Jacana of Ardmay - 10/11/12

Hi Everyone,   We have arrived OMG it is so good to be on land. We first sighted land at 16.30 pm with 41 miles to go what an experience, we arrived in St Lucia and crossed the finish line at 11.30 pm. Young Andrew, went a stern and docked the boat what a star, between two ARC boats too no worries. A welcome rum punch, beer with a fruit basket and Champagne we now feel that it is a dream !!! It is 3 am and I am feeling a wee bit weary so sorry the blog reflects that!! Tomorrow we are sorting out the ropes, cleaning the boat inside and out and party party from there on!!!!   Thanks for all your support and have a lovely Christmas and all the best for 2012!!!   Love you all!!!   Team Jacana xxxx  . read more...

Jacana of Ardmay - 9/12/11

Hi Everyone,   With only just over 100 miles to go we are ready to see and enjoy the comforts of St Lucia, we could certainly do with some wind here, we only got 6 to 7 knots and we have had to motor all day, like the rest of the ARC boats. A lot of boats have overtaken us now as they started their engines a lot earlier than we have. As there appears to be no wind forecast for the next couple of days either it looks like engine on to the finish line now. It has been so hot today ( I am not meaning to rub it in really!!) and we have had no sea breeze to cool us down, no time for swimming either as we have to get in to Rodney Bay before Lucy and Nick to protect our credit card, although we have missed them so much we would probably let them have whatever they wanted anyway. We have. read more...

Jacana of Ardmay - 8/12/11

Hi Everyone, Someone had fed back that there had not been any blogs from us for the last couple of days, we have written them so I hope they have now been posted! Well, we have had such an eventful day today! Again the weather is very hot and the Atlantic very calm, unbelievably so, however it did mean that the fishing rod saw some action, Andrew and Andrew (both very pleased with themselves) managed to reel in a Bluefin tuna fish, about 10 lbs in weight, some protein for dinner tonight! Margaret said it was going to be the most expensive tuna steak that we have ever eaten................I think she was referring to the cost of the fishing gear!!! At the stern of the boat we gutted and cut the tuna into 9 steaks, refrigerated ( working again, clever Andrew ) ready for serving later. As. read more...

Jacana of Ardmay - 7/12/11

Dear family and friends,   After all that rain we had the total contrast today in that it was so sunny and hot, hot, hot. we started the day off well with the foresail poled out and getting a steady 6 knots, by 10 o’clock the wind speed was dropping so the skipper decided to put up the cruising chute. With wind speeds of only 8 to 10 knots the chute was giving us a steady 6 to 7 knots. But alas by 4 o’clock the Atlantic became so very calm and such a contrast to what we have been experiencing with 4 meter swells. We spotted 4 whales today, not sure what type, but that has been our first sighting for a couple of weeks now since the dolphins. Fantastic dinner tonight prepared by chef Margaret and her son of smoke salmon fishcakes on a bed of thai spiced. read more...

Jacana of Ardmay - 6/12/11

Hi Everyone,   WE ARE NOT CELEBRITIES.................GET US OUT OF HERE!!!! (only joking)   Well today was not at all like the brochure promised it would be, it was more like what we are used to living in the West Coast of Scotland except with heat (Sound of Mull on a good day)!!, dark, grey and a hell of a lot of rain. We got some good wind in the morning and then in the afternoon we were down at only 8 knots so not moving very fast at all however early evening we were cruising between 6.5 and 7.5 knots. With 475 miles to go we are starting to smell that rum punch, it is the ARC welcome party tomorrow so I guest we will not make it for that one!! We have our own welcome party every night at 5 ish, the skipper puts on his happy hour song, does a wee jig, his interpretation of. read more...