeat on the ‘other’ race – so get the kettle on and relax, we shall be along within 24 hrs or so. Until then, enjoy the final few hours of crossing the Pond.
Out.
Wendy ‘n Ces
I can’t imagine what it must feel like to be in the dark of night, on your own up-top, with 40 knot winds up your chuff, plunging down the face of such monstrous waves…and then putting in a gybe!!???…..and I thought Steve and I gybing our Mirror in Fareham creek was hairy…you have my greatest respect!
Only one piece of music to cross the finish line to in St Lucia…Wagner’s “The ride of the Valkyries”…..
You mention being cut off from the news – a few snippets:
Ashes, we produce those each evening when we have a wood fire, though so mild now we’ve not bothered for a couple of days.
Peter O’Toole died yesterday.
Ted and Robert have made lots of pretty Christmas decorations for Millport II.
Approx 110 boats have arrived in St Lucia. Tales of broken booms, exploding spinnakers, even a broken mast, and amazing reports of ingenious ways of getting over problems.
Andy Murray won BBC Sports “Personality” of the Year.
This time tomorrow and you’ll be home and dry. Shall miss following the blog and trackers, but look forward to speaking to you live! Love Ros x
ooooooh you’re getting so close we can read your excitement in your blogs! We will not spoil that happiness with talk of the Ashes. Think it probably best that Bell did not win BBC sports personality of the year – any kind of link up to Oz may have been a little embarrassing (Murray won – what a shocker!). This morning we were 285-5 or something like that leaving us trailing by about the same…….not good.
Mandela’s funeral was yesterday in his home town – big public one followed by private ritual service and burial.
In other news ‘Sam’ won the X factor. I’m afraid mummy is unable to comment on even the gender of the winner but it warranted a mention on the Today programme so we shall pass it along……..
Can’t wait to hear news of your arrival but I have to go and have my lunch now.
Love Barnaby xxxxx
Oh my! Even I was beginning to think that it would be rather nice being on the ocean escorted by pods of dolphins.That is, until the ocean turned into a washing machine.How did I produce such a thrill seeker?I think I’ll definitely stick with extreme knitting.
Not long to go now.Enjoy your rum–you’ll certainly have earned it and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you made it under your own steam(or wind).Well, almost.
As for songs,I really can’t think of anything witty or inspiring,but perhaps”,We’ve done sailing” a la Rod Stewart.
Well done all of you.I am in awe.
,
Wow nearly there – you’ve crossed the ocean. Great you’ve had plenty of wind this week although I agree gybing in lots of wind in the middle of an ocean and at night is scary- I still avoid gybing in a laser in the sunshine! We can only imaging the party when you get there and look forward to seeing the photos. LOL
“Thank you for the music” by ABBA just maybe reword it in some way so you can belt out “Thank you for the sailing”
Checking in on you guys from Canada (-13C yesterday!). You’re doing so well. I know you may not be loving it now as you’re rolling around like crazy – but just think about how good that first rum punch is going to taste once you’ve crossed the finish line!! Not to mention all the bragging rights: “So, have I told you lately that I sailed across the Atlantic? Oh, sorry, you just wanted to know where the nearest tube is? Right, well, just head West and you’ll find it. Just like I went west across an ocean!!!”.
Wow, can’t believe you are almost there!! I’ll definitely, if still have time, to think of your coming into the bay tunes, thank you too for the special music mention. And even though I’ll be quite a bit more north of you I’m off to the isles of Bermuda tomorrow, so will see those swaying palms like you super soon! You are all so incredibly brave and hope the wind and you stay strong :))) love Sarah G x
As Gareth’s flight arrangements allow a little shopping and Skipper Tom is supposed to get around to being bended of knee, maybe a rousing rendition of ‘Diamonds are a girls best friend’ would be in order? You guys will be pleased to know that St Lucia has the largest diamond merchants in the Carribean. They have 3 convenient locations for your buying pleasure at http://www.diamondsinternational.com/location/region/st-lucia
In response to Mike “Diamond are a girls best friend” shopping advice, blog readers might like to know one Christmas dropped hints to Gareth about getting “something sparkly”. Do you know what he did? He wrapped up my presents in tinfoil!
Can’t believe you are nearly there ok songs …
We are the champions – Queen, or Walking on sunshine – Katrina and the Waves, and of course have to get a Bon Jovi one in there – Its my life! It’s now or never!
No matter what you play and sing – you are all champions and it’s amazing reading your adventures. Arrive in style and looking forward to stories love juneyxx