By eleven thirty on the 23rd November, "The Famous Five" team slipped Las Palmas and departed from Gran Canaria to cheers and much joyful well wishes from the ARC crowds. We spent the next hour enjoying the spectacle of all the ARC Vessels whilst navigating our way to Christine on a Party Boat through the jungle of boats around us- collision avoidance at its best! (well done Geoff on the helm) Finding the start line was not so easy amidst such a throng but we did and successfully crossed it only a minute or two after the gun- we were certainly in the first 25%! So to congratulate
ourselves we ate some freshly baked biscuits! We have spent the next 24 hrs in a pleasant predominant NE breeze of
15-20 kn with the occasional gust in an acceleration zone and a lull in the night hours. Geoff cooked a mean Chicken Pesto Pasta despite feeling rough with a cold so Andy took his watch for him and I am pleased to report he is much better today. Night sailing so far has been pretty chilly but there is plenty to do with so many ARC boats lighting the horizon. So, with watch systems in place, we are muddling along having covered 108nm from the start line and 125nm overall. Bread in the oven and listening in to the Radio Net so ciao for now!
From the Mr Men and Little Miss Happy