ATLANTIC CROSSING
LAS PALMAS to CARIBBEAN
Having decided to sail via the Cape Verde Islands we ended up staying in Las Palmas to see in the New Year as we really started to enjoy the town, over the festive season there were things to do and the weather was good.
We finally got around to departing 02 Jan.
Our departure ritual for a major passage is we push the engine start button together, pledge each other a safe journey and seal the deal with a peek on the cheek.
With the romantic stuff over B takes the helm as P goes forward to raise the anchor.
That’s when things started to turn pear shaped immediately testing our ritual.
With P on the bow having raised the anchor he is lashing it down for the anticipated waves we will encounter on the Atlantic crossing when he spots a large piece of plastic covered wire used for banding packing pallets disappearing under the bow.
Concerned that it might foul the prop he rushed (barefooted Rotorua boy as normal) from the bow back to the stern to check that it has cleared the stern, but in doing so steps on a deck block ripping the underside of big toe on left foot. No pain just claret gushing forth in volume.
Closer observation reveals a neat clean but very deep slice so B turned Musketelle around and we re-anchored. As the RIB was firmly lashed on the aftdeck we got a lift ashore with another cruiser and headed for the local hospital to be jabbed and stitched.
A few days recovery and we gave it another shot, this time successfully departing 1700 05 Jan
with P now hobbling very tentatively around Musketelle in deck shoes for the departure ritual and formalities.
with P now hobbling very tentatively around Musketelle in deck shoes for the departure ritual and formalities.
But nature is requiring us to motor because the north easterlies we have had for weeks are now coming from the south east, the direction we are headed !!
We motor down the east side of Gran Canaria with the sun setting and by 2100 the wind drops
and backs round to the Northeast and we are able to start sailing.
and backs round to the Northeast and we are able to start sailing.
Destination
We are headed for the Caribbean island of Grenada at the southern end of the neckless of islands named the Windward Islands a distance of 2850 nautical miles and we have plotted target waypoints reflecting 150 mile days into our backup laptop, but hoping for better. Skipper reluctant to predict such things as yachts in particular only have destinations, not estimated times of arrival.
 |
| Computer loaded with 150 mile days. Also showing weather synopics overlay for SEAtlantic downloaded via Iridium |
Have also loaded ships Chartplotter with 3 named waypoints on the track to egg us on to Caribbean sun..…
W1. Coke @ 20.00n 30.00w
W2. Ice @ 15.00n 40.00w
W2. Ice @ 15.00n 40.00w
W3. Rum @ Destination Barbados
We get the coke first, then the ice when we get down into the tropics and the famous rum when we arrive. Otherwise known as yachtie coffee !!
We get the coke first, then the ice when we get down into the tropics and the famous rum when we arrive. Otherwise known as yachtie coffee !!
After 3 days heading south we achieve a measly 400 miles which is only 133 per day as we sail south with Africa a couple of hundred miles to port and the America’s a couple of thousand miles to starboard.
 |
| Our actual meandering route sailed in 1st week compared to direct rhumb line. Sailing you go with the wind, no buts |
As we turn from going due south and add a bit of Westing the next 4 days deliver a slightly improved 521 miles, but 921 for the first week is 12% behind target,due primarily to variable winds that come and go.
Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4. Day 5. Day 6. Day 7. Week Daily Av Knots
138 150 136 133 131 127 106 921 132 5.48
But on the 7th day we do at least get that Coke because we have reached W1.
Week One Review
Apart from the sailing not much to report other than a few ships, a couple of pods of dolphins and miles of vast ocean with surprisingly little bird life. Revelation is that WiFi can sense when dolphins are around ahead of humans. The cue for us is she awakes from her beanbag slumber and pokes her head above the cockpit coaming sniffing away and sure enough the dolphinious (as we call them) come into view.
We have had a waning moon each night for the first week and this has made the night watches very enjoyable. We have been trying to do the 4 hour watches but we are not that regimented so sometimes its only a couple of hours sleep.
The other event !! was B removed the stitches from the skippers foot amid instructions from the patient. He will be hobbling around for at least another week trying not to stretch the healing gash. Now wearing shoes but complains saying he’s been mucking about on boats barefoot since 1958 and will need reprogramming.
Ship Issues
On the ships front there are the never-ending ship keeping issues out of left field to remind us this is a working passage as well. Our Generator which is required to be run morning and night for an hour a time to recharge batteries, hold down the fridge and freezer and desalinate water has decided to restrict saltwater flow for cooling with the impeller pump unable to pull saltwater due to a recurring airlock in the feed
pipe. This airlock could be caused by the inlet pipe acting as an outlet pipe when the generator is stopped due to a venturi effect sucking water out of the pipe as the boat continuously moves through
the water. Until we overcome the problem the only solution is to disconnect the pipe at the engine end to release the airlock with resulting water bursting forth before we start up. Alternatively we
can run the main engine to speed charge the batteries and do the refrigeration but we cannot desalinate.
the water. Until we overcome the problem the only solution is to disconnect the pipe at the engine end to release the airlock with resulting water bursting forth before we start up. Alternatively we
can run the main engine to speed charge the batteries and do the refrigeration but we cannot desalinate.
Week Two
Next target is to rendezvous with W2 Ice, about 700 miles South West and lock into those reliable Northeast trade winds between 15 and 20 degrees north of the equator that will hopefully deliver those magic increased daily miles we hanker for and that Musketelle thrives on with her waterline length and deep keel.
 |
| Follow that setting sun West |
So we both get up on the foredeck and person-handle a second headsail up on deck, the trusty Blade Headsail. The Blade is then raised in the second luff grove on the headsail foil so it is gull winging with the Yankee headsail that has been up since Las Palmas. Now we have twice the horsepower as these sail are about equal size meaning we have balance and Musketelle responds immediately jumping from 5 knots to a more respectable 7 knots. Take a look at these pics showing how the breeze is trapped so efficiently......
 |
| Black as the inside of a cow reefed in night sailing in 25 knots |
The air and sea temperature is starting to rise the farther south we go and the Coke is warm so the hope is that the North East winds continue to push us directly to the Ice at W2, now a distance of about 650 miles. After this waypoint we will be wanting the wind to clock around to the East so we can turn further west to allow us to directly line up our destination and sail due West. But that like the Rum is in the future and in this game it pays not to look too far ahead. More stable winds and the new sail configuration had an immediate impact on week 2 daily distances:
Day 8 Day 9 Day10 Day 11 Day 12 Day13 Day 14 Week Daily Av Knots
151 183 167 155 167 158 148 1129 161 6.72
We also achieve a best 24 hour run of 187 miles between days 9/10 until B requested we power down to make things more comfortable and easier when she is on watch otherwise 200 was on target, something we have only achieved twice previously. Musketelle just relished these thoroughbred sailing conditions.......
But to put things in perspective a giant 143ft long French trimaran with 12 crew has this last week reduced the Jules Verne round the world non-stop sailing record to 45 days at an average speed of 26 knots !!
The one thing that is not in our favour is the huge seas we have come into being generated by mid-winter storms further north in the Atlantic. On occasions they work for us creating a wave train to surf on but then they change direction and smash into the starboard side playing havoc with the autopilot and putting us off course. The banging and crashing is irritating and sleep depriving.
On a positive note for WiFi those waves are raining flying fish over the decks and even into the cockpit. She has been raised on fish in her other life as a wild dock cat and she is clearly in her element. But this is much
easier…she just relaxes on her beanbag waiting for the next fresh meal to belly flop into her cockpit before condescending to interrupt her slumber to get down and slowly play it to the death and then demolish head and all. Two a night satisfies her needs, the rest we toss back. Pity she cannot clean up after herself. Her coat immediately took on a healthy new sheen reflecting the change in diet from the monotonous but trusty Whiskas.
easier…she just relaxes on her beanbag waiting for the next fresh meal to belly flop into her cockpit before condescending to interrupt her slumber to get down and slowly play it to the death and then demolish head and all. Two a night satisfies her needs, the rest we toss back. Pity she cannot clean up after herself. Her coat immediately took on a healthy new sheen reflecting the change in diet from the monotonous but trusty Whiskas.
 |
| Not a pretty picture, WiFi the fishkiller in her element. She asked us to censor this pic |
 |
| B and WiFi fishing from the deckbound RIB |
 |
| WiFi sporting her backmounted Emergency Immersion Beacon for night rescue |
Waypoint 2 Ice reached on Day 11 so now only awaiting Rum at destination !!
Humour of the Atlantic k ind
Two funny things happened to us this week….A flying fish strikes our Wind Generator and immobilises it by damaging a carbon fibre blade. Rather incredible as the wind gen is mounted on the stern gantry 4 metres
above the water. Second odd event was a catamaran yacht that sailed up to us late one afternoon and we
above the water. Second odd event was a catamaran yacht that sailed up to us late one afternoon and we
exchanged pleasantries over the VHF radio, as you do. He was Turkish and was running short of food especially milk. We said we had spare milk and P in humour suggested we also had a Turkish cat that he
might like. We got the milk ready in a plastic bag and decided we would pass it over via an extending boat hook as we came up to each other. Well he never did come alongside and just continued sailing on his course getting further and further away. We waited for a VHF call to explain but nothing. Concluded the cat humour must have scared him off or he expected us to act as milkman and change course to deliver to him. Very strange. Maybe he thought we were joking.
might like. We got the milk ready in a plastic bag and decided we would pass it over via an extending boat hook as we came up to each other. Well he never did come alongside and just continued sailing on his course getting further and further away. We waited for a VHF call to explain but nothing. Concluded the cat humour must have scared him off or he expected us to act as milkman and change course to deliver to him. Very strange. Maybe he thought we were joking.
Week Three
Week three will not be a complete week because we are ¾ of the way across and the Rum is just over the horizon.
We have made satisfying progress as week three begins and the wing and wing sail configuration is doing the business. Although we are now getting easterly winds and even some east south easterlies when we need wind with a bit of north east. We need north easterlies to allow us to hold our westerly track and not be driven south of our course line to Barbados. Barbados ?
Yep we have changed our destination from Grenada to Barbados….for two reasons, Firstly its about 100 miles closer and secondly other cruisers are reporting it’s a nice spot to visit. So Barbados here we come.
Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 18 Hours 4.75 Days Daily Av Knots
140 171 163 155 109 738 155 6.47
Done Deal
18 days 18 hours and 2800 miles after departing Las Palmas Musketelle arrives at Barbados and anchors in an offshore 20 knot breeze in Carlisle Bay with crystal white sand beaches ashore....sort of authentic Caribbean from arrival with sun up and warm.
Well that might be so but not the last 100 odd miles. Up until then we could report that Musketelle had not taken even a splash of saltwater into the cockpit and hardly any over the bow. But then in the approaches to Barbados as if to say don't get to carried away guys, all hell let loose with a big dump splash into WiFi's backyard and 6 hours of gnarly big swells from aft to keep us really alert. Musketelle was pivoting and
skewing around like she was balancing on a needle under the forces of nature. The glow and loom of lights of Barbados came into view 50 miles out and kept disappearing in the swells.
skewing around like she was balancing on a needle under the forces of nature. The glow and loom of lights of Barbados came into view 50 miles out and kept disappearing in the swells.
But we are really pleased to have conquered the Atlantic which was always one of the biggies on this circumnav. It really is an ocean with its own characteristics that make it stand apart. The swell patterns, the
colours of the sea and its cloud systems overhead were different to anything experienced to date. Knowing that all the hurricanes that cause havoc on the Caribbean originate in the waters to the west of the Cape Verde Islands and track along the latitudes we have sailed was never far from our minds. We pondered and assessed every dark cloud that approached us from behind and passed over us with its own extra energy to speed us along and remind us of the importance of not being in these waters in hurricane season.
colours of the sea and its cloud systems overhead were different to anything experienced to date. Knowing that all the hurricanes that cause havoc on the Caribbean originate in the waters to the west of the Cape Verde Islands and track along the latitudes we have sailed was never far from our minds. We pondered and assessed every dark cloud that approached us from behind and passed over us with its own extra energy to speed us along and remind us of the importance of not being in these waters in hurricane season.
Crossing Report
Total Distance Sailed - 2800 Miles
Daily Average - 149 Miles
Best 24 Hour Run - 187 Miles
Average Speed - 6.20 Knots
Reviewing successes and failures....
Success:
* we got here and largely in one piece (but for the false bloody start) with no other major calamities.
* Setting up the Headsails wing and wing clearly the major plus and having it up continuously for 11 of the 18 days.
* The Autopilot worked for every mile (2800), and hour (450) of the passage with the little 12v hydraulic motor pump buzzing away and getting very hot but just plugging on. Truly amazing bit of kit. We must admit we purchased at vast expense a backup pump motor the day we departed Las Palmas because we had picked up on a surprisingly large number of vessels crossing the Atlantic experiencing autopilot failures but so far it has not been needed.
Failures:
+on+left.JPG) |
| The nerve center of Hydraulic Autopilot System showing (type 2) electric motor pump |
mostly systems.....Generator water feed problem, Wind Generator Flying Fish strike, Furlex Headsail Furler failed on arrival Barbados. We knew we had a problem en route with the furler but we were able to handle it
at sea whilst the sails were up and only partly furled or unfurled. On arrival the unit would not furl completely and until we remove the forestay the jury is out on the cause. Either the unit did not like the extra pressure of 2 sails wing and winging (unlikely) or there is a yet unknown other reason for the furling mechanism to dismantle itself internally and shed 15 ball bearings from a bearing race.
at sea whilst the sails were up and only partly furled or unfurled. On arrival the unit would not furl completely and until we remove the forestay the jury is out on the cause. Either the unit did not like the extra pressure of 2 sails wing and winging (unlikely) or there is a yet unknown other reason for the furling mechanism to dismantle itself internally and shed 15 ball bearings from a bearing race.
What we would do differently:
* It would be nice to have 2 full size spinnaker poles to brace and better balance the wing and wing headsail configuration instead of one pole and the main boom.
* The other thing we would do is depart on an early waxing moon rather than a waning moon as we did, thereby getting moonlight night sailing for the full passage. We had clear nights most every night and whilst sailing under the stars is still pretty amazing and surprisingly light, moonlight sailing for us is one of the great pleasures being at sea on a long passage. As we are effectively sailing solo each watch that moon becomes a friend and WiFi liked it too.
Cats Eyes
Yes finally WiFi....just amazing to watch an animal adapt to it's surroundings and adjusting all functions accordingly. She even perfected the strategic drunken sailor swaying motion required to stay upright just like us, as the yacht continuously bucked and rolled underneath. She loved the flying fish belly flopping in front of her beanbag fresh from the ocean and clearly morose if none arrived of an evening.
So that’s it from us safely tucked up in Barbados with 2 swims on first day...yahoo ! We will spend a few days relaxing in Barbados doing the sights before moving on to……..February.
