Horta Azores (1)

Well its now Tuesday 9th June and tomorrow I will have been here a week. So, whats been going on? Well, Kat arrived on the Friday evening and it was great to see her again as its been a good few months since she departed in Antigua. As always, she arrived resembling the proverbial ‘pack horse’, but this time most of what she was carrying was for me. As she unpacked it became like Christmas! Books, Chocolate and general ‘goodies’. She has also put together a ‘series’ of pressies that I am not allowed to open until specified days during the next leg back to the UK! It’s gonna kill me having the self control to not just rip em all open, but at least it will motivate me to not ‘grow roots’ and get going.

Due to the shops closing early on the Saturday and us stagnating and taking things a little too casualy we wont be able to buy any paint to make Doris’ mark as is tradition here in Horta. I do have a can of black and grey onboard but that is pretty limiting.

While sitting opposite the marina eating pizza, I noticed a small but familiar boat and not being sure why I recognized it I had to go and have a closer look. As I suspected! It turned out to be none other than Brian of ‘Timshel’ who I had met back in La Coruna after my Biscay crossing. The last I had heard he was in Africa. He has decided for one reason or another to return home to La Rochelle in France to contemplate setting off again with his girlfriend.

After a few beers on Timshel, I invited Brian over for dinner that eve and Kat and I went off to find the supermarket. There doesn’t appear to be any food shops in close vicinity to the marina but we eventually found a supermarket just out of town (about 15 mins walk). For anyone else who plans to visit – walk ‘out of town’ to the left as you look ashore from the marina. There is a junction where the road turns into cobbles going straight on toward the airport and remains tarmac as it forks around to the right. Follow the road to the right and you will see a ‘GULP’ garage ahead. Just past the garage you will find the supermarket.

Back on Doris, we (Brian, Kat and I) were also joined by two Danish guys who have been cruising in the Florida keys after buying their boat, a Najad there. We discussed boating and swapped stories while getting stuck into beer, wine & cheese and a little pasta dish I knocked up. Another new friend I have is Adrian on Bacan who I am moored up against (inside). He is heading back to the UK to do some contracting work being an IT Project Manager and is heading for Brighton marina!

Sunday morning we got up late and found Brian bearing gifts of two pots of paint (white and black). Needless to say we spent the afternoon painting the marina walls (alongside Euge) with designs for both Timshel & Doris. Kat pulled up her sleeves and unleashed her artistic skills. Unfortunately, the white didn’t seem to want to dry and I think the paint is for wood rather than concrete. We had to wait until later in the eve to finish the Doris design due to the white not drying and finally got something on top of it later that night.

Unfortunately, it also started to rain, so the Doris design is not quite finished, but at least we have done something. The myth says that ‘bad luck at sea befalls those who don’t make their mark before departing Horta’. The highlight was watching Brian apply his hand print using oil based black paint!

I said farewell to Kat on Monday morning as she made her all day flight back to the UK via Lisbon and its now Wednesday the 10th June. It’s been miserable weather for the last two days with squally rain and no sign of any sunshine. I have been hiding away inside the boat reading my new books and eating chocolate. I really am turning into a sailing geek:

Hand Reef & Steer – Tom Cunliffe
An Ocean Away (Small Boat, BigOcean) – Dave Clarke
A Voyage for Madmen – Peter Nichols
Moitessier, A Sailing Legend – Jean Michel Barrault
A Thumbnail Circumnavigation – Paul Packwood
Boat Joinery & Cabinet Making Simplified – Fred Bingham

Having woken up literally 30 minutes ago, after a late night Skype session talking to James (Carribean), Marcus (Falmouth) and Kat (London), I have just helped Brian slip his lines and get on his way back to La Rochelle. Good luck mate and I’ll see you next time around!

Still no sign of Ben & Meddi here in Horta and I have not received a position update on Otahi’s progress, so as soon as I do, I will post it here. I am keen to get going now and get back out to sea. The plan is to try and get either Ben or Meddi or Freya to sail with me back to the UK for some company. If not, Ill Single Hand it again but it would be nice to have some company for a change!

UPDATE: 14000utc - Ben & Medi have just arrived here in Horta on Sunbird. Looks like a few beers will be drunk tonight!