Voyageur - Leg 3 - Log 8 The last lap

21 June The sky is icy blue, broken with beautiful clouds, every different kind of formation. There is barely a ripple on the surface of the water, a gunmetal grey. There is not another vessel in sight either. We are all sitting in the cockpit sun downers in hand like we have always done in the early evening, but this time instead of the endless ocean there is so much to look at. We are crossing the North Channel. I scan the horizon. There are all the familiar landmarks. Over to the west there is Sanda Island outlined against a backdrop of the Mull. The Mull, the dreaded Mull, not looking nearly the scary place we once thought it to be. Davaar Island, a sentinel at the entrance to Campbeltown Loch, Arran, Goat Fell its peak sharp in the setting sun, finally Ailsa Craig. There are so many. read more...

Voyageur - Leg 3 - Log 7 Back into Britain

20 June We sailed or rather motored into UK waters this morning, the 18th June, for the first time in over eight years. Pinta are now just 100nm away from Falmouth. Looking at this morning’s grib file we think we will just carry on all the way to Scotland. We have just enough fuel even if we have to motor all the rest of the way which it looks pretty much like we will be doing. We are now just desperate to get home. We cannot ever remember seeing so many dolphins, they come early mornings and evening, sometimes staying for an hour or more. Donald knelt at the bow and waved to them. One jumped right out of the water and almost touched his hand. And during my watch for the last two nights running we have had a wonderful sunset, the sky changing from fiery orange to blood red. The sea. read more...

Voyageur - Leg 3 - Log 6 Off across Biscay

17 June David has plotted a course on the computer to Dublin, 590nm away. Our grib file is showing headwinds by the time we reach that latitude so a couple of days in Howth just south of Dublin may be on the cards but we are keeping our options open and ideally would like to complete the passage in one hop. The alarm was set for 6.45am but we cheated having an extra five minutes. The mornings and nights are cold so I don’t leap out of my warm bunk with the quite the same enthusiasm. We are almost looking forward to putting on our central heating. We left just after 8am, Emilia and Pinta already away. The skies were still overcast but at least the wind had fallen away overnight. We motorsailed until a useable breeze came up from the south west. It turned into the most lovely sailing. read more...

Voyageur - Log day 280 - Last day, last log, last blog

16th April 2011I am in an emotional turmoil. Today is our last day of the World Arc Rally. I woke earlier than normal and couldn't settle to any particular thing. At ten o'clock we made our preparations to leave. With all our bunting and assorted club flags we made a colourful sight as we formed a procession outside the entrance to Marigot Bay, Eowyn the lead boat with Wild Tigris, the biggest at 72 ft bringing up the rear. We remarked that trying to sail in an orderly line at such close quarters was just about the hardest thing we had had to do on the entire trip! Our wind instrument suddenly came to life after a long absence, how contrary is that! We slowly made our way up the west coast to Castries where we were joined by many local boats. As we circled around the harbour a huge dark. read more...

Voyageur - Leg 3 - Log 5 One day in Spain

15 June The following morning after a quiet start the wind suddenly intensified just as predicted. David called Pinta on the VHF to check on their ETA. They could see the breakwater and were motoring with full engine revs hard against a wind of up to 47 knots, sometimes only managing as little as 0.9knots of speed over the ground. Such painfully slow progress but at last we saw their mast come into view at the marina entrance and went to help with their lines. Lying beam on to the wind it took full throttle and bow thrusters to push the boat in. They were still so upbeat in spite of their last few difficult hours but obviously very tired and thankful to be here.We spent the morning doing laundry but everybody else had the same idea and with too few machines and driers I ended up doing. read more...