RTW, Leg 6b: Atlantic Crossing, Part 2

The second half

Day 10 – Wed 1st

Half way point! 1471 nautical miles traveled and 1471 to go. Cause for celebration with a three course evening meal planned complete with one bottle of white wine. That’s one bottle of wine to share, not each! The winds have been strong since Sunday bouncing around Force 6 with a “Rough” 3 – 4 meter sea to match. We have the main sail out on our port side with a preventer to secure and our jib poled out on the starboard side. A solid set up that copes with the regular wind shifts and rouge waves that kick the stern one way or the other. Our balance, and patience, is tested every minute of every day as we are constantly pitched and rolled, cursing as another bruise is added to the collection.

Wind always from behind

Day 11 – Thu 24

When we started, we decided to head due south from the Canaries in search of what little wind there was and then hang a sharp right at Cape Verde. This strategy landed us at the back of the pack but since turning the corner Broadsword has been flying, chewing up the miles and inching our way back up the rankings. Top speed recorded was 14 knots in a Force 7. It’s a thrilling and exhilarating experience particularly at night, feeling the raw energy in the sails with the force of nature driving you onwards. Picked up by a 4m wave, Broadsword gathers speed while surfing down its angry face with the water boiling all around like a highland river in full spate. Today’s treat: Banana bread with a couple of mars bars melted in.

Lucy's favorite position

Day 12 – Friday

Today we were visited by a whale. We have seen whales before, passing us by unimpressed and on their way to watery places ahead. But this one was different. This whale stayed with us for over an hour, surfing down the waves behind us, surging in front, cutting back, circling around, port one minute, starboard the next, turning on its side for a better look showing off its pale under belly. This was an extraordinary privilege to witness. We have a whale book but its still difficult to be definitive. Perhaps a Bryde’s Whale. Book club today was Richard Dyers “Broadsword Calling Danny Boy”.

Our Bryde's (?) Whale toying with us

Day 13 – Saturday

Yesterday a whale, today an Egrit called Eddie. He fluttered in and landed on the cockpit table right in front of our noses. We daren't breath a word lest we scare him off and like bomb disposal expert fearful of a sudden wrong move, carefully and slowly reach for a camera to capture the moment. Eddie was ambivalent, and soon turned out to be bolder than Borris. He flapped down into the saloon, crapping on the chart table as he merrily explored his new surroundings. We shooed him out and shut the companion way. Undeterred, he hops down to the bow and jumps through the hatch into our cabin giving Lucy the fright of her life, rudely awoken from her forty winks. This evenings game was “Movie Buff Quiz”. Official scores Doug; 8. John; 10, Mark; 13, Lucy; 25. Her encyclopedic knowledge of nonsense is impressive.

Eddie making himself at home

Day 14 – Sunday

We discovered today that the freezer was not as frozen as it should have been. No doubt struggling with a shortage of power from the batteries on one hand, and the 30 deg plus heat on the other. All our carefully packed bags of beef, mince and chicken have defrosted and seaped that lovely bloody goo everywhere. Nothing for it but to empty the freezer, clean every item down and bleach the hell out of it. Then, we all took turns in the galley cooking a meal each to prolong the life of what meat was left. I did a spag bol, Mark a stew and Dougie a spicy chicken. Our fresh food reduced to a few onions, potato's and some lemons. Movie night this evening and Lucy provided Francis Ford Coppolas’ Black Stallion. A beautiful touching film however the ship sinking in a storm at the beginning had a touch or virtual reality to it as we watched from our own boat pitching and rolling. Whats next? Posidon Adventure? Dead Calm? Titanic? I made a loaf of bread.

Daily games of one sort or another. Doug had an annoying habit of winning.

Day 15 – Monday

500 miles to go and Broadsword is sitting in 69th position out of 140. The winds dropped for a while today but we are now experiencing the much anticipated squalls. You look behind and see ominous dark towering clouds chasing you down and have time to get ready. Coat on, life jacket on, shorten the sails, point up wind a bit and stand by. A few spots of rain and then it hits hard with winds shooting from 20 knots to 35 knots in a matter of seconds. Five minutes of excitement and its passed. Mark made cookies today.

Squalls showing up on the radar. We are in the centre and just getting hit by one.

Day 16 - Tuesday

Night watch: One finds oneself going through a little routine which is no doubt different for all. The watch is handed over by the previous incumbent, and then you settle in for your three hour shift. It’s a period of great serenity. You have the boat to yourself, no distractions, just the cacophony of noises to keep you company. The creaking and groaning of the rigging, the occasional flap of the sail or slap of wave on bow and the constant rush of the invisible watery surges all around and a phosphorescence show on the stern. Put the kettle on, make a tea, go up above to enjoy the absolute peace and solitude. No one around you for hundreds of miles, just you, your boat and your crew. Last night Lucy saw a meteorite explode on the horizon. A giant fire ball blow up into a shower of smaller burning elements. Logged at 15 deg 12 mins North 46 deg 12 mins West.

Preparing the sails for the night shifts

Day 17 - Wednesday

Every day we play the word game after lunch. We each come up with an unusual word that no one is likely to have heard of and provide three definitions of which only one is correct. My word today was Williwaw. Williwaw is either A; a violent katabatic wind found in the fjords of southern Chilli. B; an expedition multifuel stove invented by Williams of Western Australia. C; a Warbler, occassional summer visitor to Britain from Africa. Answers on a postcard please. Movie night tonight, my offering; Donnie Darko. What a sound track!

Mark surprising even himself with culinary delights

Day 18 – Thursday.

We will arrive tonight. We have fifty miles to go which will take eight hours in these lighter winds so I expect to cross the finish line around midnight. We have been discussing how we feel about our imminent arrival and there is a very mixed response. Of course Doug and Mark are looking forward to speaking to their better halves after three weeks of radio silence. And none of us can deny the forthcoming excitement of our first drinks (plural x lots) and good slap up meal in a waterside restaurant. But this journey has been a fine one, exciting and dangerous at times, peaceful and relaxing most of the time. We all four have all got on very well, no handbags at dawn, no toys out the pram, plenty of laughs and yet enough time and space for quiet contemplation. Lucy and I are hugely grateful to Mark and Doug for joining us, without whom it would have undoubtedly been a sterner test of our resolve and not half has much fun.