SCHOONER SAILING BLOG

 

SUNDAY DAY 9 - Arrival Oysterhaven
Uploaded : 25 June 2010

We pass the Fastnet about 3.00am , the wind slack, and sea calm so back to motor with mains up for stability.  It is a beautiful morning to be arriving in Ireland, and our  excitement rises as we pass the familiar harbours of Baltimore, and Glandore, and countdown the headlands from  Galley Head, to Seven Heads, then the Old Head of Kinsale and the Sovereigns and Oysterhaven in sight!

What a welcome we get as we sail into the Bay - a flotilla of small boats with friends and family has gathered to welcome us in, hooting foghorns and cheering as we round up to anchor in the bay.  Ashore Sinead has organised a great welcome for us - flags and bunting and Dave cooking a fantastic barbecue where we are joined by boyfriends, girlfriends, wives and parents and former crew mates  from earlier voyages, Gerry, Scott, Paddy, Nathan, Emma and Carly.

Meanwhile Spirit lies to anchor in solitary spleandour in the bay awaiting firstly a new mooring and then her next commission!


 


 

SATURDAY DAY 8 - Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 25 June 2010

At 2.00am the wind frees us and increases, so we can raise full sail on port tack, switch off the engine and hold our course for home.

With the sun, the wind steadily rises, as does boat speed, and with it our spirits, as we finally get the much anticipated northerlies, blowing out of a clear blue sky.

Kieran sets the bar at 8.4 knots, but the wind steadily increases to 20 knots and Lisa raises the stakes to 9.2, but not without soaking me in the cockpit!  We all enjoy a fantastic day’s sailing with yankee and both mains set full, powering along around nine knots in a moderate sea, a great climax for our last full day’s sailing.

By 10.30 pm we can make out the faint outline of land, and shortly after the loom of the Fastnet light beckons over the horizon ahead.

We are nearly home.


 


 

FRIDAY DAY 7 - Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 25 June 2010

We motor through the night, dropping all the sails as the breeze is dead ahead.  Ivo makes himself busy in the galley cooking pancakes for everyone for breakfast - banana and maple syrup, peanut butter and nutella, and classic lemon and sugar - mouthwateringly delicious!  

By late morning the sea is calm, a gentle swell from the north and virtually no wind.  A school of dolphins busily fish ahead of us, but take no interest in riding our bow-wave.

The rippled surface of the sea is intersected with long oily slicks of calm water - miles in length - running from north east to south west in parallel lines several hundred metres apart.  Our resident oceanographers describe these as evidence of fronts, the marine cousin of weather fronts, indicating the interface between bodies of water of differing temperature and density - a consequence of approaching the continental shelf.  In the middle of one of the slicks we see the unmistakeable form of a Sperm whale, ten metres long with a mottled black skin, smooth near the front, with its characteristic bulbous head, and a nostril to the left side blowing a regular spout of spray as it swam unhurriedly along the surface.

Al climbed up to the front spreaders from where he spotted two others, and we switched off the engine and gently glided to within about ten metres of one, swimming alongside us until it arched its back in the start of a dive, displaying its full fluke before disappearing into the depths.

During the afternoon the wind comes up from the east, in defiance of the forecast, forcing us to take a more northerly course - a direction we had been pinching to achieve on the other tack in order to position ourselves for anticipated northerlies......we live in hope for tomorrow!


 


 

THURSDAY - DAY 6 Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 18 June 2010

The engine faltered during the night wheezing as it strained for fuel, filters clogged with dirty fuel taken on in Horta. Al and I cleaned them out replaced the filters and the engine started to hum again motoring on through the early hours.

A sense of anticipation and excitement in the cockpit as we prepare to raise the fisherman and enjoy a run home with the expected northerlies, gives way to disappointment as the wind heads us forcing us east or our course.  We drop the big sail and resume motor sailing in to north east headwinds, mist and drizzle. 

Al points out a blob on the horizon which within minutes has become a hugh square shape baring down on us resembling a giant logo block or juplo as Liz point out because it's bigger.

After lunch a school of dolphins brings everyone on deck to view them leaping and diving in the swell sometimes as many as fifteen arcing over the waves at a time.   Then a spout of water revealed a humpback whale which dives shortly after.   

It is cold and everyone doubles up their thermals before gathering together in the cockpit for a delicious macaroni cheese prepared by Ivo which we enjoy during a pro-longed red sunset - the promise of fine weather for tomorrow ! 

 


 

WEDNESDAY - DAY 5 Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 18 June 2010

It is calm and we gently motor through the night gliding through pools of phosphorescence, deep, translucent pulsating with life. 

At 3am the wind shifts and we gybe, resetting the preventers to starboard. Shortly after the sun rises over a clear horizon and we enjoy a beautiful sunny morning, calm seas, light breezes and an ocean swell from the west. 

With little to no wind we are cutting through the top of the high's centre, hoping to hit northerlies when we emerge on the eastern side. With 560 miles to go I am happy we have enough fuel if we have to motor all the way and assuming we can continue our daily average of 150 miles we hope to arrive in Oysterhaven sometime on Sunday. To celebrate passing the half way mark, we treat ourselves to a barbecue in the cockpit as the sun sets across a crimson skyline. 

 


 

TUESDAY - DAY 4 Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 18 June 2010

A dull depressing start to the day, the sky is cloud with heavy dark patches of rain, we get one shower in the cockpit followed by some squalls. 

At 9 the wind drops so I turn on the engine. I download a 5 day grid file forecast - no wind til Ireland ! Do we have enough fuel ? then later this morning the wind picks up and we hoist the fishermans and enjoy a good sail all day long.  

Liza leads Al & Ivo in a workout on deck, spots a shark off the bow and produces great dinner for us.  The wind dies so we motor on into the night. 

 


 

MONDAY - DAY 3 Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 17 June 2010

After 2 days of motoring it is a relief to switch off the engine and to enjoy the swish and gurgle as Spirit surges forward under sail with genoa, fishermans and mainsail. 

Ivo dished up a delicious lunch and later Al produced a chilli con carne for dinner. Cieran and Ivo play chess in the cockpit while Spirit cruises steadily along at 7 - 8 knots in a light breeze. 

 


 

SUNDAY - DAY 2 Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 17 June 2010

Motoring along with all sails set and a light breeze on the beam we listen with concern to a distressed lady on the VHF negotiating with a passing freighter of diesel.  She, her husband and 9 year old boy have been at sea for 28 days our of Tortola, BVIs and have run out of diesel and have no wind. 

There's great excitement on board in the afternoon as Alexander spotted a huge spout of spray which turned out to be an enormous blue whale. Later several sperm whales crossed our bow and a basking shark swam right along side us. The horizon is clear for a perfect sunset - a huge orange ball dissolving into the sea followed by a clear and pro-longed green flash.

After a great dinner produced by Ceiran, the start of night watch marked by Venus and a thin sliver of new moon and later shooting stars and one bright flash of meteorites. 

 


 

SATURDAY - DAY 1 Azores to Ireland
Uploaded : 17 June 2010

We intended to make today a shakedown sail to Terceira where my German friends Dieter and Sandra are staying on their boat. The 5 day forecast does not look promising ! An anti-cyclone centres just above The Azores giving Northerlies all the way to Ireland. 

We set out at 6am with the perfect cone of Mt. Pico glowing golden in the morning sun, its upper reaches encircled with a collar of cloud. As we pass the western tip of St. George the wind has settled into the East and we are faced with the prospect of a 60 mile beat to windward and a night-time arrival.  

If we sail East to Terceira we put ourselves right in the path of the head wind, on the other hand if we sail North we hope we can skirt around the centre of the high with following wind. Reluctantly I phone Dieter to explain our decision and we set our course for Ireland. 

 


 

HORTA
Uploaded : 17 June 2010

Our new crew myself, Alexander and 3 college friends of his Ivo, Cieran and Liza gather in Horta from flights and ferries for the next leg of the voyage.

Spirit is in great shape having been minded by Oisin and Brandon in our absence. We set to with preparations, maintenance, change oil, filter belts etc, fill up with diesel and fuel and even find time for an exploratory trip to the volcano "Capelinhos" , also the site of the most recent eruption.   

In Horta it is traditional to leave a painting on the quay and Lisa produced a mural much admired by other crews. 

By Friday night, we extracted ourselves from the knot of boats rafted to us and we were ready for an early start the following morning. 

 


 

DAY 17
Uploaded : 16 June 2010

A dull misty morning, but 20 knots of wind from the south west powers us along at 8.5 knots.  It is a silky smooth ride on a following sea, dolphins breaking the surface all around us in acrobatic display, while numerous sea birds wheel and dive.  There is chgatter on the vhf.  Land is near - only 40 miles to go!
We are within two miles of land before the indistinct shapes of cliffs emerge through the mists.  No glorious of views of snow clad volcano of Pico, Portugal's highest mountain, to welcome us, just the now familiar steely grey of the North Atlantic broken by a jagged coastline, and a checkerboard of small fields, vineyards and whitewashed houses.
We round up into Horta harbour at 6.30, dropping anchor in time to clear immigration and enjoy a good dinner ashore.

 


 

DAY 16
Uploaded : 16 June 2010

A roller coaster ride through the night as the wind built to 25 knots. A ship appears out of the mist from behind during Gerry and Isa's watch, and Gerry shines the spotlight on the sails.  It alters course a disappears to port.  Oisin and Brandon record a boat speed of 10.6 knots with a three hour watch average of 9.3.  I take over with Emma at 6.00am, the wind maxing at 30 knots apparent at the height of the squall - we are sailing downwind at 10 knots - so in the teeth of a full gale, the following seas creaming the cockpit coaming with an odd one making it aboard and soaking Emma.
The wind holds up for the day giving us a 24 hr run of 170 miles, our best so far and an indication of what Spirit is capable of.

 


 

DAY 15
Uploaded : 16 June 2010

The sun rises over a glassy sea.  There is no wind.  Fuel is getting low.  One more day's motoring and we will have to switch it off and wait for wind.  At least we have plenty of food and water.  Emma spots dolphins in the distance.  They come our way, leaping and splashing towards us and form a line abreast across the bow, upwards of 50, weaving and turning and taking it in turns to ride the bow-wave.
A forecast from Nathan predicts south westerly winds and sure enough by afternoon we are enjoying a brisk sail in 12 to 15 knots, with genoa, fisherman, and main.  Isa takes Spirit to 9.5 knots before we reduce sail in the face of an approaching front astern of us.  We drop the main, raise the foremain and yankee to port, while poling out the half furled genoa to starboard, with little reduction in speed as the wind steadily increased.

Day's run 154 miles

 


 

DAY 14
Uploaded : 09 June 2010

Another false promise as the wind dies again and our hopes of reaching Horta on schedule die as we motor on, 15 degrees off course in a light head wind.  We are only making 5.5 knots and with 500 miles still to go  it will take us 4 days.  To get in by 5.00pm on Thursday, in time to clear customs and get our flights early on Friday, we will need to average 160 miles a day - but as we’ve only succeeded in doing this for one day so far it seems very unlikely and we resign ourselves to having to change our flights.  I call Sinead and she advises us that the next flights are not available until Monday and the cheap rates that we had secured for our are no longer available.  We decide to hold off and take our chances.
Sensing the mood Gerry revives our flagging spirits with a delicious bread and butter pudding and custard!
Day’s run a depressing 132 miles

 


 

DAY 13
Uploaded : 09 June 2010

We motor on throughout the night.  I am getting anxious about the fuel.  We have about 600 litres left in the tank, but we cannot rely on the last 2-300 because it lies below the filler pipe ( so designed to prevent sucking up residual dirt or water from the bottom of the tank).  So to use the remainder will involve pumping it out into smaller containers and feed it directly to the engine.  So we have a viable 300 litres - approx 300 miles, before we risk sucking air - something we cannot risk as we approach harbour - and we still have 650 miles to go.  We need wind, but there is no sign of it on the weather map, just a vast high pressure system interlaced with a sinuous frontal trough connecting to a low to the west of Bermuda.
I am on watch with Brandon at about 7.00am.  The sky is leaden, heavy with mist and rain. Visibility is poor and Oisin raises the radar reflector.  I spot a ship in the distance emerging from the mist, then can’t find it.  I scan the horizon with binoculars and spot it again, but it is not a ship its a blow from a whale.  I alter course and we motor to within about 100 meters of a pod of enormous Fin whales, waking Isa to record the moment.  After the excitement we get the sails up again and turn off the engine, and the rest of the crew return to their bunks, but the breeze is shortlived and Gerry and I start to drop the sails in the ensuing calm.  We are halfway through getting in the fisherman when the wind comes up from nowhere and within a minute is blowing 20 knots.  I call for all hands and we furl the genoa, Isa and Brandon on the furling line as Oisin eases the sheet.  As we start to stow the spinnaker waves are breaking over the bow so we unceremoniously feed the sock down the forward hatch into the saloon, breaking a lamp glass in the process.  Oisin and I reef the main and Spirit settles down close hauled on port tack and we enjoy a lively sail with Gerry at the helm and Emma still blissfully asleep.

 


 

DAY 12
Uploaded : 09 June 2010

The wind has gone behind us to the southwest and died off.  We try the spinnaker for a while, but end up dropping all our sails and motoring.  A freighter passes us, heading west, and we are visited at least four times by our friendly school of dolphins.  They arrive with great energy, leaping out the waves, twisting and turning and surfing along our bow-wave. Isa takes to the galley, meticulously preparing Russian pasta - ravioli squares stuffed with spiced potatoe. Delicious.

 


 

Day 11
Uploaded : 04 June 2010

At midnight we move the clocks forward.  The sea has calmed again and an orange gibbous moon has slowly sunk over the horizon.  A few dolphins playfully check us out, then vanish as suddenly as they appeared.  The wind veers and I am able to free Spirit, and by lunchtime we are able to set the fisherman - but not before we have to haul Emma up the mast to rerun the top sheet -  and we enjoy some beautiful sailing - silent save for the sound of water gushing along the side and a whistle in the rigging as we go over 8 knots.


A clear night encourages me to take sextant sights on the moon, mars and polaris, (putting into practice the skills John Petch taught me on a celestial crash course one afternoon in Kinsale before I left) but I let the computer do the complicated arithmetic to fix us about 30 miles off our gps position.

 


 

DAY 10
Uploaded : 04 June 2010

It is light early now, having sailed so far east.  The sky is clear save for some puffs of cumulus.  I come on watch at 6.00am and put Oisin and Brandon through their morning workout, raising and lowering sails, re-running sheets and trimming sails until we are settled for the morning breeze which hints at shifting to the east.  Gerry can smell wind. We anxiously watch the instruments as the windex moves degree by degree and knot by knot until by 9.00 am we are freed up enough to unfurl the genoa, and by afternoon we kill the engine as the sails power up and Spirit surges forward at 8.5 knots in a 20 knot breeze. Gerry's nose is vindicated!

 


 

DAY 9
Uploaded : 04 June 2010

1234 miles covered and 1234 miles to go.  We are half-way! We are joined in our celebrations by a school of dolphins who spend some time riding the bow-wave.


The weather has turned cold.  The morning brings us an uninviting steely grey ocean, the sun shimmering through layers of icy cloud.  Nathan was able to give us a detailed forecast over the sat phone, but it doesn't promise any wind.


The motoring is becoming monotonous, the throb of the engine pervasive.

 


 

DAY 8
Uploaded : 04 June 2010

Awoke to a glassy calm - faint ripples from the north east and some cumulus build up to the west.  No hint of wind, but the cross swell causes the sails to slat, so we drop them until a fickle breeze teases us into raising them again, then mocks us by heading us.  So we motorsail on making as tight a course as possible.


Emma sets up the travel scrabble in the cockpit and we have an entertaining game with Brandon presenting some interesting challenges to the English language!


 


 

DAY 7
Uploaded : 04 June 2010

A whale sighted by Oisin during his early watch and everyone clambers out of their bunks to share his excitement, but it does not resurface.  We continue to scan the horizon and although no whales we are surprised at the number of our companions in the midst of this marine desert, including sheerwaters gliding on the ocean swells, a couple of tropic birds who pay a daily visit and a lone rather frantic swallow.  An unusual floating object appears on closer examination to be a turtle lugubriously paddling its way across the ocean, and during the course of the day we pass seven of these prehistoric creatures, and what appeared to be a succession of plastic bottles floating past us turned out to be Portuguese man of war jellyfish.


A light breeze on the beam tempts us to raise the fisherman and we enjoy a smooth silent sail of 7.5 - 8 knots in just 10 knots of breeze.  We celebrate with a sundowner in the cockpit as we watch the enormous orange bulb of the sun melt into the horizon.  Gerry serves up the last of the beef in a delicious casserole. 

 


 

DAY 6
Uploaded : 04 June 2010

I start to weigh our options and calculate how many days we can motor.  We seem to be using 7 - 8 litres an hour and we started with about 1900 litres, but even if we motor we are going to have to sail for about half the time....where will we find the wind?


In preparation for lightwind sailing we get out the fisherman.  This is a huge reaching sail that sets between the fore and main mast and can drive Spirit along quite fast in very light airs on a calm sea, and we may yet need it to escape the Doldrums.

 


 

DAY 5
Uploaded : 04 June 2010

The wind is not favouring us. On starboard tack we head west of Bermuda, on port we head southeast into the Sargasso Sea. Our only option is to motorsail close hauled into the light headwind. With the engine running and little deckwork to do we set to with housekeeping  and vacuum the boat, while Gerry prepares another great dinner and Brandon treats us to a desert of banana split with chocolate sauce!

Isa records the many changing colours of the sky as the sun goes down, with both the moon and venus clearly visible before sunset, and we witness a momentary green flash as it dips below the horizon.


At night the sea is calm - Oisin,  "It seems like we're just gliding through a dark void.  Emma, "Gliding through the night on wings of green, dipping into valleys of space and soaring on clouds of time."

 


 

DAY 4
Uploaded : 26 May 2010

It is much cooler now  - long trousers and fleeces in the cockpit - but the sea has calmed and the wind stays constant at about 12 knots but it is backing and heading us, forcing us West of North. With a big genoa now in place and no waves obstructing her Spirit glides effortlessly forward at 7 knots. We have all settled down to our routines, overcome any seasickness, and with time to spare enjoy each other's company relaxing in the cockpit.

A magical night under the stars inspiring Emma's log entry: " As the Southern Cross thrusts us forward with her great hips Polaris reaches down her ancient hand to draw us ever Northwards!"


 


 

DAY 3
Uploaded : 26 May 2010

Oisin's log entry at 4am: "We're flying with Brandon at the helm we are doing 8 knots in 18 knots of wind."  Clearly hallucinatng from exteme exhaustion he goes on, " As dawn arrives from the East we are greeted by another mute band of cumulus marching towards us,  a polar bear, a lobster, Godzilla in cowboy boots and the omnipresent sombrero cloud. Our own private parade preceding the sun."

In the afternoon I touch base over the sat phone speaking with Kate, getting a centre update from Sinead and weather forecast from Nathan. 


 


 

DAY 2
Uploaded : 26 May 2010

Another clear sky with no moon. Oisin saw a spectacular meteorite, a huge fireball that exploded leaving a smaller meteorite burning a trail across the sky.  A squally morning so we reef the main and furl the genoa but not enough. We heard a ripping sound as Spirit buried her bow in an oncoming swell and the low cut genoa ripped up along the foil. We quickly furled it and unfurled the yankee sailing on a close haul with a loss of about half a knot. 


 


 

DAY 1
Uploaded : 26 May 2010

Emma and I take the first watch until midnight, Jerry and Isa the "graveyard" watch from 12 - 3.00am followed by Oisin and Brandon who are on watch until 6.00am when Emma and I relieve them again. 

We enjoy our first clear starry night as Spirit cruises along steadily at 7 knots nicely balanced between genoa, foresail and main.  As the day wears on the wind starts to back and head us. Our intention is to sail north within a couple of hundred miles of Bermuda then head North East and motor through the Sargasso Sea, hoping to pick up wind again when we reach Bermuda's latitude.


 


 

Final Preparation & Departure
Uploaded : 25 May 2010

I had chosen St. Barts as a calm anchorage where we could make our final preparations and inspect the hull and in doing the latter discovered why we were so slow. Colonies of barnacles had attached themselves in the 8 weeks Spirit had been laid up in the lagoon. So Oisin and Brandon joined me underwater with scrapers and wire brushes to clean off the hull and propellor while Isa swam around taking photos. 

With all our rigging inspected and safety checks completed  we finally set sail for the Azores at 6pm on a beautiful evening with a steady 18 knots of easterly winds, as the crew gathered in the cockpit for our first sunset at sea and a good dinner prepared by Brandon. Isa's camera recording every move. 


 


 

Leaving St. Maarten
Uploaded : 25 May 2010

We leave the fetid heat of Simpson Bay lagoon at the opening of the bridge at 9.30 am joining a procession of departing yachts.  Jerry and I have spent the last few days in the engine room,  Emma  & Oisin provisioning for the trip  and Isa went in search of big game fishing tackle. After last minute shopping of perishables - meat, fruit and veg - and picking up Brandon from the airport, who had just flown in from the USA, we spent a rolly night at anchorage before setting off on our shakedown sail to St. Barts late in the afternoon. Although a difficult beat to windward and against a prevailing current we made tortuously slow progress and arrived at the anchorage after nightfall. 


 


 

View All Blog From the site

SUNDAY DAY 9 - Arrival Oysterhaven

25 June 2010

SATURDAY DAY 8 - Azores to Ireland

25 June 2010

FRIDAY DAY 7 - Azores to Ireland

25 June 2010

THURSDAY - DAY 6 Azores to Ireland

18 June 2010

WEDNESDAY - DAY 5 Azores to Ireland

18 June 2010

TUESDAY - DAY 4 Azores to Ireland

18 June 2010

MONDAY - DAY 3 Azores to Ireland

17 June 2010

SUNDAY - DAY 2 Azores to Ireland

17 June 2010

SATURDAY - DAY 1 Azores to Ireland

17 June 2010

HORTA

17 June 2010

DAY 17

16 June 2010

DAY 16

16 June 2010

DAY 15

16 June 2010

DAY 14

09 June 2010

DAY 13

09 June 2010

DAY 12

09 June 2010

Day 11

04 June 2010

DAY 10

04 June 2010

DAY 9

04 June 2010

DAY 8

04 June 2010

DAY 7

04 June 2010

DAY 6

04 June 2010

DAY 5

04 June 2010

DAY 4

26 May 2010

DAY 3

26 May 2010

DAY 2

26 May 2010

DAY 1

26 May 2010

Final Preparation & Departure

25 May 2010

Leaving St. Maarten

25 May 2010