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Setting off for the Caribbean

Writer's picture: Jock HamiltonJock Hamilton



Greetings from the Atlantic. Well here we are doing about 8 knots in a direction just West of South with about 18 knots of wind from the East. Position is hopefully on the Predictwind website but if not there is some setting that I’ll need to change, I can’t remember what it is at the moment, something to do with re activating an account.


Alastair and I arrived to be met at the ferry by Stephen and we did a few jobs, refreshing the  anti chafe on the Genoa halyard, checking the mast, replacing a hose before going for a good meal ashore and returning to Yemaya to dispose of some nearly empty bottles off whisky, sloe gin and rum and then had a good night’s sleep, well I did, hopefully everyone else too. The next day we looked in at the marina office to pay and check out and then trooped off to the Police station in the ferry terminal to clear out and have our passports stamped out. From here Stephen and I went to town to get some low denomination Euros and then took the bus up the hill to somewhere that I thought that would be good for various hardware bits and pieces and eventually after about the 10th. Shop did find the right place,  I managed to leave behind here about 10 shopping bags which was annoying but from here we walked down to Lidl to do a big shop of two trolley loads of shopping, adn then got a taxi back  to the boat to load it all aboard. We had hoped to maybe get away on Monday evening but by the time we had taken fuel and topped up with water it was almost dark and decided that heading off into the night wasn’t a good idea so we motored back to our old berth and tied up again for the night. We set off the yesterday morning to very little wind but after about an hour of motoring picked up a breeze and started sailing initially at about 4 knots but picking up to about 6.5 once we had the assymetric up and working. Some stugeron helped to relieve sickness and we had a good day’s sail dousing the assymetric just before dusk and putting in a reef for the night. At this point there was little wind again so we motored for an hour whilst making a risotto for dinner. We had been on 3hours on 6 hours off watches since mid day and after dinner Stephen took the first night watch, and Alastair the second. By 2320 the wind had increased to over 20 knots so we reefed the genoa and put another reef in the main and have kept that ever since making about 8 knots. There is a little more sea than optimal but it’s not too bad, no one. Has succumbed to mal de mere yet and we made a satisfying 185 miles run for the day. We have light winds forecast for Thursday and Friday which are horrible because of the swell it means that although we could sail well in the calm seas of the Kyles with 4 knots of wind, Poor Yemaya pitches and rolls with the sails banging and crashing and becoming destroyed so we will maybe need to motor or , more optimistically hope that the forecast isn’t as. Bad as  predicted. I’ve now come to the bottom of the page, that you may remember, from lat time keeps disappearing up the screed causing frustration at this end so will stop for no. Greetings to all! Jock and all.

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6 Comments


ah
Jan 11, 2024

All the best for a safe and enjoyable passage Jock. Hope your crew are more than just extra ballast and and add to your experience. I don't know Alastair but I seem to remember from Croatia that Stephen knows roughly which end is the pointy one and may be of some use! Enjoy the Caribbean. We are very jealous. I hear you are getting some Penders for extra navigational expertise so can't wait to see P*****s of the Carribean part 23....Best wishes to all, Annie & Andy

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k.pender
Jan 10, 2024

Great to read and see from Predictwind that you are well on your way, despite the lack of shopping bags! I got back to Budapest after an amazing trip to Scotland. So lovely to see so many current and future crew members, as well as a host of friends at a pal's 60th in Hawick. Amazing weather for walks and socialising. Looking forward to the same soon in the Caribbean. Happy sailing and hope you get the rolling under control with practice, trial, and error. Love to all. K

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Jo Quaile
Jo Quaile
Jan 10, 2024

Heading towards the Cape Verde is a lot more exciting than Campsie Glen this evening, despite the requirement for stugeron! We have a new rota as Tess and polly have (been) volunteered for a supper each week and this evening we are on vodka pasta and whipped tofu choc mousse per Tessa who has immed risen to the challenge. Thnx for 1st blog Jock!

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idbids
idbids
Jan 10, 2024

Belated greetings for the New Year and what a start to 2024. will be following you. Lyd xxx

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ruth.jarrett
ruth.jarrett
Jan 10, 2024

Amazing progress on your first day! I hope the wind doesn't get too light and you don't have to use the Stugeron in earnest.

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