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10/12/2013
La Rochelle - La Rochelle decisions decisions
With Shelley safely tucked up in Rodney bay marina , the hardest decisions for the day include,Do I really need to get out of bed today?Do I really need a shower?It's all too hard we will do it tomorrow Do I have the rock lobster or pizza for lunch?Who's boat are we going to party on this afternoon?To I have my 6th rum punch for the day or not?Can I get 4 days out of my clothes?Are we going out for dinner or stay and drink on the boat?Beach day?Which island next?Capt coco ,as I can't speak for the rest of the crew.
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07/12/2013
La Rochelle - The party begins in Saint Lucia on La Rochelle
We finally finished at 9 pm on Thursday night after counting down the last 85 miles from sunup on Thursday . Just over 14 days for us as we started 30 hours late but managed to overtake a few boats on the way. The crossing can be described in thirds. First third, lovely sailing conditions up to 20 knots, second third, boring as bat****, hard work motor sailing and the final third, reasonable pressure but a little frustrating . Overall the crossing was very tame, but the rock and roll was still there. The Atlantic didn't bite us so we should be grateful for that.Wonderful support from Paul and his team, again, again and again . We definitely have had more sleep than them, as they are basically working 24 /7. Superb effort .I cannot recommend the ARC + enough, having established.
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05/12/2013
La Rochelle - Last Day
At dawn this morning we have 90 miles to go to S/L, every one is getting exited about completely our mission. Had a great sail yesterday under main and poled out heady in the morning , and as the breeze dropped in the afternoon to around 12-16 knots we went for the parasailor. Very frustrating generating 8 knots of boat speed in 15 knots of wind and then tripping over it as we sailed into a hole of 10 knots of wind. The wind in the Atlantic is anything but consistent, and when the forecast says 10 - 15, it is just that, all in a minute, up and down like a yoyo. So sailing on the edge of the kite can only be done hand steering.Thought we would share some boat one liners from the tripWtf r weIf Fannie fisher beats us across the Atlantic I will cut my throat.Not that red rope the other.
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04/12/2013
La Rochelle - la rochelle almost there
Yesterday was another parasail day in a fickle 6- 10 knots of easterlies , propelling shellie along in the low 5's.fantastic day for sun baking and sleeping. Just on sunset off to port there was a new line of cloud with hopefully some breeze in it. We decided to go hunting and made a "kill"around 9 pm last night as the breeze built to a steady 12-16 knots and began to clock left back to the northeast. The parasail test in 12-16? With the eyes at night on?louvre said" let's give it a go". Louvre excelled in the conditions to around midnight when the sea statewas starting to get the better of him, and so we decided to take the " sting" out of shellie.Pretty impressive numbers for the parasailor 14 knots 7.3 knots boat speed and at 16 knots fully powered up doing hull speed of around 8.
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