Salsus - A sense of foreboding - entering the Biscay night

This picture I wanted to share with everyone, as I think it sums up our time in the Bay of Biscay so well. It was taken a couple of hours before the winds really built up, but the initiated can already deduce what is coming. I think it captures the essence of our crossing very well. It is a positive picture, as we came out of what came later so enriched and more experienced. But it instills a respect for nature. Which is only just. We would not change the crossing we experienced for anything. It was intimidating, humiliating, exhilarating, cold, warm, slow, fast, hard, soft, flooding, pumping, humbling, empowering, loud and quiet all at the same time. It was just a regular crossing of Biscay. SALSUS_140603_01. read more...

Salsus - Arrival at Bayona!

What a heartwarming reception! We were overwhelmed. After 5 days of frustration, and a very long day motoring (albeit, we do have to admit, in wonderful sunny weather), it was an amazing entrance and mooring at Bayona with so many fellow participants there to welcome us in. Even well after midnight! Sorry guys – we were so busy with the stern-to mooring (a first...) that we didn’t really get a chance to give you the reciprocal to your heartwarming hooting. We had to forego today’s leg to Pavoa de Varzim as we were just so behind the times in all respects, but we’ve victualled today, prepped the boat and are ready for an early departure to Porto. Tomorrow evening we’ll have caught up with the rest, finally, and we can start – hopefully! – to relax. It was a lovely sunset off. read more...

Salsus - Bear away and change your life!

Well, that was an interesting crossing, to say the least. We diverted to Gijon because our boat was taking in water in heavy weather. It was a tense couple of hours as we were trying to find the problem, but we could manage with pumping as there was not that much water coming in. We didn't find the problem, but we managed to stop the influx. At the same time we were trying to manage the increasing wind. We saw gusts of 35 kts (BF8) on top of a steady 30kts of true wind (BF7). The waves were about 5 - 6m. But the boat was well under control, the team was working perfectly. No panic, just get the job done. Very proud skipper! Because we didn’t want to risk the second depression without knowing what the problem was, we diverted to Gijón. We have been in Gijón the last two days making small. read more...

Salsus - Get set! Ready! Go!

Well hello and welcome to S/Y Salsus’ first blog on the ARC Portugal rally. We have been ridiculously busy with all sorts of things, which prevented us from starting the nice tradition of blogging on the rally until now. The route of getting to Plymouth from Holland has been convoluted and rushed at the same time, but we did manage to get in some great sailing around Jersey, Guernsey and the fantastic ports of Paimpol and Lezardrieux in Brittany. The boat has behaved fantastically well – the things that were not working were not crucial to the sailing and it looks like everything is now up and running except for our miniVSAT. Too bad about that last one – we wanted to be the best informed boat out there and get there first even though we are the smallest boat (shared) in the rally!! So. read more...