Across the Line

For the delivery from Cape Verde to Brazil - our longest passage to date, we were joined by our friend Simon. Simon promised to make an appearance as a guest writer on our blog, recapping his first ocean sailing experience. In the meantime I would like to mention a memorable highlight of the trip - crossing the equator!

For centuries, this event had a special significance for every sailor, especially those crossing the line for the first time - a.k.a. the slimy pollywogs (us!). Unexpectedly, it turned out that Simon was a trusty shellback - i.e. someone who has crossed the equator before, and has been subjected to the associated induction ceremony (aged 4). It was thus only natural for him to take charge of the proceedings.

An old story - What we did in Spain

This is now quite dated, but the story, for those who are interested, of what we did in Spain.

It is already well documented that we arrived at La Coruña with a broken engine, and limited idea of what the trouble could be. After a night at anchor in the bay with first light we sailed into marina Seca to search for mechanics – at that stage hoping for a quick fix – before we went again on our way.

Removing the old one was
dramatic!

Odds, ends and mementos on Auriga

Sorry, a slightly sentimental entry here, and nothing at all to do with adventures or recent progress. It is one I meant to write while we were doing maintenance and never got around too, so while I wait in Sal, preparing for the Atlantic crossing, I thought I would catch up.

Canaries to Cape Verde - or, what we do at sea

The passage from the Canaries – to be precise, an anchorage in North Fuertaventura – was, as well as the longest (991 miles), the easiest to date. Maybe this is the trade wind sailing people talk about? The spinnaker went up as soon as we turned South for the Cape Verde archepelago and stayed up for 8 days straight, until we reached the breakwater off marina Mindelo, on Ilha San Vicente. Regarding sailing, I'll just mention again the 156 miles covered in one 24 hour run. An average of 6.5 kts. How long till we beat this? Certainly it sets a precedent we will now be forever racing. If you ask Igor he'll give you a lesson in maximising vmg downwind.

When the wind wasn't as constant (and maybe also owing a little bordom?) Igor, in searching for an extra half a knot, set about hoisting everything he could find. In the end the number of halyards proved the limiting factor. Not sure how efficient this sail plan is, but the shade was nice...

5 sails flying on a 30 ft boat.
I would like to have heard the conversations
on board any other yachts passing us!

Coruna to Porto Santo - Break on Through

"Mañana" rarely means "tomorrow". The most accurate translation seems to be "not today". So in the second week of the engine installation, we gave up trying to predict our departure date, but agreed to be ready to leave as soon as the work was done.
And so it was that we slipped lines on Friday, the 3rd of October. Leaving the new engine turned off, we sailed out of the marina and continued in light winds past the waterfront we had had so much time to explore. A NWly flow promised headwinds from Coruna to Finisterre, but fast sailing South after rounding the north-western corner of Spain. By early Saturday, we headed a few miles offshore, found the sudden right wind shift where the flow diverges around the mountainous mainland, tacked South, and by evening we were reaching along the rhumb line at 6-7 knots with a building breeze behind us.

Weather forecasts offshore

Aurigas SSB receiver - with space
 for a smartphone on top

Our recent passage from La Coruna to Porto Santo took just over a week. Even the best pre-departure weather forecasts can hardly be relied upon over this time period. Receiving weather information at sea allows us to re-evaluate our route planning, ensuring a fast and safe passage.
But what are the options? Mobile networks only help within a few miles from civilization. The forecasts received using our VHF radio can only be heard up to 40 nautical miles from the shore. After that, additional, and, typically, expensive equipment is needed: either a satellite phone (or modem), or a long-wave radio receiver. The choice is bewildering. Moreover, one has to consider whether one is content with text-only forecasts (like the shipping forecast), or looking for more detailed wind weather maps (like the Metoffice pressure charts or Passageweather wind maps).

For Auriga, we where looking (as usual) for a reliable, redundant, power-efficient and affordable system.

The long drift

Engine failures on sailing yachts account for a majority of the RNLI call-outs, I keep telling students on the RYA Diesel Engine courses. Engines provide a back-up in an emergency (or if you are becalmed and have to be back to work in Monday), they charge batteries, and yet over the years they have been more of a nuisance to my sailing than any other system on a boat.

So it is no wonder that when our 40-year-old Volvo went through its final stroke off Ushant, I couldn´t help feeling, among other emotions, relief.