Peejay - Log - Day 1 Emotions Running High

Eventually you run out of time. The list of jobs still seems endless. But suddenly Las Palmas erupts into noise and excitement on the morning of the start. We've been on L pontoon since early October and have made friends with lots of the locals who live there. They all come to shake hands and wish us well and then go out on their own boats to add to the atmosphere. The send off commentary from the Texaco dock is deafening. The fleet starts casting off and making its way out of the marina. Too many boats - too small an exit - immediate traffic jam. Boats fight their way into the queue - some are impatient and push their way in. Finally you pass the hundreds of spectators lined up on the breakwater. They're all cheering and waving. I look round and then I realise the cheering is for me.. read more...

Peejay - Log - Day 2 Dolphin Day

Nobody slept much on the first night. In the morning the crew were tired and feeling a bit seasick. Some of them questioned the decision to commit to 3 weeks on board. Some of them wished the skipper had been committed instead. Progress was slow and the rest of the fleet had all disappeared over the horizon. That gave the crew the impression that all of the other skippers knew what they were doing. 'Are we last' they kept asking. 'Are we going the right way'. Just as they were getting demoralised the dolphins turned up. It was a large pod and they hung around for 20 minutes. We last saw this species near Gibraltar. They were quite small and very acrobatic. Most dolphins jump but this type seem to delight in doing airbourne somersaults. They also like to burst through the leading edge of. read more...

Peejay - Log - Day 3 Whisker Pole to the rescue

'Right' said the skipper - 'lets get the para-sailor out'. The last time we flew the beast was back in August as we headed past Sardinia. The winds were light then, the sea was like a mill-pond and it was easy. Now there was more wind and swell and the foredeck was bouncy. We're getting older and our memories of quite how to rig it are not as sharp as they used to be. We're not as nimble either. Skipper remembered it as being easy. First mate said two of us would be enough. Para-sailor had a different idea. We hoisted it just as the wind got up. Luckily it was still in the snuffer when it imitated a double helix around the genoa. By now the rest of the crew were starting to watch the fun. The control line didn't want to be left out and promptly spiralled around the inner forestay. The. read more...

Peejay - Log - Day 4 Benji Strikes

I got a text message from Benji way back on 19th July.  It read - 'Breaking news I just had to share with you - I'm now the proud possessor of 2.5 kilometers of 50 pound fishing line on one reel with 100 pound leader wire. Is that enough?' Ever since then I've been getting phone calls - 'get me a gaff Dad' or 'the boat needs a rod holder'. And I've delighted in winding him up with comments like 'I'm gonna need a bigger boat' Well guess who's laughing now. At 1700 the now infamous line started screaming off the reel. About an hour later the mahi-mahi was drinking gin through its gills faster than we could and within 2 hours from the strike it was happily residing in 6 stomachs. I bet the fish didn't have that plan in mind when he woke up in the morning! Well done son! I take it all. read more...

Peejay - Log - Day 5 Margery Attacked

The night was dark after the moon had set and Barrie and Margery were on the 0400 to 0800 watch. The wind was gusting 25 knots and Peejay was hammering along. Suddenly Margery felt a blow between her shoulder blades. Barrie was looking the other way and clearly hadn't seen the incident. The rest of the crew were all asleep down below and were no help. She looked around but could not see who had struck her. What should she do? Who else was on board?First light revealed all as her attacker was found hiding by the steering wheel. A squid had taken leave of both its senses and its natural environment and decided to have a go at flying. A bit of advice squid - you have to perfect your landing a bit better. Tyara is now dragging him behind the boat as tuna bait. The woman has no mercy. I doubt. read more...