Skyelark of London - Back in the Atlantic

Cape Town to Cabedelo (Brazil) via St Helena.
Narrated by Tim
To begin
Skyelark was as beautiful as I remembered. The last time I has seen her was
in May 2017 when I left her in Southampton after a crossing from Antigua via
the Azores. That voyage was so good, with amazing people, leadership, food
and sailing, that I vowed never to repeat the experience as I thought it
could not be bettered. But I could not stay away.
She was moored in the marina in Cape Town as part of the World ARC - a
regular 15 month rally of mainly 45 - 55 foot cruising yachts, starting in
the Caribbean in January and circumnavigating the globe. Skyelark (51 ft)
was just back in the Atlantic on her way home, having crossed the Pacific
and Indian Oceans.

Around 40 yachts had left St Lucia in January 2017, usually sailed by
families, some with young children, and friends from many countries from
around the globe. An exception is Skyelark - owned by Dan and Em - half my
age, amazingly experienced and calm and caring - who happily take paying
guests. There was space on the Cape Town to Brazil 3,800 mile 'leg' ; my
decision was made. It looked a relatively gentle crossing to suit this old
bear of little brain and relatively little sailing experience. Many of the
yachts had fallen in love with places to stop and explore along the route so
only 11 were still in the fleet.
Skyelark looked magnificent with her tall 70 ft mast and sun and salt,
blanched, teak decks. Dan apologised for it not looking cleaner but there is
a hose pipe ban in Cape town and no-one would wash a granny let alone a
thoroughbred in the dirty waters of Cape Town marina.

Apart from Dan and Em, the crew consisted of Sharon, a lithe, feisty, 61
year old soon to be old grandmother, and traveller - eight months travelling
every year since 2011- who with her husband is building a house at Byron Bay
in Australia; Hermann, a tall, friendly economic analyst for a German TV
Channel; and Sjaak (pronounced Shack) a specialist contractor in project
management for, among other things, the maintenance of Holland's many
attractive dykes, who lives in Utrecht. And me, Tim, from Wales, retired and
past my three score years and ten. All are on Skyelark for different
reasons, some of which even they may not fully understand.

Some people cannot understand why anyone would choose to join five other
unknown people for a month on Skyelark, once underway there is no escape -
as one daughter said 'it is like being in a locked and floating caravan'.
But you would not come on such an adventure unless you were a rather
peculiar, easy going character. It is a process of self selection. We all
have our quirks and can cope with the quirks of others. Having now met the
team, the omens are good.

At 9am the fleet, bearing the flags of Italy, Germany, Sweden, Russia, the
US and the UK and several others, passed through the Marina hoist bridge to
get ready for the 11am start. The weather was fair but with a good wind
necessitating two reefs. Skyelark was complemented as looking good as we
crossed the starting line and headed out to sea. Dolphins cavorted, seals
clapped - they lie on their backs in the water to warm their flippers
looking as if they are clapping! - and in the distance a whale did a gentle
roll and spouted Skyelark a solemn 'bon voyage' and 'god's speed'.

As Cape Town, with its glorious back drop of Table Mountain, receded,
Skyelark headed out through a suddenly appearing and rather spooky fog
towards the lonesome isle of St Helena 1,700 miles away. The adventure had
begun.