I am rather late in starting this Daily Log – the girls on the crew have set up a Blog site (link below)which I am updating but they also want to have a daily log on this ARC website!
So background information! Houdalinqua II is a Sigma 41 with 6 crew on board. - Skipper & owner Julian Berney, with daughter Jessica and son Hugo, together with friends Alicia Mellish, Kim Waterfield & Adrian Warr. I did the ARC in our boat in 2002 with eldest son Will and 2 other friends so elected to be shore based backup this time! Didn’t realise that this involved updating blog sites, researching engine problems and trying to find the elusive trade winds!
Here is the first of their reports!
Sunday 21 November
And we are off! The gun blew at 1.00pm and our fleet were all clear of the line. We had a cracking start as we charged over the line to High-ho Silver Lining. So far we have gone through one loaf of bread, a 'Chicken Tonight' meal and no one has had to turn to the booze (to my knowledge). Luckily, chat hasn't dried up yet, although it has mainly revolved around setting up the on board social timetable. So far we have high-tea Tuesday, Congregational practise Thursday, Fancy Dress Fridays, story time Saturday and sing song Sunday. There have been suggestions of mute Monday (where we don't have to talk to each other) and naked Wednesday -thanks Hugo!!! 5.40 will be cocktail hour each day, so we can watch the sunset in style and where drinks monitor (me) will provide non alcoholic beverages appropriately dressed with dell-boy cocktail tat. A special cocktail umbrella will be presented to the person deemed worthy of the 'crew of the day award'. I know, I know.steady on,. you are thinking - don't have too much fun.
We are currently heading due south to the Cape Verde islands on the way to we hope to catch the trade winds and start our voyage West to St Lucia. Our current position as I write this is N 27 20.1720 latitude and 15 22.468 longidtude. We have an average ground speed of 7 knots. \We have been flying the spinaker since the start- Kim's classic comment, "it's a little bigger than the National 18 kite" was met with a response from Jessica, "that doesn't mean you have to concentrate any less". As always we are taking a more than competitive approach to cruising!
Over and out me hearties.
Crew Ready