Wednesday 9th December 00:39
14.65.07N 57.55.85W
The feeders have loved the sailing today – the wind has been perfect for them and Mark was manually steering for the sheer joy of it – sometimes we were doing 12-13 knots which is more like the speeds Magic should do in these conditions – apparently. There has been much conversation about boat speed and performance – is there weed on the hull? Has the Genoa’s sail angle affected us etc etc but still, Tina doesn’t mind what position in the fleet we arrive she is just proud of our achievement as a team and happy that no one was injured. It has been an incredible journey for my feeders.
It has been sad for John that he has been unwell since the start – but as he says – he is now thin and tan!
Sailing seems to challenge everyone in different ways and this trip has been a significant challenge. I really miss running about on grass or on the beach and I know the feeders really would love to get off the boat for a walk or a run too.
When you will ask us “So, how was the trip?” I am sure there will be lots of people who say that the ARC was all just great fun. But my blogs are always very honest.
My feeders have had fun and laughs and played – they have seen Dolphins, Jelly fish, Flying fish and a Turtle they have seen a LOT of floating seaweed, they have caught a fish and caught up on reading, they have watched movies in the evenings and had delicious freshly cooked meals every night – often with a sundowner before hand. They have had showers on deck, done laundry and played board games too. But there have been a lot of challenges – dealing with things going wrong –the steering, the auto pilot, the water maker, the VHF radio, the holes in sails, blocks and winches exploding, lines chafing, things flying around and breaking – and although I have been fine with four legs the poor feeders have been bashed around for weeks with the continual pitching and rolling.
They have been baked in the sun and soaked in torrential down pours.
They have been cut by knifes and bits of metal and burned by the oven and the sun
They have felt sick and tired
They have been bashed and bruised on the rigging
They have bashed and broken toes
They have had to do with only one shower per week each
They have dealt with continual broken sleep from watches and rolling
They have been hot and bothered
They have cooked and cleaned and fixed and sailed and sailed and sailed…
So - cut, burnt, bruised, tired and dirty they have dealt with all the Atlantic could throw at them.
They have worked hard as a team and supported each other.
They have been creative and innovative making things and fixing things – the Heath Robinson way of ensuring the water maker worked using two black gorilla tubs and four pipes was genius – people are really clever
But most of all
They have had an incredible journey – Sailing gives you time to think about the future, time to reflect on the past (neither of which dogs do by the way – we live in the now) - They have laughed a lot together and they will never ever forget crossing the Atlantic Ocean – out of sight of land for 16 days
Tina keeps thinking how amazing it is to have been under sail the whole way, only using the engine for a couple of hours! It is the most continual sailing most of the feeders have ever done.
It has been wonderful to do the ARC – to have had all the support and help from this amazing organization and to be sailing in the fleet. Everyone has enjoyed the fact that friends and family have been supporting up by watching the tracker and reading my blog.
Andrew in Lagos has been a superstar sending us world class weather and routing information – what a good friend – we miss Andrew and Susan.
The feeders have loved having emails from home.
Now we are nearly there.. Just one more day and night to go
We may arrive breakfast time on the 9th – if we do then it will be check in and do all the paper work and I have to see the vet – then the feeders hope they can get an afternoon nap because at 7pm there is a welcome party!
Tina thinks it is really funny that Magic will arrive into Saint Lucia just in time for the welcome party!!
Have to go now as we are on watch and I need to give Mark a cuddle under the stars
May
At Sea