Wild Iris - Trans-Atlantic 19: Approaching the End

The mood on Wild Iris is quite emotional and reflective. The highs and lows of the voyage stored and a sense of achievement creeps through the boat. The mood from home has also changed instead of the arm chair advice of go faster you are losing places the emails are now about reunion and the practicalities of what to bring. Only 220 miles to go, which a month ago for us small island Brits would have been a major voyage, seems like we are almost there. The watch mileage being closely monitored for any drop in performance. Talk on board is about our last shared meals, cold beers and showers.Maybe not that emotional. We can now join the Flying Fish (OCC) club which seems appropriate as the little critters have been our constant daily wild life show.. The companionship of the ARC has been. read more...

Wild Iris - Trans-Atlantic 24: Storm approaching

As dawn broke and we gybed back onto port for the final leg into St Lucia we could see black clouds on the far horizon. It took all morning with the spini up for them to get closer. Why were they not moving downwind though? Why were we on “collision course” with a weather system on our port beam? The first squalls passed ahead at right angles to our course and we took the spini down as a precautionary measure, but had it up again within 30 minutes.We then kept a compass bearing record on the squalls ahead to see which were “coming to get us” on a constant bearing. However as I came up out on deck to take another reading I saw a front approaching directly from behind… a cloud had burst and we only had a few minutes before it hit… “all hands on deck. Get the spini down immediately! Now.. read more...

Wild Iris - Trans-Atlantic 17: Squall Alley

Sunday night and cloud building very alert for rain and squalls. The beautiful setting moon had disappeared. Visibility very poor. Wind 20kn and we are sailing fast; a relief after many days of light winds. The ability to spot activity and react limited. Midnight and 18 hours of “fun” begins. The first rain storm hits the first watch. At this point we lacked the ability to differentiate a squall from a shower and calculate the angle of the cloud movements; was it 20 deg different in the upper atmosphere due to Coriolis affects(?) hmmm! “Must ask Chris Tibbs” all seems a little academic; with wind speeds approaching 30Kn in heavy rain. We decide to head up and sail out. We clear the rain only to be hit a few minutes later by another. And another. Watch over. An hour and half of battling. read more...

Wild Iris - Trans-Atlantic 14: Flowering seas

As the temperature rose and the seas became calmer we found ourselves sailing through carpets of greeny bronze coloured plant like growth.Not stringy like European seaweed, but fist size clumps with flower and leaf like structures growing upwards, as if rooted to an invisible nutrient pool.The normally crystal clear water being now full of a suspension.Very strange stuff. Wild Iris slowly sailed through this golden floating carpet quite surreal against the calm sapphire blue sea.image1. read more...

Wild Iris - Trans-Atlantic 15: Eating like Admirals!

As for the crew, well they are all a little tired but on top form. Each days meal has been something to look forward to whether it is a full English for breakfast or dishes such as Spanish chicken, Goulash or St. Lucia Beef for dinner. These have then been supplemented with homemade [on board] humous and flatbreads. image1. read more...