Logs

Sea Monster - on the home stretch

We are on the home stretch! We are ~2,300NM from Cocos Keeling and less than 50NM remaining to the finish line on the north of Mauritius. We have the spinnaker out and it’s been the most fun stretch of sailing for me to date. The sun has created a silver carpet on the sapphire ocean leading us to our destination. It’s beautiful.I’m no longer relying on the apparent wind angle to know if I’m sailing the right way. I can feel the tickle of the breeze moving from behind my ear to my cheek and back again, indicating whther I need to turn up or down. I hear the change in the sound of the wake behind me, and when a rush (surfing down a wave) quietens, it’s time to turn up again. And with both the wind and the sound, I allow the pressure of the rudder on the helm to guide me, always trying to. read more...

Sea Monster - continues in the Indian Ocean

This weekend has been full of lessons on how to steer. The swell has been from SW (moderate, 2m) and S (longer period and bigger, 3m) and when they meet it’s a challenge. With the constant 18-20kt winds gusting to 25kt this weekend, it has been a good opportunity for the crew to have lessons on how to manage the helm without slamming the boat or risking another broach, or accidental gybe. Skipper Jerry is doing a fantastic job on imparting his countless hours of offshore experience to us quickly. Hopefully we will all be ready for when the bigger wind and swell hit this week! And Billie The Bengal approves of the crew’s upskill and has eaten and not puked.. read more...

Sea Monster - in the Indian Ocean

Hi from The Monsters! We are off again! We crossed the start line atCocos Keeling at 11:00 local time (GMT +6:30) and in 15 days / 2350 NM across the Indian Ocean we will be in Mauritius! We’re starting the circumnavigation adventure across the most difficult ocean (!) but who doesn’t like a challenge?!? We are following the tradewinds: generally we will be sailing along a high pressure system, and there is a developing low to the north of Chagos. If that comes down towards our course at all, it will push the high pressure system south, and in turn we will head further south to stay in the high. The low pressure system could turn into a cyclone (there was one in the area last week) but historically it is too early in the season for these to be regular. For the first week, the winds will. read more...

Sea Monster - In Cocos Keeling

Hello from Cocos Keeling! I can’t believe we are in the middle of the Indian Ocean at this beautiful atoll. To get here from Lombok was 5 days / 4 nights to Christmas Island, then 4 days / 3 nights to Cocos Keeling. The sailing has been challenging and I will share more about thay later. For now, it’s hard to imagine the colours you can see in the photos where yellow turns to green which turns to blue and in real life there is no distinction between them - it’s like looking at the full colour spectrum from yellow to blue! Arriving at the Direction Island anchorage, we were met by black tipped reef sharks, who seemed super friendly until we fed them leftover wahoo!Today we are having the skipper’s briefing regarding the next leg to Mauritius, which should take 15 days. We are over at the. read more...

Sea Monster - In the Indian Ocean

The sun started showing her shine at 5am. By 6am, the sky was bright although overcast. When I saw the size of the swell we had been hand-steering through all night, I momentarily wished it was dark again so I didn’t have to see it 🤣 But then I settled back into the rhythm of the night, anticipating the swell or gusts before they caught Sea Monster, and continued to have a lot of fun. We covered 183.6nm in our 1st 24h since leaving Christmas Island. We will arrive in Cocos Keeling on Tuesday, and may have to put on the brakes a bit to ensure a daylight arrival.. read more...

Sea Monster - Joins World ARC

We made it to the start line of World ARC, from Lombok to Christmas Island and Cocos Keeling. There was very little wind, and while Sea Monster put up her main sail, none of the others in the fleet did, and we all started under engine.For this, the second leg of World ARC (part two from Darwin to Saint Lucia), and Sea Monster’s first leg, this fleet was split into two, because there are only a handful of moorings available at Christmas Island. In fact, there are only eight available and as we are 10 boats sailing across, there will be the need to raft up for some. Eleven boats will leave on Monday, and generally, they are the slower boats, and the first lot including Sea Monster, should have left by the time they arrive.Sea Monster, at 50 feet long, is one of the smaller boats in the. read more...

Pure Fun - WARC 2024 - 6. Tag Galapagos - Marquesas

WARC 2024 - 6. Tag Galapagos - MarquesasDienstag 12.03.2024, 03:00 Uhr, 1190 sm gesegelt, noch 1810 sm liegen vor uns.Am Donnerstag werden wir das Bergfest feiern können. Dann ist die Hälfte der Strecke geschafft. Kaum glauben. Die Zeit verfliegt wie im Flug. Warum heißt das eigentlich Bergfest auf dem Wasser? Kann nicht googeln.....🤔😂 -> [email protected] Es ist schön auf dem Pazifik....bisher so wie von mir gewünscht. Wind von 15-20Kn, keine Squalls. Danke Universum für die Erfüllung! So segeln wir auch diese Nacht mit 8-9Kn Geschwindigkeit und 18-20Kn Wind durch die schwarze Neumondnacht. Über uns ein Meer aus Sternen. Sooo schön. 🤩 Es ist warm. In Shorts und T-Shirt sitzen wir nacheinander im Cockpit. Die Wache von 2,5 std. geht manchmal fast zu schnell zu Ende. Heute haben. read more...

Corsair - A friend wrote this to me

I thought this might be worth publishing Tribute to Lane.Upon a small sailboat, afloat for days, thirty in count,Beneath the sun's golden gaze and the moon's silver mount,In the vast sea's embrace, where dreams and waves interlace,Here, I journey, I chase, in this endless water-space.With compass and chart, I hone navigation's fine art,Under stars so apart, I learn the ocean's heart.Fishing rod in hand, I seek the bounty of the land,In this expanse so grand, life's simpler demands stand.Pages turn, stories unfold, in books both new and old,Tales of brave, tales of bold, in the sea's untold cold.Ink flows, words spread, on paper, my journey's thread,A diary of where I've tread, by the winds gently led.Through the lens, moments caught, in the sea's wide, wide thought,Memories, dearly. read more...

Pure Fun - WARC Leg 4 Galapagos zu den Marquesas Tag 3

Auf der WORLD ARC (WARC) läuft der vierte Abschnitt. Von Galapagos geht es getragen vom Humboldt Strom durch die windarme wie auch regenreiche ITCZ zur südlichen Passatwindzone. Die Strecke beträgt 2.900 nm. Heute nach 72 Stunden / 3 Tage auf See liegen davon bereits 636 nm im Kielwasser. Jedoch stehen auf der Streckenloge nur 530 nm. Ach wie viel davon war Thema der theoretischen Segelausbildung für Fortgeschrittene. Hier erleben wir es live. Die Wolkenkunde wird lebendig. An Bord wird abgeglichen mit den spärlichen Informationen auf See, mit dem Ausbildungswissen sowie mit der bisherigen Erfahrung. Nachts riss der Himmel auf. Sterne waren zu sehen. Der Wind veränderte seine Richtung und insbesondere seine Intensität. Deutliche Zeichen, wir haben die ITCZ durchfahrenen und das schon bei. read more...

Dilema - Start of World ARC Leg 1

We're off again!Nelson (I believe) said ships and men rot in port and I can now see what he means.Not that being tied up on a cosy pontoon with unlimited water, electricity, showers, restaurants, bars, cafes and a full social programme, including a whole community of new friends to share it with, isn't delightful, but it's not sailing!Our ARC farewell party at the Harbour Club beach bar was on Thursday evening and on Friday we woke to the last day of preparation for Leg 1 of the World ARC;Saint Lucia to Santa Marta. This is about 850 miles and should take us until Thursday afternoon.Wind is supposed to be fresh to start with and building to strong as we approach Santa Marta so it should be a quick sail. We're excited to be starting at last.Saturday morning admin out of the way (pay the. read more...

Serendipity IV - Prepweek and start to World ARC 2024

It was a busy prepweek. Not had we get to know so many amazing people with which we will sail alongside and spend happy times with. We also had to prepare SERENDIPITY IV and ourselves for our first leg from Saint Lucia to Santa Marta in Columbia.Checking the boat and the equipment for the safety check was first priority. Get all the last few bits from the ship chandler’s and some food. Luckily, we did the big provisioning in Martinique already.Michael went under water and cleaned the hull meticulously and Nina went up the mast for a check and a bird’s eye view. Our meals and snack bags for the first days at sea are prepared and our bed in the salon made. We also checked our charts and the weather forecast to plan our route.Last preparation on Saturday morning and a short notice change of. read more...

Solaris - Pictures and movies from our sightseeing tour on St. Lucia

Katherine, Promise 4 and Lisbeth, Axel & Flemming from Solaris went for an St Lucians Tree Top Canopy Adventure Tour. After a very long drive, we had some great fun in the rainforest!. read more...