Shes alive ... !!!
----- Original Message -----
From:"Otahi"
To: "Simon Boo"
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 3:22 PM
in flores had a good trip going to horta on sunday i think.where are you?
Love frey
Friday, 19 June 2009
Otahi has landed! - In Flores.
in flores had a good trip going to horta on sunday i think.where are you?
Love frey
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Not Quite A New Boat
I was going to proudly announce today that I (we - with Kat's help) have bought a new boat. Its amazing what you get up to while waiting around in marinas with an Internet connection!
For those of you blog followers who are interested the details of her are HERE
Yes - I know shes wood, small, and has no engine!
Anyway, maybe its not meant to be...
UPDATE: Even though my offer was accepted I was slow in getting my deposit paid and hence beaten by a local buyer. CRAP!
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Otahi / Euge - Update
Just a quick post to let everyone (with growing concern) know the latest news from Flavio & Freya on Otahi. James recieved a SPOT update yesterday stating their position as N39.65 W34.10 putting them approximately 260nm from Horta. I have no idea why I have not recieved the same SPOT update on my Sat phone.
Anyway, they have actualy 'gone past' the Azores being slightly north of the islands, probably due to winds, or ... they have decided to carry on straight to the UK!
I hope its the former as a. as I have been waiting for her for 2 weeks and b. the weather forcast for returning back to the UK is far from ideal for at least a week.
Also, Marcus (of Veracity) has reported that Richard & Sarah of Euge have arrived safe in Falmouth.
Monday, 15 June 2009
Horta Azores (2)
Well it’s now the 15th of June and I have been here too long (13 days) and really need to get Doris back to Hamble point for selling. Not much to tell you really...
At least the sun is shining again lately, food, coffee and beers are cheap and I have had some fun (read drunken nights) company (albeit briefly) with the crew of SunBird. Unfortunately, Ben & Medi, the 2 Andy’s, Steve the Skipper and Amanda all set sail on Saturday morning at short notice, bound for Palma in the Med possibly via Morocco depending on the winds. I helped them pack their shopping before getting out of their way.
Medi doing what she likes best!
I have been trying to salvage the ‘
Its a 'work in progress' depending on boredom!
Our Danish friends of BlueOcean.
Adrian & Leonor of Bacan enroute to Brighton as we speak.
Still no word from Otahi (she is not actually overdue), but according to calculations she was just over 1200nm away the day I arrived which means based on a rough average of 100nm per day she should arrive any time soon. It’s a shame that Ben & Medi couldn’t also be here to welcome her in and have the ‘crew’ back together again. I will update as soon as she arrives!
Lastly, for those who may be interested (or amazed!), Marcus’ (little Marcus from
There’s some brave (or stupid) people out there!
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
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.
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!
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!
Thursday, 4 June 2009
North Atlantic Summary
Antigua - Azores
Rhumb line Distance: 2170nm
Distance Sailed: 2425nm
Time Taken: 23 Days
Average Speed: 4.39Kn
Maximum Wind: 35kn
Engine Usage: 23.4 hours
Distance Sailed: 2425nm
Time Taken: 23 Days
Average Speed: 4.39Kn
Maximum Wind: 35kn
Engine Usage: 23.4 hours
A bit of a sad posting I know, but its for my own reference in the future. Besides someone might be interested?
On another note, I have just recieved a position update from Otahi: N34.3126 W52.3617
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
North Atlantic 8
Monday 1st June 2009 (Afternoon)
Well what can you do but keep on slogging away through the waves with the promised forecast of reduced wind never really materialising. By nightfall the swell had dropped off in size but was still easily big enough to lay the boat over when the odd one timed its breaking crest just right in time to wack us in the beam or land on us. The wind had dropped, at least I think it had because it was end to end squalls into the early hours meaning the winds were still around 25kn/30kn but gustier.
I noticed a port tricolour a few miles off my starboard side around midnight and after calling them up on the radio they agreed they would give me a call if they saw any ships allowing me to get a better sleep. I forget the name of the vessel, it sounded like ‘Adam Ant’ but that’s not it. Either way, it was a very nice man in an Ocean Packet, who had problems with his radar and other Raymarine stuff (join the gang) and ‘yes’ they had an AIS onboard, it just hadn’t been fitted yet.
I should have shook out the 3rd reef around this time as our speed had reduced to around 4kn with the squalls dropping off and the skies now clear, but I couldn’t face getting ‘suited up’ and going forward in the swell and cold. I waited until first light instead and had a good nights sleep for doing so.
Tuesday 2nd June 2009
Straight after shaking out the 3rd reef (as the winds were now barely 20kn), Doris was off! Almost as if she could smell landfall or something. It was really nice not being under reduced sail and although we still had the 2nd reef in, it made all the difference to the sailing and we averaged about 6.5kn for most of the day.
Our 1200utc position was N37 53.57 W30 47.00 with 114nm covered (101nm to go), not bad considering most of the night we were doing barely 4kn.
I found another book in one of the cupboards and it was a welcome distraction to staring at GPS figures and me worrying that my XTE was not coming down at the right speed and that my VMG was optimal. I get like this when approaching land, much like Doris, who was still going break neck speed!
The book was ‘Are You Experienced’ by Ian Sutcliff, about a guy who goes to India in his ‘Gap Year’ just to shag his mate’s girlfriend. I couldn’t put the book down and by 1400utc I had finished it and I laughed the whole way through. The perfect read for that final landfall approach day. I’m not sure if these books are actually any good, it may be that anything I read is ‘interesting or entertaining’ – I’ve been at sea for over three weeks on my own for Gods Sake! Some poor soul is gonna have their ears chewed off when I find someone to talk to!
I also figured if I have to take to the liferaft now (God forbid!), I’m not going to be drifting at sea for long, being so close to land and on the main rhumb line to Horta. Therefore it would be fine for me to pillage the chocolate bar and bag of sweets in there!
Just before dark I decided to put the 3rd reef back in as the Hydrovane is having problems with the swell (rounding us up) and increasing winds, it’s back up to 20kn (from 15kn). I thought we gybed but actually we rounded up, but with the boom on a ‘preventer’ it looked like the result of a gybe. The GPS is predicting 0930utc arrival tomorrow morning.
The time is now 2300utc (39nm to landfall) and I have made a pot of pasta with cocktail sausages chopped up and a tomato sauce. I was going to prepare enough for another portion tonight, as I won’t be able to sleep. Being so close to land and all the dangers it brings, all the ‘transat’ boats will be converging on Horta, not to mention the commercials and lastly the fishing boats. Oh and land itself!
Anyway I seem to have made enough food for the entire Horta marina! Kat - its pasta for dinner on Friday eve – OK?
Wednesday 3rd June 2009
Not much else to report except that I am now safe and sound in Horta marina. I will confess that from the ‘landfall’ waypoint I put the engine on for the last 8nm. I had an almost dead run with a following swell with barely 9kn of wind – so sue me!
I tied up alongside another boat around 0930utc and cleared through Customs & Immigration, before being moved to another part of the marina, again alongside. Not the best but hey – it’s got FREE WIFI…wo0ho0!!!
Just as I was moving Doris I notice ‘Euge’ moored up and then suddenly Sarah & Richard appear. It’s great to see them both again as we hadn’t heard anything from them since they set off from Antigua. However, they were literally casting off for their return to the UK. We had just enough time for a chat and I helped them slip their lines. See you both in Falmouth in a few weeks hopefully!
Well what can you do but keep on slogging away through the waves with the promised forecast of reduced wind never really materialising. By nightfall the swell had dropped off in size but was still easily big enough to lay the boat over when the odd one timed its breaking crest just right in time to wack us in the beam or land on us. The wind had dropped, at least I think it had because it was end to end squalls into the early hours meaning the winds were still around 25kn/30kn but gustier.
I noticed a port tricolour a few miles off my starboard side around midnight and after calling them up on the radio they agreed they would give me a call if they saw any ships allowing me to get a better sleep. I forget the name of the vessel, it sounded like ‘Adam Ant’ but that’s not it. Either way, it was a very nice man in an Ocean Packet, who had problems with his radar and other Raymarine stuff (join the gang) and ‘yes’ they had an AIS onboard, it just hadn’t been fitted yet.
I should have shook out the 3rd reef around this time as our speed had reduced to around 4kn with the squalls dropping off and the skies now clear, but I couldn’t face getting ‘suited up’ and going forward in the swell and cold. I waited until first light instead and had a good nights sleep for doing so.
Tuesday 2nd June 2009
Straight after shaking out the 3rd reef (as the winds were now barely 20kn), Doris was off! Almost as if she could smell landfall or something. It was really nice not being under reduced sail and although we still had the 2nd reef in, it made all the difference to the sailing and we averaged about 6.5kn for most of the day.
Our 1200utc position was N37 53.57 W30 47.00 with 114nm covered (101nm to go), not bad considering most of the night we were doing barely 4kn.
I found another book in one of the cupboards and it was a welcome distraction to staring at GPS figures and me worrying that my XTE was not coming down at the right speed and that my VMG was optimal. I get like this when approaching land, much like Doris, who was still going break neck speed!
The book was ‘Are You Experienced’ by Ian Sutcliff, about a guy who goes to India in his ‘Gap Year’ just to shag his mate’s girlfriend. I couldn’t put the book down and by 1400utc I had finished it and I laughed the whole way through. The perfect read for that final landfall approach day. I’m not sure if these books are actually any good, it may be that anything I read is ‘interesting or entertaining’ – I’ve been at sea for over three weeks on my own for Gods Sake! Some poor soul is gonna have their ears chewed off when I find someone to talk to!
I also figured if I have to take to the liferaft now (God forbid!), I’m not going to be drifting at sea for long, being so close to land and on the main rhumb line to Horta. Therefore it would be fine for me to pillage the chocolate bar and bag of sweets in there!
Just before dark I decided to put the 3rd reef back in as the Hydrovane is having problems with the swell (rounding us up) and increasing winds, it’s back up to 20kn (from 15kn). I thought we gybed but actually we rounded up, but with the boom on a ‘preventer’ it looked like the result of a gybe. The GPS is predicting 0930utc arrival tomorrow morning.
The time is now 2300utc (39nm to landfall) and I have made a pot of pasta with cocktail sausages chopped up and a tomato sauce. I was going to prepare enough for another portion tonight, as I won’t be able to sleep. Being so close to land and all the dangers it brings, all the ‘transat’ boats will be converging on Horta, not to mention the commercials and lastly the fishing boats. Oh and land itself!
Anyway I seem to have made enough food for the entire Horta marina! Kat - its pasta for dinner on Friday eve – OK?
Wednesday 3rd June 2009
Not much else to report except that I am now safe and sound in Horta marina. I will confess that from the ‘landfall’ waypoint I put the engine on for the last 8nm. I had an almost dead run with a following swell with barely 9kn of wind – so sue me!
Landfall at dawn.
I tied up alongside another boat around 0930utc and cleared through Customs & Immigration, before being moved to another part of the marina, again alongside. Not the best but hey – it’s got FREE WIFI…wo0ho0!!!
Just as I was moving Doris I notice ‘Euge’ moored up and then suddenly Sarah & Richard appear. It’s great to see them both again as we hadn’t heard anything from them since they set off from Antigua. However, they were literally casting off for their return to the UK. We had just enough time for a chat and I helped them slip their lines. See you both in Falmouth in a few weeks hopefully!
Richard & Sarah made their mark in Horta.
All day I have spent cleaning myself (as I hadn’t shaved for two weeks) and the boat (it was a sty) up and its now 1530utc and time to relax.
So, it’s over – Amen! The North Atlantic Circuit, Single Handed – this time I really feel like I’ve achieved something and learnt a lot from this passage. Heavy conditions, weather routing decisions, all points of sail, something for the whole family! All morning people around the marina have been commenting on how hard the crossing was and the conditions etc, all of whom arrived either today or yesterday, so maybe I was justified in finding it a little hard going. It’s certainly a nice feeling once you are tied up and secure!
So, it’s over – Amen! The North Atlantic Circuit, Single Handed – this time I really feel like I’ve achieved something and learnt a lot from this passage. Heavy conditions, weather routing decisions, all points of sail, something for the whole family! All morning people around the marina have been commenting on how hard the crossing was and the conditions etc, all of whom arrived either today or yesterday, so maybe I was justified in finding it a little hard going. It’s certainly a nice feeling once you are tied up and secure!
My new 'home' for a while.
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