Nutcracker - Lights of St Lucia fine to port

Cabin boy writes: Lights of Martinique on stbd bow. Lights of St Lucia fine to port. 25m to run. Will the Trades have one last laugh? Having dropped to 8 knots during yesterday afternoon, with direction all over the place, they seem to be holding at. c12knots ENE'ly now. So arrival at c 06.00 local time (GMT -4). We're heading dead downwind on stbd gybe, so one last gybe as we approach Pigeon Island, pole down and 1 mile reach into Rodney Bay to finish. Will be close to dawn; would be nice to arrive in the light. And, given start on Nov 19 was 13.00 GMT, finish looks to be just before the completion of Day 22. Helluva trip.. read more...

Nutcracker - .....the final countdown....

So, it's the final countdown. As I write, we have less than 90 miles left to go, land is very nearly in sight, the crew can taste the cold beer and the Rum Punch is (hopefully) being brewed. It's as well that we are nearly there, the personal hygiene situation is rapidly deteriorating and there are a few smells floating around that are decidedly iffy. Luckily, the water management has been excellent, and the reward shall be a (very quick) shower for the crew. It's all coming out of the woodwork. Private stashes of wet wipes are being revealed, the last of the fresh milk is finished and, most importantly, the final packet of Percy pigs has been finished. Definitely time to arrive. Of course, the Ocean being a fickle mistress, the wind has dropped and we are now plodding along doing 4. read more...

Nutcracker - Are they here yet?

Shore based Admiral writes: I think Nutcracker may have gone into stealth mode to keep their position secret from the surrounding boats in a last minute dash to the finish and the possibility of not finishing last?  I jest, as those of you who have been updating four-hourly know (I know you are out there). For it has been a storming last few days with the good and trusty Nutcracker doing what she does best, thundering down the quite lively seas in a nifty following wind.. Their shore based reception committee have also been busy doing what they do best, chilling and keeping their nerves steady with a steady supply of rose interrupted by the occasional rum punch.  So, are they here yet?  Well no, and no insight from the technical team as to quite when they will. read more...

Nutcracker - ... 300 nm and counting...

It's a strange mindset when you regard 300 miles to go as 'nearly there' but indeed that is how we feel! The last couple of days have, for the first time all trip, provided the winds that we need to get there quickly and we've tried every sail configuration in the book to get to that Rum Punch as soon as possible. I also feel that we've reached a fantastic milestone on board, we managed to raise, fly and the douse the spinnaker with not a single wrap or rip in it. Maybe old dogs can learn new tricks? It is just as well we're about to get there really, we're nearly out of frozen meals and we might actually have to cook for ourselves. Perish the thought. However, I would like to congratulate the lettuce and the cabbage for lasting three weeks, I feel like they've really pulled through for. read more...

Nutcracker - Quick update (and hopefully 'upfresh' ) from the after deck....

Blowing F6 on qtr here so tramping along at 7.5-8knts heavily reefed. Dark clouds just like N Sea! Wind cool but all waiting in cockpit with shampoo for one of numerous squalls to hit us. Shower time if it comes will be fresh + salty!! Cabin boy... read more...