Oboe - 28:07.75N 15:25.54W All set for the off!

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Oboe - 26:09.64N 16:14.98W Champagne Sailing without the Champagne

All boats assembled for the cruising start at 1300 hours yesterday. Oboe’s tactic was to stay in the Marina as long as possible, in order to avoid the melee near the start line.  However  the excitement overcame us and we left slightly earlier that we had intended.  We had a good start and  managed to keep away from the highest concentration of boats.  The radio was alive with jubilant, if slightly nervous, voices after the start and from what we heard all boats got away safely. The sky was blue and the wind about 16 Knots as we cruised along  at 7 Knots.  An easier passage of sailing would be difficult to find.  Pre-prepared sandwiches for lunch and cold chicken for dinner both tasted good.  Oboe is following the route recommended by the ARC weather  man.  This is due South to Cap. read more...

Oboe - 21:23.60N 19:37.40W Rocking & Rolling towards the Cape Verde Islands

The winds picked up last night around 2200 hours and have held all day in the 12-17 knot range with the seas steadily building to about 1m (3ft).  We are running dead downwind maintaining a boat speed of 6-8 knots with some rolling, given the seas on our stern.  After the light winds of the last few days, it feels great to be moving with some speed – Oboe has certainly picked up her skirts!  Due to a couple of depressions in the mid-Atlantic that are disturbing the Trade Winds, we – along with most of the ARC fleet – are heading south towards the Cape Verde islands before turning west around latitude 18N, with the aim of finding better winds below the depressions.  Or, as the Met Office wouldn’t say, “head south to avoid the s*** above”.   On the domestic front special. read more...

Oboe - 19:42.80N 21:50.70W The Chocolate Melted So We Headed West

Winds have picked up over the last 24 hours and we are now really making good progress, when compared with that of the last few days.  Furthermore, The decision has been made. Based  on  the latest forecast from World Cruising’s weather guru Chris Tibbs, the weather data (grib) files  and more  importantly,  the fact we could hold our nerve no longer, we nervously gybed onto starboard tack, shook out the single reef in the main and headed due West.  At last it feels we are now actually bound for St Lucia.  Once we had settled down, Rob, who has done this all before, dryly reminded us - ‘a couple more weeks of this and we will be there’.  Skipper, Nigel, ably assisted by his Comis Chef Jeremy, then disappeared below, and in what seemed like no time at all produced a fantastic. read more...

Oboe - 24:34.40N 17:19.40W Gently Sliding Down The African Coast

We’re having a great time! Having easily slipped into cruising mode we are sailing downwind,  soaking up the sunshine, as we go about our daily duties in shorts by day, (don’t worry Valerie, by night Mike is wearing all that expensive ‘ocean kit’ he convinced you was a must for crossing The Atlantic!!).  After  a variety of sail plans we  have opted for a poled out genoa  &  cruising chute with the mainsail bagged for now.  The sails make a wonderful sight against the sunny blue skies. This beautiful setup is giving us an average speed  of 4-5 knots in light winds and edging us ever closer to stronger Tradewind sailing, as we aim west of the Cape Verde Islands.   The highlight overnight  was the appearance of a pod of dolphins bursting through the  ocean. read more...