Day 24 St.Lucia is sighted
17Tuesday 17 December 2013
Good morning from 16 nautical miles (18 land miles) off St.Lucia!
Neil Meyrick our all rounder and so not shy of the bow!
Land has been sighted! Crew are all awake and currently trying on their Union Jack waist coats. Susie is making us some bacon sandwiches and fresh coffee is being brewed. Spirits are high. Skip has even deployed the fishing line one last time – perhaps one last drama?
Overnight shortly after dinner we put in our final gybe after getting the spinnaker pole out to duck-wing. Gareth had to go forward to manually furl some of the genoa as the Mark V drive belt has now retired. On his last set of trousers, he chose not to take up Susie’s suggestion of rolling them up to stay dry and chose instead to drop them. It has been a long trip.
Lindsay Cunningham our energetic lady in her favourite position!
Our gybe worked a treat – we were right on line for St.Lucia and have sailed that line all night long.
We’ll go over the top of St.Lucia, around Pigeon Island and then it’s a short upwind leg to the finish line.
ETA – 10-11am St.Lucia time, 2-3pm London time
Gareth Wear – breaks and he’ll fix it no problem!
Time for bacon butties!
LAND HOOOOOOOOOOOOO 🙂
Hooray! “hail the conquering heroes fa la la la la la laaaaaaa”
You enjoy that much deserved bacon (I hope Gareth has replaced his trousers…)
Bring on the rum
Love Barnaby xx
Oh my gosh, soo excited for you all!!
SG x
Can’t wait, can’t wait!!
Go back you’re arriving far too early!!! I gave up half my life talking to mindless call centres to get Gareth’s flight changed. The least you can do is make the effort worthwhile by arriving late!! Very ungrateful
Congratulations !
Off to a meeting now, so a bit in advance; definitely wish I was there.
Go get that lobster , chips and rum
Woo Hoo! So excited you are nearly there…. I’ve got my rum and coke on ice ready to join you in celebrating!
Charlotte xx
I’m watching on the tracker now ! Appears that you are VERY close – I’m hoping that Harold hasn’t jumped overboard to swim the last bit on his own! Will raise a cup of coffee to you in just a bit (your glass should contain something stronger) – Congrats!!!!
-Kristy-Bo
Nearly there – keep it together on the way into the marina especially given your attire! Congratulations and enjoy not being a “dry” boat any longer.
I can’t believe it! As I sit here in London 1.35 local time, you are about to make land in St. Lucia and it’s too late to post all the comments I’d been thinking about over the last few days, such as a song for big seas: Adina’s riding along on a Crest of a Wave or, for this last morning; Bill Withers Lovely Day, or a song for last night; Get Lucky, so I’ll guess you’ll have to settle for Perfect Day by Lou Reed – It’s such a perfect day, Im glad I spent it with you. Still I can’t imagine you have anytime for singing at all right now.
I wonder how it will feel for you on dry land -very wobbly to be sure. I wonder whether you’ll have an appetite or whether it will miraculously disappear after two mouthfuls, I wonder whether you’ll decide that alcohol is overrated (oh, ok scrub that one). And those sheets, those lovely bedsheets!
Anyhow folks thanks so much for sharing your adventure with us all – we have been thinking of you a lot over this last arduous stretch and could almost taste the salt spray.
Five words you never want to hear again;
How’s about an Atlantic Crossing?
A very Merry Christmas to you all. Slideshow next?
Very well done and ooooodles of congrats. Put on a great show when you arrive but make it tasteful – no moonies in the excitement of the moment and do not forget you are wearing the national colours (note – the Union FLAG, not JACK unless you have rigged up a jack-staff on the bow and painted Adina grey!). See you all tomorrow, early evening. Enjoy the moment, you deserve it.
Wendy ‘n Ces
You should be landing round about NOW!!!!
WELL DONE CREW – we will be raising a glass or two and drinking in your honour!! So very proud of you all and your amazing adventure.
Tons of love,
The Grinnalls X
Congratulations, well done!!!!! Enjoy St Lucia….
Ian
Looks like you are over the line – congratulations to you all. Especially of course the duck…
Hope that you have a well deserved break and that the Union Jack Waistcoats are worn throughout your stay in St Lucia!
Enjoy the Rum!!!!
One Ocean down!
Congratulations to you All.
cheers,
Paul.
Chapeau!
Well done Harold and the crew of Adina,”You’re simply the best” We are thoroughly enjoying the trip from the comfort of our armchairs.
Hazel & Colin
Well done! BTW do you use HF Radio at all? If so what frequency? Will be flying over you at 2000GMT today!
Hi Ben – sorry missed this. We do use HF and most often use 4195mhz. Will be on it today around 4pm UT. Hope all is well!