Thursday 27 August 0200
The lights of Tenerife are on the horizon; we are 24nm off. This has been a slow and lazy trip, but it looks now like we will arrive at Santa Cruz just about the time the marina opens for business, which is 0900. In order to not arrive in the middle of the night we have been going slow with reduced sail, and it has made for a comfortable trip. In a few hours we will experience the Spanish formalities. I hope they are as efficient as the Portuguese.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Wed 26 August 02:00
Wednesday 26 August 02:00
We left Madeira about 16:00 Monday. Tenefife was about 250nm away. We don't want to arrive at night, so we wanted to plan to arrive either Wednesday afternoon not later than 16:00 (48 hours) averaging not less than 5.2 knots, or Thursday morning not earlier than 06:00 (62 hours) averaging not more than 4.0 knots. I decided that we would sail normally out past the Desertas Islands, and after we were past the lee of the islands and knew the true wind determine whether to go fast or slow. About four hours later it became apparent that we would not be able to average 5 knots without running the engine all the way, so go slow became the rule. Since then we have been slowing the boat down at every opportunity. In this wind the boat wants to sail about 4.4 knots, which would get us there in the middle of the night, so we are doodling along at about 3.8 knots under trisail and partially furled genoa, very lazily, very comfortably, reading mostly. Distance now is 120nm, ETA sunrise Thursday.
Things are so peaceful tonight I pulled out the sextant and took shots on Capella and Vega against the faint starlit horizon. I got an intersept of 6.1 for Capella nad 0.8 for Vega. I was very satisfied considering the iffy horizon.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
We left Madeira about 16:00 Monday. Tenefife was about 250nm away. We don't want to arrive at night, so we wanted to plan to arrive either Wednesday afternoon not later than 16:00 (48 hours) averaging not less than 5.2 knots, or Thursday morning not earlier than 06:00 (62 hours) averaging not more than 4.0 knots. I decided that we would sail normally out past the Desertas Islands, and after we were past the lee of the islands and knew the true wind determine whether to go fast or slow. About four hours later it became apparent that we would not be able to average 5 knots without running the engine all the way, so go slow became the rule. Since then we have been slowing the boat down at every opportunity. In this wind the boat wants to sail about 4.4 knots, which would get us there in the middle of the night, so we are doodling along at about 3.8 knots under trisail and partially furled genoa, very lazily, very comfortably, reading mostly. Distance now is 120nm, ETA sunrise Thursday.
Things are so peaceful tonight I pulled out the sextant and took shots on Capella and Vega against the faint starlit horizon. I got an intersept of 6.1 for Capella nad 0.8 for Vega. I was very satisfied considering the iffy horizon.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Monday, August 24, 2015
Tuesday 25 Aug 02:00
Tuesday 25 Aug 02:00
Tenerife 200nm. Sailing easily at 5.0 kts with 10kts wind on port beam. Trisail and poled genoa. A beautiful night.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tenerife 200nm. Sailing easily at 5.0 kts with 10kts wind on port beam. Trisail and poled genoa. A beautiful night.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Monday 24 August
These are not the flat, low, sandy coral islands like Diego Garcia
or the Bahamas. These are volcanic islands, and are a whole new
experience. First it was PICO in the Azores, rising almost 7,000 feet up
from the ocean, and almost perfect cone. Madeira is also a volcanic
island, and rises up from the ocean, but unlike Pico it is old and
broken, broken vertically into giant cracks, maybe 1/2 mile wide at the
bottom and 3, 4, 5,000 feet deep, sheer almost-straight-down walls, with
idyllic villages at the bottom. Nothing at the top; it is above the tree
line with nothing but scrub. I can not adequately describe it and can
not take a picture that can transfer the magnitude of these breaks in
the earth's surface. I found a taxi driver who I could communicate with,
and who seemed to understand what I wanted, no shopping please.
Eleuterio Andrade, (eleuterio.andrade@gmail.com). From the capital
Funchal the first venture was to the top of the highest mountain, or
almost the highest, another close by higher by a few meters. But this
one has a road, parking lot gift shop, etc. But I am not kidding when I
say mountain. 1820 meters, 6000 feet, Klingsman Dome or Grandfather
Mountain in the Appalachians. Up from the ocean. I am still impressed.
And those canyons, look straight down at the top of a village thousands
of feet down. If there are pictures on adventtwo.blogspot.com try to
zoom in, or zoom down, and see the village, especially the roads
twisting around and through the mountain. Every few miles there is a
tunnel where the way up is too difficult so they go through. I was very
impressed with the mountains. I can go on babbling about them. . . .
Very impressed. I wish I could take pictures that would show what I see.
The best thing is to go to Google Earth and look at the pictures
others have posted.
It is always interesting to see the changing climate as the
elevation increases. Down low the soil is rich, mild temperatures and
predictable rainfall; beautiful fruits and vegetables of all kinds, and
of course grapes for the famous wines. I was surprized to see the vast
fields of bananas. Then up higher we got into a forest, very large
24"-36" diameter trees very tall, beautiful. I commented to Eleuterio
that they looked like eucalyptus trees. He said yes. Again I was
impressed. Impressed with the dense forest. The forest, driving through
it, was a lot like the more densely forested parts of our Appalachian
Mountains. Then the road would emerge from the trees and there would be
a 4,000 foot cliff!. Typically higher up go into the clouds for awhile,
then, like a jetliner break out through the tops of the clouds to a
perfectly clear sky.
My efforts at a description were over a two day period. I enjoyed my
trip with Eleuterio so much the first day I found him the second day
and he took me on a rough circumnavigation of the island, showing me
nooks and crannys, cliffs and canyons. About 13:00 we were on the north
of the island, the apogee of the venture, and stopped overlooking the
ocean, looking back towards the Azores, so far away. He said that he
never knows where he will be a lunch time so he always carries some
fruit and sandwiches, and would I like some. What a nice thing to do for
your guest. We rested in the shade, had lunch watching the festival.
Very nice. A little later we were winding through the one-lane-wide
village streets, when we ran into a funeral coming down the street
towards us, carrying the subject of honor with a brass band behind. We
of course stopped, the first in line. The funeral party turned into the
walled cemetery, the band stopping at the gate and dispersing, children
sitting up on the wall so they could see. The entire experience seemed
very respectful and appropriate.
Marina Quinta do Lorde is very nice and professionally operated, good
acommodations and good people to work with. Marina is very good. The
only thing wrong is that it is a long way from the city of Funchal, a
1.5 hour bus ride. And the first bus doesn't leave until 09:30. All the
local tours, ferry, even buses to other parts of the island have
already left when "my" bus arrives. And on Saturday the regular schedule
is less in frequency. When Eleuterio got me back to Funchal the bus had
left about 30 minutes earlier, and it would be more than two hours until
the next bus. I went to find Eleuterio, carrying the bags of produce. He
had taken me to a produce market on the way back where I loaded up on
beautiful fruits, and the most amazing carrots I have ever seen . I
found him, and asked for a ride back to the marina. It did not take him
nearly as long as it takes the bus. He took me to the end of the pier,
we settled the account, and I invited him to see Advent II. It was most
rewarding to me to share a small part of my life with this gentleman. I
enjoyed knowing him. Eleuterio, I know you are reading this. God bless you.
I couldn't figure out how to go to church Sunday. More exactly, I
figured out how to get to church, but never did figure out how to get
back, the return bus does not pick you up at the drop off place. I
washed clothes, which went well except I could not start until 09:30
when things get going. I wonder about daylight savings time when nothing
starts until 09:30 and supper is at 22:00. Then after clothes I tried to
load pictures to share. I say I tried to. I don't know the outcome, or
how to find them, where they went or even if anything is there. Go to
Google Earth. They are better than the pictures I take anyway. It was
late afternoon when I gave up. I made two loafs (loaves) of bread.
Really good bread, and took one of them to the Italian couple on the
next pier, and ended up eating pizza with them. They have a 5yo girl who
is a sweetheart, and has gone to two schools in the past year (one
french one english) and starting school here in a few weeks which will
be in portugeuse. They showed me some pictures of her class; ten little
black faces and one little white face. The world needs more of that.
I am sure there will be other thoughts. I hope to sail today for a
three day passage to the Canaries. I hope Adnaan comes back, haven't
seen him in awhile. Did get an email saying he would be here today. Out
here my winlink email system is only reliable in early morning, from
00:00 until 06:00, and I am still using Halifax, Nova Scotia as my shore
station, and it is bound to go out of range sometime. It impresses me
that the boat radio can transmit and receive that far. But there is hope
for internet again from the Canaries. So till then
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Tues 18 August 0200
We are about 80nm out so landfall today. I am ready for it. For some reason this passage has not been easy. I think it has been the boat motion. We have had beautiful sailing, but maybe too good. I am simply tired from hanging on. I have wanted to make bread, but none of those coconut milk run days with lazy afternoons. Also, the wind has been constantly changing. Good wind, the boat just has to be re-tuned every 45 minutes or so. We will be sailing right down the line, then it will be off by 30 degrees and sailing off in that direction. Redirect Windy, the mainsail and genoa, get everything tuned in, she sails beautifully for awhile, then off in a new direction. So landfall today, Madeira. It will be mid-afternoon. Meanwhile it is a beautiful starry night, good wind. I have gotten to really like this schedule. I sleep from 2000-2400, on watch till 0400 and sleep again until about 0800. About 0900 Adnaan goes down and sleeps most of the day. So now I will go back on deck and enjoy this last night, after I correct our course. . . .
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
wed 19 aug
Wednesday 19 August
I don't think I have ever before made landfall when the first thing I saw was a lighthouse. We were still 60nm from our destination so I was not expecting to be able to see anything. I forgot that the island is 35 miles long and we were going to the far end of it, and the lighthouse is 340 feet high. I can just think about what sailors before GPS felt when they saw a lighthouse after a long sea passage.
Watch-on-watch we watched the island get closer. I gave the watch to Adnaan, he gave it back to me, and I gave it to him again. Then I was on the helm when we rounded the far point of land, came around the lee side of the island, and motored the final four miles to the marina. As we approached, the marina launch came out to meet us, guided us straight to a slip, then helped us tie up. Very efficient. We are between two German Boats, the crew of one we have met. They went to the Caribbean last January and in June crossed back over from St Martin to Bermuda to Azores to here. They want to start planning more of a cruise next year and are interested in the flag stickers on our life raft box which show some of the places we have been. The other folks we have met are Italian, who brought us some fresh out-of-the-oven cake-like bread, and offered the use of their car if we wanted it. They have done the Med, and are looking at America next January.
So here we are. The propane bottle refill will not be back until Monday, soo we have a few days to get used to things.
Tomorrow I will take a bus to town and see what the island is like. And, of course, get some Madeira wine!
Reef Early,
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
I don't think I have ever before made landfall when the first thing I saw was a lighthouse. We were still 60nm from our destination so I was not expecting to be able to see anything. I forgot that the island is 35 miles long and we were going to the far end of it, and the lighthouse is 340 feet high. I can just think about what sailors before GPS felt when they saw a lighthouse after a long sea passage.
Watch-on-watch we watched the island get closer. I gave the watch to Adnaan, he gave it back to me, and I gave it to him again. Then I was on the helm when we rounded the far point of land, came around the lee side of the island, and motored the final four miles to the marina. As we approached, the marina launch came out to meet us, guided us straight to a slip, then helped us tie up. Very efficient. We are between two German Boats, the crew of one we have met. They went to the Caribbean last January and in June crossed back over from St Martin to Bermuda to Azores to here. They want to start planning more of a cruise next year and are interested in the flag stickers on our life raft box which show some of the places we have been. The other folks we have met are Italian, who brought us some fresh out-of-the-oven cake-like bread, and offered the use of their car if we wanted it. They have done the Med, and are looking at America next January.
So here we are. The propane bottle refill will not be back until Monday, soo we have a few days to get used to things.
Tomorrow I will take a bus to town and see what the island is like. And, of course, get some Madeira wine!
Reef Early,
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Sunday 16 August
Sunday 16 August
Madeira 300nm, BRG 115 degrees
Generally north wind, wonderful north wind, patchy, passing light showers, sometimes good sailing right now almost becalmed. Expecting NE wind this evening that will whoosh us over to to Madeira. I am starting the hour count. It looks like we will get there in the middle of the night. Three hundred more miles. But for now I am celebrating The Mauritius Command. Most of it is either at the islands or in Simons Town, False Bay.
Thank You Normandie.
And also thank you Normandie for a water tight front hatch. About 14:00 the rain clouds passed, the sky turned blue, and the wind veered to the North east. And the wind increased to 20 knots. Since then Advent has been busting through waves, washing the foredeck and sometimes the cabin top. Not a drop has entered the front hatch.
Thank you Normandie
Monday 02:00
WE have been sailing 6.5 knots ever since. I am going to plan Madeira landfall for Tuesday afternoon.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Madeira 300nm, BRG 115 degrees
Generally north wind, wonderful north wind, patchy, passing light showers, sometimes good sailing right now almost becalmed. Expecting NE wind this evening that will whoosh us over to to Madeira. I am starting the hour count. It looks like we will get there in the middle of the night. Three hundred more miles. But for now I am celebrating The Mauritius Command. Most of it is either at the islands or in Simons Town, False Bay.
Thank You Normandie.
And also thank you Normandie for a water tight front hatch. About 14:00 the rain clouds passed, the sky turned blue, and the wind veered to the North east. And the wind increased to 20 knots. Since then Advent has been busting through waves, washing the foredeck and sometimes the cabin top. Not a drop has entered the front hatch.
Thank you Normandie
Monday 02:00
WE have been sailing 6.5 knots ever since. I am going to plan Madeira landfall for Tuesday afternoon.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Saturday 15 August
Saturday 15 August
Madeira 385 nautical miles at 105 degrees
The east wind has set us quite a bit west of the rhumb line from Faial to Madeira. From here we have to sail at 105 degrees to get there, which may be difficult. But the wind is forecasted to go north tonight, and we will be able to make some easting back toward the line. Today the wind got less and less and then died. Now we are motoring, east of course.
The excitement today was first a pod of orcra (killer whale - I have no idea how to spell it). They were big things, maybe half as long as the boat, black with white marking down the sides, and a big triangular dorsal fin. They did not play like dolphins but made a close pass, like ten feet, and kept going. Then about an hour later Adnaan and I were sitting in the cockpit talking when I saw something about 1/4 mile away, something fuzzy. Then I saw the fuzzyness again, and some more. Adnaan confirmed it. He has seen it many times but this is the first time I have ever seen whales. (Thinking of you, John!) They were so far away we could only catch a glimpse of the bodies and flukes but the spouting was impressive. Quite high above the horizon, and a lot of it. They seemed to spout every 30 seconds or so and there were a group of them. I thought it was great. Adnaan said that if we were not motoring we could hear the whoosh of the spouting.
Thinking back on one of the highlights of Horta. I found local wine, on sale less than 1 euro per liter, local bread, more of a large heavy roll than a loaf, and wonderful local cheese. I bought a lot of each, and it was dinner several nights. You may have noticed a few days ago I said I was drinking wine on the foredeck instead of rum. A bottle of wine, a loaf of bread with cheese, to make perfect the Portuguese evening.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Madeira 385 nautical miles at 105 degrees
The east wind has set us quite a bit west of the rhumb line from Faial to Madeira. From here we have to sail at 105 degrees to get there, which may be difficult. But the wind is forecasted to go north tonight, and we will be able to make some easting back toward the line. Today the wind got less and less and then died. Now we are motoring, east of course.
The excitement today was first a pod of orcra (killer whale - I have no idea how to spell it). They were big things, maybe half as long as the boat, black with white marking down the sides, and a big triangular dorsal fin. They did not play like dolphins but made a close pass, like ten feet, and kept going. Then about an hour later Adnaan and I were sitting in the cockpit talking when I saw something about 1/4 mile away, something fuzzy. Then I saw the fuzzyness again, and some more. Adnaan confirmed it. He has seen it many times but this is the first time I have ever seen whales. (Thinking of you, John!) They were so far away we could only catch a glimpse of the bodies and flukes but the spouting was impressive. Quite high above the horizon, and a lot of it. They seemed to spout every 30 seconds or so and there were a group of them. I thought it was great. Adnaan said that if we were not motoring we could hear the whoosh of the spouting.
Thinking back on one of the highlights of Horta. I found local wine, on sale less than 1 euro per liter, local bread, more of a large heavy roll than a loaf, and wonderful local cheese. I bought a lot of each, and it was dinner several nights. You may have noticed a few days ago I said I was drinking wine on the foredeck instead of rum. A bottle of wine, a loaf of bread with cheese, to make perfect the Portuguese evening.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Friday, August 14, 2015
Friday 14 August
Friday 14 August
L35*-50'N,Lo025*-30'W Madeira 475nm at 112 degrees
We left Horta on Wednesday, the day after a gale came through, and the ocean was quite rough; on board the boat it was very uncomfortable. Three British men who were rafted beside the boat ahead of us left Horta a few hours behind us. Their boat, Arctic Smoke, is somewhat smaller than Advent II, and not so robust. We left Horta and went into the lee of Pico where the water was calm. I saw them on the AIS about ten miles behind us. When we emerged from the Pico lee both of us were beating into the 20/25 knot wind and very choppy seas. They stayed about ten miles behind us. Things were bouncy on Advent and I wondered how things were with them on a smaller, lighter boat. About dark they turned about 30 degrees off the wind, looking to me that they would not take the seas so much on the bow and have an easier ride. About 2100 they were out of AIS range, 20 nm. Now today I am wondering how they are doing. We now have a beautiful day and perfect sailing, just right for Arctic Smoke. I also wonder where they are. Sailing off the wind for a better ride means they are west, and they want to go east.
Just on the edge of Horta there is a supermarket. It is about two miles away; not a bad walk but too far to carry provisions. They will provide transportation back to the boat if you buy a lot of stuff. Tuesday I walked there and filled up two shopping carts, spending lots of euros, They have a shopping cart system I really like that I had to ask how it worked. On the handle of each cart is a chain about 10" long, just the distance between the handles of carts when they are shoved together. The chain has a latch on it that fits into a slot on the front of the handle of the cart behind it, locking them together. To get a cart you push a 1 euro coin in a slot on the back of the handle which pushes the latch out of the front, freeing the cart. When You finish with the cart you shove the cart into the nested carts, insert the chain with the latch, and it pushes the coin out and you get it back. It is b ound to save the market a lot of money. So I filled two carts and called for the driver. He did not take me straight back to the marina, but gave me a tour of suburban Horta. In town the houses were exactly on the narrow sidewalk which was exactly on the narrow street. There seemed to be two doors per house, a "front" door and a garage door. No windows, but windows with little balconies up one level. I assume there were gardens in back. In suburbia the houses were generally white masonry with red tile roofs, with yards, generally with a low while wall, front gate. I appreciated the ride-around. Something I ddid not see was any sort of a movie house, theater. Maybe Hollywood hasn't yet found Faial. But they can really put on a festival.
Still beautiful sailing We are making 130 degrees at about 4.5 knots. Calm seas very beautiful. I wonder where Arctic Smoke is?
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
L35*-50'N,Lo025*-30'W Madeira 475nm at 112 degrees
We left Horta on Wednesday, the day after a gale came through, and the ocean was quite rough; on board the boat it was very uncomfortable. Three British men who were rafted beside the boat ahead of us left Horta a few hours behind us. Their boat, Arctic Smoke, is somewhat smaller than Advent II, and not so robust. We left Horta and went into the lee of Pico where the water was calm. I saw them on the AIS about ten miles behind us. When we emerged from the Pico lee both of us were beating into the 20/25 knot wind and very choppy seas. They stayed about ten miles behind us. Things were bouncy on Advent and I wondered how things were with them on a smaller, lighter boat. About dark they turned about 30 degrees off the wind, looking to me that they would not take the seas so much on the bow and have an easier ride. About 2100 they were out of AIS range, 20 nm. Now today I am wondering how they are doing. We now have a beautiful day and perfect sailing, just right for Arctic Smoke. I also wonder where they are. Sailing off the wind for a better ride means they are west, and they want to go east.
Just on the edge of Horta there is a supermarket. It is about two miles away; not a bad walk but too far to carry provisions. They will provide transportation back to the boat if you buy a lot of stuff. Tuesday I walked there and filled up two shopping carts, spending lots of euros, They have a shopping cart system I really like that I had to ask how it worked. On the handle of each cart is a chain about 10" long, just the distance between the handles of carts when they are shoved together. The chain has a latch on it that fits into a slot on the front of the handle of the cart behind it, locking them together. To get a cart you push a 1 euro coin in a slot on the back of the handle which pushes the latch out of the front, freeing the cart. When You finish with the cart you shove the cart into the nested carts, insert the chain with the latch, and it pushes the coin out and you get it back. It is b ound to save the market a lot of money. So I filled two carts and called for the driver. He did not take me straight back to the marina, but gave me a tour of suburban Horta. In town the houses were exactly on the narrow sidewalk which was exactly on the narrow street. There seemed to be two doors per house, a "front" door and a garage door. No windows, but windows with little balconies up one level. I assume there were gardens in back. In suburbia the houses were generally white masonry with red tile roofs, with yards, generally with a low while wall, front gate. I appreciated the ride-around. Something I ddid not see was any sort of a movie house, theater. Maybe Hollywood hasn't yet found Faial. But they can really put on a festival.
Still beautiful sailing We are making 130 degrees at about 4.5 knots. Calm seas very beautiful. I wonder where Arctic Smoke is?
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Thursday 13 August
Thursday 13 August
Can't write much, boat bouncy, bouncy. After a wind event psses the ocean is quite rough for a day or two. Yesterday was day one. Hopefully tomorrow the ocean will settle down and give us a smooth ride. Also the wind following the bad weather is going to the east. We need to sail south-east, so we are trying to sail into the wind. That is called beating, and it is a good name. The boat is heeled way over smashing into oncoming waves. Quuite spectacular.
WE have three possible destimations, depending on the wind.
Santa Maria is the most southerly of the Azores islands. It is 200 nm from Horta and on the way. It would be a good quick stop to break up the trip.
Madeira is about 500 nm beyond Santa Maria, also on the way. The Canaries are 200 nm from Madeira.
Because of the easterly wind we are sailing about 150 degrees. In a few days the wind is supposed to go a little north, which means we will be able to sail more easterly. At noon today:
Santa Maria was 100 nm at 110 degrees. We are sailing 150 now, which means that we will not be able to get to Santa Maria..
Madeira was 560nm away at 120 degrees. It is obvious that sailing at 150 degrees will miss Madeira, but the wind shift may bring us on a better course.
Canaries is 700nm away at 140 degrees. The plan is to sail close hauled, beating, to go as much east as we can. We may be able to get to Madeira, if not we will sail all the way to the Canaries.
I have bounced enough. Time eto stop.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Can't write much, boat bouncy, bouncy. After a wind event psses the ocean is quite rough for a day or two. Yesterday was day one. Hopefully tomorrow the ocean will settle down and give us a smooth ride. Also the wind following the bad weather is going to the east. We need to sail south-east, so we are trying to sail into the wind. That is called beating, and it is a good name. The boat is heeled way over smashing into oncoming waves. Quuite spectacular.
WE have three possible destimations, depending on the wind.
Santa Maria is the most southerly of the Azores islands. It is 200 nm from Horta and on the way. It would be a good quick stop to break up the trip.
Madeira is about 500 nm beyond Santa Maria, also on the way. The Canaries are 200 nm from Madeira.
Because of the easterly wind we are sailing about 150 degrees. In a few days the wind is supposed to go a little north, which means we will be able to sail more easterly. At noon today:
Santa Maria was 100 nm at 110 degrees. We are sailing 150 now, which means that we will not be able to get to Santa Maria..
Madeira was 560nm away at 120 degrees. It is obvious that sailing at 150 degrees will miss Madeira, but the wind shift may bring us on a better course.
Canaries is 700nm away at 140 degrees. The plan is to sail close hauled, beating, to go as much east as we can. We may be able to get to Madeira, if not we will sail all the way to the Canaries.
I have bounced enough. Time eto stop.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Tuesday 11 Aug - 19:00
Yesterday evening was very pleasant. I sat on the foredeck with my
glass of wine and talked with the folks strolling along the breakwater.
This morning it was rainy and windy. Light misty rain that came, mistied
enough to get everything soaked and stopped, and the sun came out. That
was about a 20 minute cycle. But the story is the wind. Make that Wind!
It has blown 25 to 35 knots all day. Dirty, ragged wind. Blasts of wind.
Many gusts above 35, even that one at 48 for a few seconds. The wind is
from the north east and the ocean swell is coming into the harbour. And
the boat two boats back is a shrieker. All-and-all it has been a
spectacular day. The wind now is between 25 and 30, but it has come a
little east, which means the boat is being blown away from the
breakwater. It is about 8 feet away. Normally that is good, but the wind
is so strong I can not pull the boat to the breakwater to get on and
off. I have to ask a passerby to help me pull the boat close, and then
slow the drifting away while I scramble on or off.
Tomorrow will be better.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
glass of wine and talked with the folks strolling along the breakwater.
This morning it was rainy and windy. Light misty rain that came, mistied
enough to get everything soaked and stopped, and the sun came out. That
was about a 20 minute cycle. But the story is the wind. Make that Wind!
It has blown 25 to 35 knots all day. Dirty, ragged wind. Blasts of wind.
Many gusts above 35, even that one at 48 for a few seconds. The wind is
from the north east and the ocean swell is coming into the harbour. And
the boat two boats back is a shrieker. All-and-all it has been a
spectacular day. The wind now is between 25 and 30, but it has come a
little east, which means the boat is being blown away from the
breakwater. It is about 8 feet away. Normally that is good, but the wind
is so strong I can not pull the boat to the breakwater to get on and
off. I have to ask a passerby to help me pull the boat close, and then
slow the drifting away while I scramble on or off.
Tomorrow will be better.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday 11 August - 3
There is a store here called Mid-Atlantic Yacht Service. I thought
that it was odd because I think of the term "Mid-Atlantic" as having to
do with the mid-Atlantic states, maybe Delaware. No. Here it means "in
the middle of the Atlantic". Almost any boat that sails from Europe to
America goes right by the Azores, and most stop. Almost the same is true
for sailing from America back to Europe. This is not so much a
destination as it is a stopping place. The book says that from 1986
(when Normandie and I started boating together) until 2009, the boats
stopping in Horta numbered 25,826. Over the years seawalls have been
built to protect the harbour from the ocean swells, and over the years
every one of those 25,826 boats painted their personal sign on that
breakwater. It is amazing what art can be displayed on a concrete
surface.
We are tied up on the inside of that breakwater. Most of the boats
here tied against the wall have a second, sometimes a third boat rafted
alongside. Please go to Google Earth, Lat 38*-32'N, Long 028*-37'W.
Zoom in and you can see the breakwater with boats tied alongside. Notice
two or sometimes three boats side-by-side. Then notice that there is one
boat with no other boat along side. That is exactly where we are . Now
please look at some of the pictures other people have posted on Google
Earth. Another thing to do is Google: Horta images
Ahead of us is a Swiss boat, beside him is a French boat. Behind us
is a French boat, beside him is a British boat. And after four days with
no one alongside us, now we have a French boat rafted beside us. Most of
the boats here are French, and we are the only US boat. This is a very
accomplished group of sailors. The thing to do here is to "dress ship"
with the courtesy flags from the countries you have visited. It is a way
to display where you have been. I think about half the boats have
Australia and South Africa flags. I am privileged to be able to
associate with these folks. Of course there are sundowners, and groups
going to town for dinner. But there are really not very many visiting
boats here, maybe 12 or 15. It is time to either be going north, or
south. Either way this part of the ocean gets stormy in September.
Like today. We were planning to leave today, but the day dawned with
30-35 knot wind and spitting showers. I keep expecting it to calm down,
but it is 13:00 and right now 25 gusting to 35. Really impressive. It
only occationally goes higher than 35 knots, but I did see one gust
about five seconds long that was 48 knots. We have all doubled the
mooring lines and are secure, but it is nerve wracking to have the boat
straining and surging, and the wind howling in the rigging.
But settle down it will, and we plan to sail tomorrow, Wednesday. We
will sail for one day and check the weather. If good we keep going. If
bad we will stop in San Miguel, the south-eastern most island in the
Azores. The next stop is Madeira, 500 nm from San Miguel. Three hundred
miles after Madeira is the Canaries. So when we depart Faial we may be
at sea one day, or as much as maybe ten days. But we have options along
the way to stop if we want to.
This wind is really howling37 knots right now. I hope we do not run
into a system like this on the open ocean. If we do we will have to
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
that it was odd because I think of the term "Mid-Atlantic" as having to
do with the mid-Atlantic states, maybe Delaware. No. Here it means "in
the middle of the Atlantic". Almost any boat that sails from Europe to
America goes right by the Azores, and most stop. Almost the same is true
for sailing from America back to Europe. This is not so much a
destination as it is a stopping place. The book says that from 1986
(when Normandie and I started boating together) until 2009, the boats
stopping in Horta numbered 25,826. Over the years seawalls have been
built to protect the harbour from the ocean swells, and over the years
every one of those 25,826 boats painted their personal sign on that
breakwater. It is amazing what art can be displayed on a concrete
surface.
We are tied up on the inside of that breakwater. Most of the boats
here tied against the wall have a second, sometimes a third boat rafted
alongside. Please go to Google Earth, Lat 38*-32'N, Long 028*-37'W.
Zoom in and you can see the breakwater with boats tied alongside. Notice
two or sometimes three boats side-by-side. Then notice that there is one
boat with no other boat along side. That is exactly where we are . Now
please look at some of the pictures other people have posted on Google
Earth. Another thing to do is Google: Horta images
is a French boat, beside him is a British boat. And after four days with
no one alongside us, now we have a French boat rafted beside us. Most of
the boats here are French, and we are the only US boat. This is a very
accomplished group of sailors. The thing to do here is to "dress ship"
with the courtesy flags from the countries you have visited. It is a way
to display where you have been. I think about half the boats have
Australia and South Africa flags. I am privileged to be able to
associate with these folks. Of course there are sundowners, and groups
going to town for dinner. But there are really not very many visiting
boats here, maybe 12 or 15. It is time to either be going north, or
south. Either way this part of the ocean gets stormy in September.
Like today. We were planning to leave today, but the day dawned with
30-35 knot wind and spitting showers. I keep expecting it to calm down,
but it is 13:00 and right now 25 gusting to 35. Really impressive. It
only occationally goes higher than 35 knots, but I did see one gust
about five seconds long that was 48 knots. We have all doubled the
mooring lines and are secure, but it is nerve wracking to have the boat
straining and surging, and the wind howling in the rigging.
But settle down it will, and we plan to sail tomorrow, Wednesday. We
will sail for one day and check the weather. If good we keep going. If
bad we will stop in San Miguel, the south-eastern most island in the
Azores. The next stop is Madeira, 500 nm from San Miguel. Three hundred
miles after Madeira is the Canaries. So when we depart Faial we may be
at sea one day, or as much as maybe ten days. But we have options along
the way to stop if we want to.
This wind is really howling37 knots right now. I hope we do not run
into a system like this on the open ocean. If we do we will have to
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday 11 August - 2
I think the most vivid impression of New Bedford was the whaleboats
that people row around the harbor. These are authentic rowing boats
from which the whales were harpooned. Each boat has a steersman and five
oarsmen. Five because the front oarsman is the harpooner, leaving a
balance of two oarsmen on each side while fighting the whale. (Sure
seems like there would be an easier way to make a living). Apparently
clubs own, and row the boats as a sport. I found them captivating and
beautiful. When John and I were there we got to know a woman who was
on the crew of one of the whaleboats. (And another thing I find
interesting is the number of boats that have all women crews.) She also
rowed on a gig, that has three oarsmen on each side, and rowed
competitive crew. She said that she goes to the whaleboat competition in
Horta.
Back in the whaling days the center of US whaling was New Bedford.
The center for whaling in the Atlantic was the Azores, and the center
there was Horta. There is a photograph of more than 400 whaling ships in
the Horta harbour in 1876. There was a community of whaling that
consisted of all the whaling ships around the world, Horta, and New
Bedford. The two communities were almost sisters. This association was
so strong that more than 100,000 Azorians moved to the US in the first
half of the 20th century, and another 15,000 moved from Faial to the US
in 1958 when a volcano destroyed part of the island. As a result of this
immigration there is quite a large Azorian community in the US. When Jay
and Judy were taking care of me before Adnaan joined me, Judy suggested
contacting the Azorian community in Boston to see if someone wanted to
go back for a visit. If the Frenchman rafted next to us asks where we
sailed from I say Boston. But if a local person asks I say New Bedford.
One of the events of the Horta Sea Festival is the whaleboat races.
The woman in New Bedford said that the US whalers rowed out to the
whale, but the Azorian whalers sailed to the whale. So the competition
here has two catagories, sailing and rowing. I have tried to post
pictures of the whaleboats sailing, and some of them rowing. We are
tied up to the breakwater, and during the races people were running past
us, keeping up with the boats and cheering on their favorite. We could
hear the cheering coming from the boats. The New Bedford woman said that
the US whalers rowed for long distances, still do, while the Azorians
sailed then sprinted a short distance. So for a long race the Americans
usually won but for a short race the Azorians usually won..
Break, mort to follow
that people row around the harbor. These are authentic rowing boats
from which the whales were harpooned. Each boat has a steersman and five
oarsmen. Five because the front oarsman is the harpooner, leaving a
balance of two oarsmen on each side while fighting the whale. (Sure
seems like there would be an easier way to make a living). Apparently
clubs own, and row the boats as a sport. I found them captivating and
beautiful. When John and I were there we got to know a woman who was
on the crew of one of the whaleboats. (And another thing I find
interesting is the number of boats that have all women crews.) She also
rowed on a gig, that has three oarsmen on each side, and rowed
competitive crew. She said that she goes to the whaleboat competition in
Horta.
Back in the whaling days the center of US whaling was New Bedford.
The center for whaling in the Atlantic was the Azores, and the center
there was Horta. There is a photograph of more than 400 whaling ships in
the Horta harbour in 1876. There was a community of whaling that
consisted of all the whaling ships around the world, Horta, and New
Bedford. The two communities were almost sisters. This association was
so strong that more than 100,000 Azorians moved to the US in the first
half of the 20th century, and another 15,000 moved from Faial to the US
in 1958 when a volcano destroyed part of the island. As a result of this
immigration there is quite a large Azorian community in the US. When Jay
and Judy were taking care of me before Adnaan joined me, Judy suggested
contacting the Azorian community in Boston to see if someone wanted to
go back for a visit. If the Frenchman rafted next to us asks where we
sailed from I say Boston. But if a local person asks I say New Bedford.
The woman in New Bedford said that the US whalers rowed out to the
whale, but the Azorian whalers sailed to the whale. So the competition
here has two catagories, sailing and rowing. I have tried to post
pictures of the whaleboats sailing, and some of them rowing. We are
tied up to the breakwater, and during the races people were running past
us, keeping up with the boats and cheering on their favorite. We could
hear the cheering coming from the boats. The New Bedford woman said that
the US whalers rowed for long distances, still do, while the Azorians
sailed then sprinted a short distance. So for a long race the Americans
usually won but for a short race the Azorians usually won..
Break, mort to follow
tues 11 aug- 1
The island of Faial has a population of about 18,000, and 15,000
live in Horta, the only town on the island. We happened to arrive at the
beginning of the Sea Festival, a week long celebration along the Horta
waterfront, and such a celebration I have never before been part of. The
entire waterfront is festooned with Christmas like lights, with many
booths and concession tents, several large tents with open air
restaurants in them, and three stages for music, singing and dancing.
Starting in the afternoon people start arriving and the music starts. I
love the music. Sometimes it comes from two, or even all three stages,
and it is a wide variety of music, local folk and traditional, brass
band music, organ jazz, singing groups. . . Then I walk down the
breakwater to the waterfront street where everything is happening, and
there are thousands of people, lots of little children, all crowded in,
many waiting to get into the open air eating places. On a stage may be a
grip of children dancing a local jig, another stage a man is planing a
stringed instrument and another is a group of about six musicians with
various strings, and accordion. A large group of people are standing in
front of the stage. They start playing, and everybody standing there
start dancing, in a circle, hands up, hands on hips, change partners,
etc.
It was wonderful. We asked where all these people come from. We
don't see ships arriving disgorging thousands of people. Two people gave us the same answer. Some people come from Portugal for the festival, some from the US, some from other islands. But on man said that he recognised 90% of the people there, and the woman said she knew 80% of the people
there. Of the 18,000 people on Faial, 10,000 of them must
come to the waterfront for the festival. I was very impressed. I have
never seen such a celebration. The only thing I can compare it to is
being dropped down in the middle of the NC State Fair. But this is just
one little island, and it lasts all week. Sunday was the last day.
Yesterday, Monday, it was as if somebody pulled the plug on Horta. The
only thing moving in town was some people taking down tents and cleaning up.
Break - more to follow.
live in Horta, the only town on the island. We happened to arrive at the
beginning of the Sea Festival, a week long celebration along the Horta
waterfront, and such a celebration I have never before been part of. The
entire waterfront is festooned with Christmas like lights, with many
restaurants in them, and three stages for music, singing and dancing.
Starting in the afternoon people start arriving and the music starts. I
love the music. Sometimes it comes from two, or even all three stages,
and it is a wide variety of music, local folk and traditional, brass
band music, organ jazz, singing groups. . . Then I walk down the
breakwater to the waterfront street where everything is happening, and
there are thousands of people, lots of little children, all crowded in,
many waiting to get into the open air eating places. On a stage may be a
grip of children dancing a local jig, another stage a man is planing a stringed instrument and another is a group of about six musicians with
various strings, and accordion. A large group of people are standing in
front of the stage. They start playing, and everybody standing there
start dancing, in a circle, hands up, hands on hips, change partners,
etc.
It was wonderful. We asked where all these people come from. We
don't see ships arriving disgorging thousands of people. Two people gave us the same answer. Some people come from Portugal for the festival, some from the US, some from other islands. But on man said that he recognised 90% of the people there, and the woman said she knew 80% of the people
there. Of the 18,000 people on Faial, 10,000 of them must
come to the waterfront for the festival. I was very impressed. I have
never seen such a celebration. The only thing I can compare it to is
being dropped down in the middle of the NC State Fair. But this is just
one little island, and it lasts all week. Sunday was the last day.
Yesterday, Monday, it was as if somebody pulled the plug on Horta. The
only thing moving in town was some people taking down tents and cleaning up.
Break - more to follow.
Monday, August 10, 2015
pictures from azores
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Wednesday 05 August #2
Wednesday 05 August #2
We were blessed with positive current and calm seas , and entered the channel between Faial and Pico about 16:00. It was really anticlimactic. Beautiful day, moving effortlessly across the water, just drove right in. Between the breakwaters, there was about 45 feet of room on the reception dock, and I made a beautiful landing. We tied up, got our papers together, and stepped into the customs and immigration office just a few steps away. It was probably the most efficient check-in I have ever done. Very good, very friendly, very helpful. He even let me use his telephone, no, he called Wells Fargo in the USA, then handed me the telephone so I could release my charge cards. He assigned us a position on the headwall/breakwater. I hope you can see it on SPOT or DeLorme. Adnaan has gone off to the festival ashore. I will drink a little rum, and sleep well tonight.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
We were blessed with positive current and calm seas , and entered the channel between Faial and Pico about 16:00. It was really anticlimactic. Beautiful day, moving effortlessly across the water, just drove right in. Between the breakwaters, there was about 45 feet of room on the reception dock, and I made a beautiful landing. We tied up, got our papers together, and stepped into the customs and immigration office just a few steps away. It was probably the most efficient check-in I have ever done. Very good, very friendly, very helpful. He even let me use his telephone, no, he called Wells Fargo in the USA, then handed me the telephone so I could release my charge cards. He assigned us a position on the headwall/breakwater. I hope you can see it on SPOT or DeLorme. Adnaan has gone off to the festival ashore. I will drink a little rum, and sleep well tonight.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Wed 05 August #1
Wed 05 August #1
At 02:00 the wind died. Started motoring about 4.5 kts. Distance to Faial 62nm.
Bill Doar s/v Advent II
At 02:00 the wind died. Started motoring about 4.5 kts. Distance to Faial 62nm.
Bill Doar s/v Advent II
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Tuesday 04 August 2
Tuesday 04 August 2
Lat 38*-30'N, Long 031*-47'W
I thought that there would be some drama about whether we could make it to Faial tomorrow afternoon or if we woiuld have to arrive Thursday morning. This morning we had to average 5.0 knots to make it tomorrow. My apprehensions have gone. Today has been an exceptionally good day sailing. I don't think I have seen the knotmeter less than 6.0 all day, and a lot of the time it has been in the 7's. At 16:00 we had 120nm to go. We are down to the point that if the wind stopped we could motor the rest of the way. The question now is will the wind stay, and what time tomorrow will we get there. Adnaan is anxious to get off the boat and see the town.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Lat 38*-30'N, Long 031*-47'W
I thought that there would be some drama about whether we could make it to Faial tomorrow afternoon or if we woiuld have to arrive Thursday morning. This morning we had to average 5.0 knots to make it tomorrow. My apprehensions have gone. Today has been an exceptionally good day sailing. I don't think I have seen the knotmeter less than 6.0 all day, and a lot of the time it has been in the 7's. At 16:00 we had 120nm to go. We are down to the point that if the wind stopped we could motor the rest of the way. The question now is will the wind stay, and what time tomorrow will we get there. Adnaan is anxious to get off the boat and see the town.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday 04 August #1
Tuesday 04 August
A Teaser
One of the rules is to never enter a harbour at night. At 02:00 this morning the Faial landfall waypoint was 197nm away. If we arrive at the waypoint at 18:00 it will still take as long as two hours to get into the harbour, which will be dark. So I make the latest we can get to the waypoint is 18:00. To get there at 18:00 our speed needs to be: 197nm/40 hours=5.0 knots. If we can not average 5.0 knots for the next 1.5 days we will need to arrive Thursday morning, or 48 hours from 02:00. 197nm/48hours=4.0knots. To arrive in daylight we either need to average less than 4.0 knots or more than 5.0 knots. Of course we could go 4.5 knots, arrive early, and stop for 4 hours. Stopping a sailboat is not simple. If you drop all sails you don't really stop. The wind will continue to blow you in some direction. And Pico Channel has reversing tidal currents of 2.0 knots. Over four hours you can get into the entirely wrong place. And it is uncomfortable sitting still on the ocean. When sailing, the force on the sails dampens the motion. Sitting still in light wind can be very rolly.
Right now, at 03:00, we are sailing about 5.5kts. Everything depends on the wind not fading away, and the extra speed we get when the mainsail is deployed at sunrise.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
A Teaser
One of the rules is to never enter a harbour at night. At 02:00 this morning the Faial landfall waypoint was 197nm away. If we arrive at the waypoint at 18:00 it will still take as long as two hours to get into the harbour, which will be dark. So I make the latest we can get to the waypoint is 18:00. To get there at 18:00 our speed needs to be: 197nm/40 hours=5.0 knots. If we can not average 5.0 knots for the next 1.5 days we will need to arrive Thursday morning, or 48 hours from 02:00. 197nm/48hours=4.0knots. To arrive in daylight we either need to average less than 4.0 knots or more than 5.0 knots. Of course we could go 4.5 knots, arrive early, and stop for 4 hours. Stopping a sailboat is not simple. If you drop all sails you don't really stop. The wind will continue to blow you in some direction. And Pico Channel has reversing tidal currents of 2.0 knots. Over four hours you can get into the entirely wrong place. And it is uncomfortable sitting still on the ocean. When sailing, the force on the sails dampens the motion. Sitting still in light wind can be very rolly.
Right now, at 03:00, we are sailing about 5.5kts. Everything depends on the wind not fading away, and the extra speed we get when the mainsail is deployed at sunrise.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Tuesday 04 August #1
Tuesday 04 August
A Teaser
One of the rules is to never enter a harbour at night. At 02:00 this morning the Faial landfall waypoint was 197nm away. If we arrive at the waypoint at 18:00 it will still take as long as two hours to get into the harbour, which will be dark. So I make the latest we can get to the waypoint is 18:00. To get there at 18:00 our speed needs to be: 197nm/40 hours=5.0 knots. If we can not average 5.0 knots for the next 1.5 days we will need to arrive Thursday morning, or 48 hours from 02:00. 197nm/48hours=4.0knots. To arrive in daylight we either need to average less than 4.0 knots or more than 5.0 knots. Of course we could go 4.5 knots, arrive early, and stop for 4 hours. Stopping a sailboat is not simple. If you drop all sails you don't really stop. The wind will continue to blow you in some direction. And Pico Channel has reversing tidal currents of 2.0 knots. Over four hours you can get into the entirely wrong place. And it is uncomfortable sitting still on the ocean. When sailing, the force on the sails dampens the motion. Sitting still in light wind can be very rolly.
Right now, at 03:00, we are sailing about 5.5kts. Everything depends on the wind not fading away, and the extra speed we get when the mainsail is deployed at sunrise.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
A Teaser
One of the rules is to never enter a harbour at night. At 02:00 this morning the Faial landfall waypoint was 197nm away. If we arrive at the waypoint at 18:00 it will still take as long as two hours to get into the harbour, which will be dark. So I make the latest we can get to the waypoint is 18:00. To get there at 18:00 our speed needs to be: 197nm/40 hours=5.0 knots. If we can not average 5.0 knots for the next 1.5 days we will need to arrive Thursday morning, or 48 hours from 02:00. 197nm/48hours=4.0knots. To arrive in daylight we either need to average less than 4.0 knots or more than 5.0 knots. Of course we could go 4.5 knots, arrive early, and stop for 4 hours. Stopping a sailboat is not simple. If you drop all sails you don't really stop. The wind will continue to blow you in some direction. And Pico Channel has reversing tidal currents of 2.0 knots. Over four hours you can get into the entirely wrong place. And it is uncomfortable sitting still on the ocean. When sailing, the force on the sails dampens the motion. Sitting still in light wind can be very rolly.
Right now, at 03:00, we are sailing about 5.5kts. Everything depends on the wind not fading away, and the extra speed we get when the mainsail is deployed at sunrise.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Monday, August 3, 2015
Monday 04 August
Monday 04 August
Lat 38*-43'N, Long 034*-43'W
This email system that is on the boat is based on the old fashioned short wave radio. There is the radio, a black box and laptop computer. The computer and black box converts the radio's analog signal to digital, and can transmit text messages. I make short wave contact to a shore station, then the digital message is sent, and the shore station sends it to the internet where it is delivered to the email address. Way out here I only have one shore station, in Halafax, but it has a strong signal.
There are many steps to the process, commputer, black box, antenna, shore station, etc. Any one of these can fail and communication is lost. Last night I tried to send a message to Normandie and the system did not work. This morning and this afternoon it did not work. But the system is more than email. It is also the system that brings weatherfax and wind GRIBs. I needed to determine if it was really broken. I poked and prodded, twiddled knobs and re plugged all the connections. Then I remembered a switch on the back of the black box. I tuned it off, then back on, and now it seems to be working OK.
But the system stop working at any time. If you don't get any messages and wonder, check the DeLorme inReach and SPOT locations. That will tell you that we are OK.
Beautiful evening, stars coming out, west wind pushing us on at about 5 kn ots. Very nice. Adnaan is on watch, I am going down for four hours sleep.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Lat 38*-43'N, Long 034*-43'W
This email system that is on the boat is based on the old fashioned short wave radio. There is the radio, a black box and laptop computer. The computer and black box converts the radio's analog signal to digital, and can transmit text messages. I make short wave contact to a shore station, then the digital message is sent, and the shore station sends it to the internet where it is delivered to the email address. Way out here I only have one shore station, in Halafax, but it has a strong signal.
There are many steps to the process, commputer, black box, antenna, shore station, etc. Any one of these can fail and communication is lost. Last night I tried to send a message to Normandie and the system did not work. This morning and this afternoon it did not work. But the system is more than email. It is also the system that brings weatherfax and wind GRIBs. I needed to determine if it was really broken. I poked and prodded, twiddled knobs and re plugged all the connections. Then I remembered a switch on the back of the black box. I tuned it off, then back on, and now it seems to be working OK.
But the system stop working at any time. If you don't get any messages and wonder, check the DeLorme inReach and SPOT locations. That will tell you that we are OK.
Beautiful evening, stars coming out, west wind pushing us on at about 5 kn ots. Very nice. Adnaan is on watch, I am going down for four hours sleep.
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Sunday, August 2, 2015
Sunday 02 August
Sunday 02 August
Lat 38*-48'N, Long 037*-09W
Our wind went away. Sailing along, then we just drifted to a stop. Crank up the engine and now motoring. At least the ocean has calmed down and we are not being tossed about. Really smooth right now.
When I start a trip, the first few days I am impatient,"Are we there yet?" The thought of spending two or three more weeks at sea seems like an eternity. How can I possibly spend that many days out there? Then in about three days things start blending together. It is just one day after another, the days turn into weeks. Time really takes on a different meaning. It is like we are staying still and time is moving past us, just like we are standing still and the water moves past us. At this stage of our trip we could have one more day, or ten more days, or longer. It really doesn't make any difference.
Except the fresh fruit is gone. Last fall, in an expression of love, Normandie's special friend Linda, gave us some of her special dried sliced apples, in plastic bags. I could not bring myself to eat dried apples when I had fresh apples, so the bags went unopened. Unopened, that is, until we gave out of fresh apples, and I have discovered that dried apples are really good! Thank you Linda.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Adventtwo.blogspot.com
Lat 38*-48'N, Long 037*-09W
Our wind went away. Sailing along, then we just drifted to a stop. Crank up the engine and now motoring. At least the ocean has calmed down and we are not being tossed about. Really smooth right now.
When I start a trip, the first few days I am impatient,"Are we there yet?" The thought of spending two or three more weeks at sea seems like an eternity. How can I possibly spend that many days out there? Then in about three days things start blending together. It is just one day after another, the days turn into weeks. Time really takes on a different meaning. It is like we are staying still and time is moving past us, just like we are standing still and the water moves past us. At this stage of our trip we could have one more day, or ten more days, or longer. It really doesn't make any difference.
Except the fresh fruit is gone. Last fall, in an expression of love, Normandie's special friend Linda, gave us some of her special dried sliced apples, in plastic bags. I could not bring myself to eat dried apples when I had fresh apples, so the bags went unopened. Unopened, that is, until we gave out of fresh apples, and I have discovered that dried apples are really good! Thank you Linda.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Adventtwo.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Sat 01 August
Sat 01 August
Lat 38*N, Long 38*W
Just another day of amazingly good sailing. Very large waves, but spaced out, with "Normal" ocean waves over the surface. Pretty impressive.
When we left New Bedford we had all the regular fresh foods that my inventive mind could envision: onions, carrots and apples. But then Adnaan and his family arrived, and the cornucopia opened: Potatoes and eggs from their farm, grapefruit, blueberries, cherries, more apples, Nadia made cookies, yogurt, fatyr and pesto. The first few days our meals would have made Captain Jack Aubry proud, and I admit to being introduced to some new to me, and quite delicious middle eastern foods, thanks to Adnaan's culinary skills.
One or the other of us is sleeping until early afternoon so breakfast is whatever we want to grab. I usually eat cereal with a can of fruit. Or it may be left overs from the night before pressure cooked to keep over night. Just about all the fresh stuff is gone except of the onions and one carrot. Our meal for the day is sometime in the afternoon. It is a one pot affair, that started wit potatoes but now is rice, with whatever else we may want. Last night it was rice, cooked with onions, canned mackerel and asparagus. Tasty, filling, and satisfying. But Adnaan did say that we will be down to beans and rice soon. Well, said I, that is why we have so much beans and rice on board, for when we eat all the other stuff.
He is cooking something up now. Hot food in the cockpit, then furl the mainsail and raise tho trisail for the night.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
Lat 38*N, Long 38*W
Just another day of amazingly good sailing. Very large waves, but spaced out, with "Normal" ocean waves over the surface. Pretty impressive.
When we left New Bedford we had all the regular fresh foods that my inventive mind could envision: onions, carrots and apples. But then Adnaan and his family arrived, and the cornucopia opened: Potatoes and eggs from their farm, grapefruit, blueberries, cherries, more apples, Nadia made cookies, yogurt, fatyr and pesto. The first few days our meals would have made Captain Jack Aubry proud, and I admit to being introduced to some new to me, and quite delicious middle eastern foods, thanks to Adnaan's culinary skills.
One or the other of us is sleeping until early afternoon so breakfast is whatever we want to grab. I usually eat cereal with a can of fruit. Or it may be left overs from the night before pressure cooked to keep over night. Just about all the fresh stuff is gone except of the onions and one carrot. Our meal for the day is sometime in the afternoon. It is a one pot affair, that started wit potatoes but now is rice, with whatever else we may want. Last night it was rice, cooked with onions, canned mackerel and asparagus. Tasty, filling, and satisfying. But Adnaan did say that we will be down to beans and rice soon. Well, said I, that is why we have so much beans and rice on board, for when we eat all the other stuff.
He is cooking something up now. Hot food in the cockpit, then furl the mainsail and raise tho trisail for the night.
Reef Early
Bill Doar
s/v Advent II
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