Gertha 4 - Tallinn

Now entering week 3 of the ARC Baltic, currently have zero wind after asteady blow yesterday, the wind comes and goes. Good squall/ down poor onfriday, the rain comes and goes.  Fine sunny day on another day, the suncomes and goes. Weather here is a bit UK ; but probably colder. Tallinn is a UNESCO old town, all cobble streets,olde worlde buildings,restaurants and gift shops, big cruise ship terminal and a fine naturalharbour.Local boat show had a fine colection of old navy vessels, think that whenthe USSR pulled out of Estonia in 1991 they left some of there old boats andlorries behind, now making up a museum colection in the remains of an old shipyard from 1920 with eastern bloc concrete additions. A small panic in the ARC fleet, Russia has a fairly low 3 lts allowancefor alcohol. read more...

Gertha 4 - Gotska

58.23.89 N 19.12.00 E   Now at the island of Gotska Sadon, small nature reserve sand bank with afew trees in the middle of the Baltic. Yesterday we achieced a new record time, 55 miles in 15 hours. Promise ofwind tommorow should blast us to Talin, hope to be there on fridaymorning. Sun is shining, sand is beconing, could be Bermuda if you let your minddrift and forget the sea is 18 and not 28, and the air is 20 not 25.   Simon. read more...

Gertha 4 - Rostock

54.10 N  12.05 E   Hot and sunny in Rostock. Over 30 yesterday and humid similar today.Tomorrow it breaks we are told and wind comes back, could be good for a sail toBonholm. WCC have found the swankiest marina in the area to start the rally,hospitality and organisation is usual quality operation. Gertha continues to behave herself, treated to a new water pump in Kiel, soshowers are back on full blast.   s. read more...

Gertha 4 - Surprise Visit

Coming up onto my watch this morning it seemed like little had changed; thefog was close, the sky was grey, it was cold and wet. But it seems something maybe happening. The wind is shifting a little, and we had a surprise visit fromsome long-finned pilot whales! One of them even popped its head out so we couldsee it properly. Apparently they can travel in groups upwards of 50 animals.It’s so easy to forget how much is happening beneath the surface. One of whichmight be the appearance of the Gulf stream, and hence some slight changes.   Settled into the routine now. Wake, watch, eat, drink, sleep. Repeat,repeat, repeat. I am finding this leg tougher than the last. Maybe it’s thecold, or maybe it’s the accumulated tiredness of so many months on the road andnow at sea. Or perhaps the. read more...

Gertha 4 - Grey Skies

LAT 42.23 N LON 17.08 W   Last night the wind changed, as expected, and we managed to get up theasymmetric for a short burst, before she began clattering around. It’s alwaysgood for Em and I to put sails up and down though. Gradually we’re figuring outwhat goes where and what pulls what. Off I went to bed at midnight, leavingSimon struggling to find any wind for Gertha to play with. Spirits were high,though, as we’d been treated to a short spell of sunshine.   This morning I was up at six for my shift. Up the steps I went into aclose, damp, grey sky. “We’re definitely getting closer to England.”Emma said.   Everything is sodden. It’s cold and visibility isn’t great. But that’snothing that some fried potatoes, buttered bread and hot coffee can’t dry out.   It feels. read more...