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01/11/2019

Janus - Las Palmas - Nov 1st Preprations

Arrived Las Palmas yesterday and found Janus safely moored and waitingarrival of the crew and our adventure !Sandy deposits all over required a good wash-downPlenty of provisioning to be done and looking forward to Liz and Lloyd'sarrival tomorrow.A visit to the chandlers to sort a few "essential spares" and a generalfamiliarisation around the marina and Club Varadero.Weather overcast but warm.Looking forward to the arrival of the crew and the training week ahead.Captain Bob. read more...


Grand Cru - Drinks with ARC crews from SV Talisman and SV Desert Eagle in Gibraltar
Grand Cru - Drinks with ARC crews from SV Talisman and SV Desert Eagle in Gibraltar
01/11/2019

Grand Cru - Our Passage so far...

The Passage so far…We arrived in Las Palmas on 30th September.Earlier than originally planned.We were advised to arrive early in case the good weather that we have experienced changed against us.Our passage from Greece started on 2nd September and we spent six weeks crossing the Mediterranean at a leisurely pace.Leaving the Ionian we cruised via Corfu to southern Itally, Sicily then across to southern Sardinia. Good winds helped a crossing to Mahon then on via Majorca and Ibiza.Sometimes using the motor more than we would have liked.We cruised the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol to arrive in Gibraltar on 12th October.Michael and Steve did a wonderful job of fitting a new Garmin chart plotter.The old one had slowly died as soon as we left Greece.Having had a week in Gibraltar, we were keen. read more...


01/11/2019

Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries- 2 - Reflections from the cockpit

The Saoirse DiariesReflections from the cockpit in Las PalmasWe arrived in Las Palmas on October 11th after a relaxed sail I er from Lanzarote.We left Lanzarote around 4pm on the 10th and had Las Palmas in sight just as dawn was breaking.I don’t think I will ever tire of witnessing the break of dawn from the cockpit after an overnight passage.It really is my favourite time of day.That feeling that the whole world is still sleeping and that you alone are awake to witness such majesty.Such breathtaking beauty.Those golden moments of peace when you look at your kids little angelic faces still sleeping and your heart swells with love and gratitude.Of course with a 5 year old and an 18 month old, the peace and tranquility doesn’t last long.Pretty soon they are awake, to begin with quite cute,. read more...


Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries- 2 - Reflections from the cockpit
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries- 2 - Reflections from the cockpit
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries- 2 - Reflections from the cockpit
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries- 2 - Reflections from the cockpit
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries- 2 - Reflections from the cockpit
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries- 2 - Reflections from the cockpit
Layla - Crew Paul Laurie
Layla - Crew Paul Laurie
Layla - Crew Martin H Hume
Layla - Crew Martin H Hume
Layla - Crew Martin B Blount
Layla - Crew Martin B Blount
Layla - Crew Steve Maynard
Layla - Crew Steve Maynard
Layla - Crew Malcolm Pug Goater
Layla - Crew Malcolm Pug Goater
31/10/2019

Layla - Meet the Crew for ARC+ 2019

Malcolm our SkipperMalcolm met his wife Anne at Southampton Universityand one of the first things they brought together was an old leaky plywood sailing dinghy-an Osprey. That was the start of more than 20 years of cruising along the English South Coast and Northern France. Having relocated to the warmer climate of the Mediterranean for the last 14 years they still believe the rugged Normandy and Brittany coastline is one of the finest places in the world for cruising. But now they are looking forward to "chilling "inthe even warmer waters of the Caribbean.Paul - chief communications engineer - writer of this BlogPaul has been sailing with our ARC+ skipper Malcolm for about 15 years - starting as a passive tourist and slowly learning more and more every time.Some of the highlights. read more...


29/10/2019

Sweet Dream - Sunday October 27, 2019

We went for a lovely breakfast at the Labourdonnais Hotel on the waterfront, found Guy and Ed from Footloose there, as well as Mike from Chao Lay. After breakfast we did a few boat chores then hopped in a taxi over to Riche Terre Mall and the Jumbo grocery market. Lots of yummy things here, but the check out line was interminable. Finally, we headed back to the boat, put our goodies away and got ready for the prizegiving at ilot cafe. Really fun time! Nice nibbles, good drinks, fine fellowship and lots of laughter.image1.. read more...


Sweet Dream - Sunday October 27, 2019
Sweet Dream - Sunday October 27, 2019
29/10/2019

Sweet Dream - Tuesday Oct 29, 2019

In the morning before the wind came, we hoisted the genny back up with Mike and Dave and John’s help. We went to a beautiful multifaith blessing. We received blessings in five languages from four faiths, and even had the joy of beholding a Lion dance! After the blessings, there was a very delicious buffet and fellowship. Our clearances were completed by 11:00, and by noon we were ready to go. The wind wad blowing us nicely off the dock, so we let go the lines and floated out of the harbour behind Someday. EQ2 and Chao Lay followed. Soon all three of them had passed us, and turned our attention to the rest of the fleet. The wind was weird, coming from the Northwest at first, and by 22:00, when I came up from my first sleep, it was trickling out of the south at 5 knots, and our boat speed. read more...


Sweet Dream - Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
Sweet Dream - Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
29/10/2019

Sweet Dream - Monday October 28, 2019

Last full day in Mauritius. The sailmaker brought our Genoa back. In all the downwind sailing we had almost chewed through the clew, so he sewed a nice ring in it. In the afternoon, Captain attended the skipper’s briefing while I had a last chat with Matt, Molly, and Henry of Nimbus. In the evening we had the crews from EQ2 and Chao Lay over for food and fellowship. image1.. read more...


Sweet Dream - Monday October 28, 2019
Sweet Dream - Monday October 28, 2019
Layla - Land Ahoy Canary Islands
Layla - Land Ahoy Canary Islands
Layla - To Canary Islands Food Prep
Layla - To Canary Islands Food Prep
Layla - Portimao Lift 1
Layla - Portimao Lift 1
Layla - Portimao Lift
Layla - Portimao Lift
Layla - Portimao Maintenance 2
Layla - Portimao Maintenance 2
Layla - Portimao Maintenance 1
Layla - Portimao Maintenance 1
30/10/2019

Layla - Getting to Las Palmas:- Portimao to Las Palmas

What was plannedto be our shakedown for the ARC 2017 proved to be a great learningexperience perfecting how to gybe and finding the right the compromise of speed v’s comfort. Seeing Layla out of the water made you realise the true size of a 64 foot sail boat - and the acreage of anti-foul that needs to be applied.During the passage the four crew got to know each other better over a few days of sailing and learning each others strengths and limitations. Fortunately we all clicked and the humorous banter grew as the hours went past! Layla is a large sailing yacht - so large that some of the crew did not find the galley - down the steps turn left guys... so before this gets out of hand... Ok it was me who wanted to water the plastic Orchid and it was our skippper that said "I feel like a. read more...


29/10/2019

Charm - Mauritius visit

The big news in Mauritius is that there wasn’t any big news.After 12 days on the ocean, we spent time catching up on chores, shopping and sight-seeing, getting haircuts, and eating off the boat. Upon arrival, we spent a full day doing a deep clean of Charm.With high humidity on the crossing (causing mold to grow quickly) and 8 people on board, there was lots to do.Carl, Talia and I, along with Marin and Tully, tackled most of the indoor tasks while Joe, Josh and Cobin worked on maintenance and outdoor cleaning.It was a hot, sweaty day and we were all grateful when it came to an end. Carl took off on his own for most of our time on Mauritius although he did return for a book store date with Marin, his fellow bibliphile, and hosted all the ARC kids for a day at the pool at his hotel.Josh. read more...


Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
29/10/2019

Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries 1 -sh*t happens and a dingy ride (Content Advisory)

I was awoken the other day by calls from Cúisle that she had done a poo and needed help wiping her bum.  This after a restless night of intermittent sleep thanks to Óisin’s two hour waking pattern. Good Morning Las Palmas!!  Usually Wolfgang takes the morning wiping shift but he seemed pretty tired this morning so I figured I would take this one for the team.  I stumbled, eyes still clogged with sleep from our cabin to the head (that’s boat talk for toilet) to do the necessary.  Just as I finished pumping out I hear Óisin’s little voice, mama, mama, mama and then his tiny footsteps as he climbs down from the bed and races across the salon floor to me.  All smiles and arms up for a cuddle I bend down to pick him up and am hit by an almighty stench.  Oh dear. read more...


Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries 1 - sh*t happens and a dingy ride
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries 1 - sh*t happens and a dingy ride
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries 1 -sh*t happens and a dingy ride
Saoirse - Saoirse Diaries 1 -sh*t happens and a dingy ride
29/10/2019

Charm - Mauritius visit

The big news in Mauritius is that there wasn’t any big news.After 12 days on the ocean, we spent time catching up on chores, shopping and sight-seeing, getting haircuts, and eating off the boat. Upon arrival, we spent a full day doing a deep clean of Charm.With high humidity on the crossing (causing mold to grow quickly) and 8 people on board, there was lots to do.Carl, Talia and I, along with Marin and Tully, tackled most of the indoor tasks while Joe, Josh and Cobin worked on maintenance and outdoor cleaning.It was a hot, sweaty day and we were all grateful when it came to an end. Carl took off on his own for most of our time on Mauritius although he did return for a book store date with Marin, his fellow bibliphile, and hosted all the ARC kids for a day at the pool at his hotel.Josh. read more...


Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
Charm - Mauritius visit
29/10/2019

Layla - Atlantic Coast South to Portomao

The next leg saw the skipper and his wife testing out two handed sailing such a large boat. Reaching down the Portuguese coast for mile after mile. Although a big boat for two up sailing the 64 has a captive winch for the main , fully electric winches and a  boom furler. With the owners cabin at the rear and the galley immediately below decks it allows you to operate the boat from a relatively compact area. Obrigado costa AtlânticaLa Coruna to Porto. read more...


Layla - Atlantic Coast South to Portomao
Layla - Atlantic Coast South to  Portomao
Montana - Looking forward to more Atlantic Ocean!
Montana - Looking forward to more Atlantic Ocean!
Montana - Keep lookout for fishing nets...luckily we did not catch one
Montana - Keep lookout for fishing nets...luckily we did not catch one
Montana - Romantic fueling at Nazaré
Montana - Romantic fueling at Nazaré
Montana - Aglio et olio (+Spaghetti of course)
Montana - Aglio et olio (+Spaghetti of course)
Montana - "Golfinho!" nice name for the buddies, bearing us company for hours
Montana -
Montana - Blue Ocean... the only remarkable wave: our backwash
Montana - Blue Ocean... the only remarkable wave: our backwash
Montana - Lookout for cardinal mark at Cabo Silleiro (happy to have reliable GPS/AIS)
Montana - Lookout for cardinal mark at Cabo Silleiro (happy to have reliable GPS/AIS)
Montana - Visit to castle at Baiona, just above MRCY (great showers)
Montana - Visit to castle at Baiona, just above MRCY (great showers)
28/10/2019

Montana - Portuguese Coast - Great Passage with everything but trade wind

What a pleasure to join Markus along Portuguese coast and experience SYMontana on this part of the passage to GC! We had a cheerful week with agreat crew, very kind people in all marinas, lots of good food (+somebeers) - and a crazy weather-pinball.Checking wind conditions ahead my flight, I thought "Well, let'sexperience Portuguese trade winds", and recalled "How to avoid chinesegybes" with expected 20knots N. Getting to Vigo some days later, thiswas the only conditions, we did NOT get at all.Starting from Vigo with sunshine (but almost no wind), we came along fogin Baiona and Viana do Castello (sight less than half the riverwidth...), sleek blue ocean from Porto to Figueira da Foz, Nazaré atcalm sea (accompanied by dolphins), and crazy wind on our final trip toCascais (25knots SSW +10. read more...


27/10/2019

Hawkeye - ARC Blog - Hawkeye arrives in Graciosa, Lanzarote

Before leaving Gibraltar we took every opportunity to stash as many goodies as decently possible from our last British supermarkets, then launched Hawkeye across the Straits and out into the wide, rolling North Atlantic ocean. We had every type of weather from sunshine to torrential rain, a gale to glassey seas, the NE trades setting in for a while and, thankfully, the return of those lovely long Atlantic swells that the Med doesn't ever somehow manage to match. Sadly, we ended up motoring rather more than we would have liked - but this was offset by the calm seas showing up a massive pod of dolphins dancing away for some hours under the bow, followed by the appearance of a series ofgraciousfin whales. Hawkeye arrived late in the evening into the anchorage of Graciosa, just next to. read more...


Hawkeye - ARC Blog - Hawkeye arrives in Graciosa, Lanzarote
Hawkeye - ARC Blog - Hawkeye arrives in Graciosa, Lanzarote
Hawkeye - ARC Blog - Lanzarote from Graciosa
Hawkeye - ARC Blog - Lanzarote from Graciosa