Athena of Southampton - Final log / report from Athena at Sea

Final log /report from Athena at SeaTaff(Skipper) Last night I was trying to get an uninterrupted fourhours sleep my watch mate Myles was covering for me. In the middle of the watch we suffered a knock down, theboat over on her beam ends, flattened by a huge wave, she slowly righted herselfbut down below was a mess of broken crockery, jars of jam and Worcester sauceand glass. The crew were fantastic and worked as the team they are to clean up.Thank goodness they had reduced sail earlier furling the main, to help ease thepressure on the rig. It is so easy to enjoy the speed of a big following sea anda powerful Auto Helm which has been faultless even through the violent moments. This has been a good trip with a powerful boat, akaleidoscope of new memories and new experiences and friends.. read more...

Athena of Southampton - Athena log 11

Athena log 11 – Friday December 13th 2013 –15 36.84 N / 55 51.51 W Why is it the lastfew miles of any journey seem to stretch, is it the anticipation of what? A longshower with unlimited water?  Ormaybe the thought of a beer or a meal sat at a table that doesn’t move, thatsteady meal which doesn’t need lifelong curled arm around the plate to preventthe food joining previous meals in the bin.  Thecurled arm locked around the square plate dates back to Nelson’s day. Thisnecessary habit was often used as evidence by the press gang to prove a man wasa sailor, or had been. Hence the common wail of modern day mums “sit upstraight, get your elbows off the table” So not a measure of manners, but anancient ruse to fool those who would offer the Kings shilling. As another crossingcomes. read more...

Athena of Southampton - Athena log 10

Today again we greeted the morningwith good coffee as the sunrise revealed a very grey and confused sea. We’ve been flying along at between 7.5 and 9.5 kts with the occasional squall requiring us to get a quick reef in only to shake it out soon after to maintainspeed. We are really clocking off the miles to St Lucia now. It’s been fantastic sailing in the moonlight with glimpses of stars between the clouds while all night making steady speed. Now that the dawn has arrived we can see our true speed in the wake as we rise and surge forward with the sea on our quarter. Sanding with head above the sprayhood is like riding a runaway train as we surge forward. Yesterday we watch an intensely blue sea build small mountains of blue and white, works of art almost and then destroy them in an. read more...

Athena of Southampton - Athena log 9

Athena log 9 – Tuesday December 10th 2013 –15 18.47 N / 47 26.45 W That Saturday was an event day.  Well yes, I know, every day has itsevents, but sometimes I wonder what they are.  What do we do all day?  The hours fly by.  But what do we do? Well there’s the daily dolphinwatch.  They come to play beside theboat and dance and dive and skim the surface.  Sleek blue-grey forms sliding by.  Then there are the turtles, their littleheads stuck up out of the water, they carelessly drift along.  Next come the flying fish.  Like little swallows, they dart and dashover the waves, turning, twirling and diving again.  All of these shows must bewatched. But we don’t really doanything.  Well of course there aremeals to be prepared, washing,. read more...

Athena of Southampton - Athena log 8

Athena log 8 – Sunday December 9th 2013 – 1450’ N / 44 20’ W Quigley’sPoint Regular readers will recall that wehad nominated a waypoint midway between the Cape Verdes and St Lucia as“Quigley’s Waypoint” (16.40N 44.00W). However not even I had anticipated howthis would unfold.It was my watch as we approachedthis waypoint and to my amazement there appeared to be lights visible at thisapproximate location. As I did not want to disturb anyone I waited until we werea little closer when it was now clear that there was a large platform heresupporting what seemed like a number of small buildings. I edged Athena onto thepontoon and a very helpful man assisted in taking our lines. “What on earth isthis place? “ I enquired immediately.“Ah sir you are very welcome toMADS” he replied. I said I had. read more...