Bolero - Land Ahoy

Land Ahoy!

We settled into the night watches, Gwyn and Ian had a quiet moonlight 3 hours and handed oveHr to Maz and Nick. Bolero passed the 100 miles to the way point at 22:45 and continued to romp along. At the change of watch at 01:00 hrs the genoa was furled as a large cloud was approaching from astern which produced 28 knots if wind and torrential rain. After this squall, the genoa was unfurled to rebalance the boat and with the increased sail area she romped along again.. Nick and Maz took over at 0400 and Bolero continued to sail towards Grenada on a beautifully smooth sea. Then another squall hit, 30 knot gusts, torrential rain on a boat with a full main and a boomed out Genoa, not fun! This squall tested Nick’s metal as it lasted 30 minutes. Gwyn and Ian came on at 07:00 and we all had breakfast in the cockpit. The Genoa was furled and Maz and Nick went down below to catch up on a little sleep, Gwyn and Ian copped the next squall with high winds and again torrential rain and 28 knot gusts. This squall finished as soon as it had started and Bolero wallowed in zero wind with the sails slating and halyards clanking against the mast. The wind slowly returned and we were sailing again….. albeit in oilskins on a grey sea on a cloudy day…….we could have been in the Solent!

Land was spotted at 0950! The mountains of Grenada peeking out of the grey clouds. The drum roll distance to the way point at 10:00 Mid Atlantic Adventure Time was 22.5 miles to the way point, 163 miles sailed in 24 hours.

Slowly the sun burned through the cloud although there was evidence of squalls with lots of rain to the south of us. We watched the landscape of Grenada become more defined and the verdant green of the vegetation more pronounced as we enjoyed a cooked brunch.

We sailed along the south coast of the island on a calm blue sea looking at beautiful simple buildings along the coast and the odd hotel complex which are not over bearing in their architecture.

We approached THE waypoint and gybed the Genoa and took the spinnaker pole down so we were reaching towards the next turning point, inside the Porpoises rocks. We hardened up around the point and were hard on the wind towards the finish.

We crossed the line at 13:59:55 hrs Grenada time. 13 days, 4 hours, 59 minutes and 55 seconds since we left Mindelo. Our aim was to arrive safely and to enjoy the journey. It is safe to say that the boat and crew are sound, signs of wear on the ropes, and lots of bruises on the crew.

We were welcomed to our berth by a posse of people who took our lines, gave us a fabulous rum punch and took lots of photos. It is so good to be here, Bolero has sailed 5920 since leaving Cowes to deliver us to the Caribbean.

Our next adventures await us as we cruise north through the Caribbean islands.

We would like to say a big thank you to World Cruising Club and all the yellow shirts we have met on the way for helping us with the admin involved in getting us here and for the berthing and shore side assistance. Thanks guys and girls.

Fair Winds
Nick, Maz
Ian and Gwyn