Amandla Kulu - D25ish_ ALF Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia

Captain’s Log. Star Date 14 Dec. Day 25. ALF_ All Lines Fast 1921 GMT.1521 Local.14º 04 N060º 57 W///ration.callers.temphttps://w3w.co/ration.callers.tempWe did it!We are one. We are crew. 25 days, 3391 nautical miles later we made it.The last 24 hours at sea were particularly stressful. The last miles taking an age to click down. Breeze very light and needing to make every zephyr of breeze count. Will stepped up and trimmed the kite for the final push — incredible job, well done. It was a challenge making it to the finish line, the point of sail (angle of wind relative to the boat) was significantly higher and we needed to drop our 0.5 kite and replace it with the Code Zero. There were a few gremlins in the system and the finish photos show us nearly dropping the zero over the side. It. read more...

Amandla Kulu - D21_ Trade or Not to Trade ... that is the question

Captain’s Log. Star Date 11 Dec. Day 21. Twenty-second day on the water.2239 GMT.2039 Local.13º 52 N058º 55 W///gasps.boils.glamorouslyhttps://w3w.co/gasps.boils.glamorouslyA day starting with breeze from the right direction, building the right way. Ending with a little less than nothing. We’re waiting on Trade Winds. At one point today, we were charging along with a calculation on arrival being tomorrow just after noon. Currently, we are easing through the water at a sedate knot and a little. Over the ground, we’re 2.8 knots straight down the line towards St Lucia. Spoke to a couple of really great yachts. Fryderyk & Action Penguin. Mark and gang on Fryderyk were in dire straights having run out of beer, wine and spirits. There was talk of setting the Captain adrift in a manner not. read more...

Amandla Kulu - D20_ Keel Dive Swim

Captain’s Log. Star Date 11 Dec. Day 20. Twenty firstday on the water.2345 GMT.2145 Local.///kinds.voluntariness.browbeatenhttps://w3w.co/kinds.voluntariness.browbeatenA challenge filled day. A good sleep set the ground for feeling refreshed to start the day. Light airs offer incredibly challenging times for crews. Especially when they have limited time to prepare together before. We are incredibly close to arriving in St. Lucia, at least by way of distance. Waiting for the breeze to fill in. Tick-tock. Tick-tock. The whole boat creaks in light airs. Like a deep groaning from the bottom of the keel to the top of the mast. The noise can be a challenge at first. Overtime, I have come to recognise the sound of a boat in light airs as an opportunity to rest and dry; to dry the powder. This. read more...

Amandla Kulu - SUBJECT: D19_ Best day yet

 Captain’s Log. Star Date 09 Dec. Day 19. Twentieth day on the water.2314 GMT.2114 Local.13º 13 N056º 41 W///truculent.bibs.sandbagshttps://w3w.co/truculent.bibs.sandbags  What a privilege it is to be here.  The day started some seventeen hours ago, if you count from the last time I got up. Over night we received a few heavy squalls. The latter of which I did not need to get involved in managing, at all. The team had it.  Tom sounding like a real professional at times. The forecast was for the breeze to drop, which it did so throughout the day. We hoisted the Code Zero and used it as a big headsail to climb to windward. Our speed to waypoint St Lucia shot up as a consequence. Louisa really nail the helming. It was quite technical and she. read more...

Amandla Kulu - D18_ Wonderful Sailing

Captain’s Log. Star Date 08 Nov. Day 18. Nineteenth day on the water.2248 GMT.2048 Local.///bearskin.gibbet.corsagehttps://w3w.co/bearskin.gibbet.corsageEvery day is a school day. One of the most privileged parts of my role onboard is the opportunity to learn from each and everyone of our great team, each day. Everyone has been through significant personal battles mentally, physically and emotionally. Jumping on a boat for three weeks, with a bunch of people you have never met before is a massive undertaking. Throw into the mix you are then knowingly entering a hostile environment with an infinite number of unknowns. Experience is what you get, just after you most needed it. We cleared the boat above and below today. An over needed boat clean. It has been a rolling and challenging few. read more...