Farewell to Pieter

Today is a somewhat sad day.Pieter,our first mate,have been complaining
about a pain in the groin for some time now.On the boat we don't move
around too much.Him and Brad went for a stroll yesterday and when they
came back Pieter was in a lot of pain.He showed me where the pain is
coming from,and the young man has a hernia.We googled and confirmed our
suspicions,that it could be life threatening and decided that he will
have to fly back to SA immediatly for medical attention.I informed
Nicky,our lady in Cape Town which I wrote about a while ago on the
blog.And just to prove what I said,the decision was taken immediatly
that he has to fly back and Nicky set the wheels in motion.This morning
we received Pieter's e ticket and he is on his way back to SA.Sent Brad
with him to the airport and he will be landing in Cape Town
tomorrow.Thanks a million Nicky,it is always inspiring to work with the
best in the business,and I,once again,salute you.

To Pieter,his family and friends,all the best.Hope you will still follow
our progress,even though Pieter is no longer on this trip.It was an
immense pleasure having met and sailed with such a determined
person.Part of what could have caused the hernia was that Pieter was
often seasick,and I think this also weakened the inner
membranes.Anyway,the Higher Hand decided and we follow suit.

We are now a crewmember short and have made some enquiries here in
Funchal,Madeira.There are some people that both Brad and myself know
indirectly.I have stayed in the same block of flats where the lady's
parents stay and have often talked to her father about sailing.I told
him I think madeira is a stunningly beautiful place and he informed me
that his daughter,Colleen is running a day charter business here in
Funchal.That was a few years ago and now,through Providence,I got to
meet Luigi and Colleen.They have networked and I have an experienced
person coming to see me this afternoon about assisting us as crewmember
to Greece.Alternatively I also have my French connection,Thibault,who
you may also remember from previous trips that we blogged.I forgot about
him as a possible option an d Nicky suggested I contact him.Teamwork of
the highest calibre Nix.

We were also looking at some other deliveries that may come this way,and
most of them have four crewmembers and Nicky suggested that we could
perhaps wait a bit and get a crewmember from one of these boats.So we
have options,but nothing definate yet.By this time tomorrow we should be
sorted.We were hoping to leave on Saturday,even though the weather is
far from perfect to go through Gibraltar in four days time.We would
probably have a good run,four days to Gibraltar and then will have to
wait at Cadiz for a window to open into the Med.

So yes,this is the situation as it stands,and we are good and ready.Last
night was the first night in nearly fifty days that we could sleep on a
bed that doesn't move,and sweet it was.Today we spend most of the time
getting Pieter sorted and to the airport in time.When we arrived
yesterday we tied onto another vessel against the wall.We had to wait
for an hour for customs and immigration,which we used to fill up the
water tanks,decant and fill our diesel tanks,wash Venus down,and finally
washed ourselves a bit.

The day before yesterday we had first a dove and then a swallow flying
around the boat and trying to land.The dove landed and the swallow,as I
have seen a few times before,flew into the saloon.Brad,6 foot 3,dived
down behind Pieter.Such a big boy catching such a big fright from such a
little bird.Mmmmmmmmm.We had a good laugh about it,and I guess this is
what we will miss most about Pieter,his infectious laughter that had us
in stitches at time.Go you welll my friend and we will stay in touch.

Land in sight

We left Cape Town on 05/02 and after 13 days arrived in St.Helena.There
was quite a big swell running and at anchor,it was more comfortable
at sea than at Jamestown.Now,36 days later we are at last seeing the
lights of Madeira looming in the distance.Nearly fifty days we haven;t
slept in a bed that doesn't move.In the protected ,arina of Funchal we
will at last be able to have a bed without motion,whether we will be
able to sleep in such quiet conditions we will soon find out.Looks like
we will arrive there at first light,although arriving at night won't be
a problem either,an easy entrance and I have been here twice before.

Just love the place.Think one would love any stretch of land after an
extended period at sea,but Madeira is really avery lovely place.The
people are friendly,the fresh produce is world class and the town of
Funchal like no other I have seen.The streets have no name in the
CBD,pedestrians only and cobbled stones cover the surface.Creamish
coloured stones with greyish coloured stones forming different patterns
in every street.So once you find a shop you like you can always find it
again by just remebering the patterns,fishbone,triangular,square and so
on.

It is not an easy sail doing the last 100 miles or so.First we had to
head east until we were south of Madeira.Our weather predicted that the
wind will veer east and when it started at about 3 this afternoon,we
changed course and heading north for our final approach.As usual I take
extra care close to the end of a leg or a journey.This is when you want
to ease off just a bit thinking that you are now near,and this is when
unexpected problems can catch you off guard.When we rotated watch at 9
pm I decided to drop the main to second reef with the wind just starting
to touch 15 kts.The sea was getting a bit bumpy and I expected a bit
stronger wind to follow later.Obviously we are all very eager to get to
land,but the decision to slow down just for a while and drop a reef in
relative comfort was met without any questions by the crew.They know I
have been here before,they know I am experienced,so they won't question
my decision.When I took over watch the wind has climbed to 24 knots and
my decision was justified.And a fairly rough ride we are having at the
moment,as if our beloved ocean wants to give us an extra incentive to be
thankful when we tie down at last.

And thankful we are and thankful we will be when we step ashore,probably
wobling around like inebriated gents till we find our landlegs
again.Couple of things we need to do after we cleared customs and
immigration.Fill up one of the smaller gas cylinders,just in case our
big one runs out.Fill up the water tanks,wash Venus from head to
toe,stock up on some fruits and veggies,things like that.Oh
yes,Portuguese peri peri chicken and a beer,nearly forgot about that
one.With chips,or french fries,whatever you prefer to call it.As long as
it is something healthy and low on kilojoules.

We will watch our weather files with great interest as we would want a
nice entry into into the Med.In all probability we will leave on
Saturday weather permitting.From Madeira another two weeks to Greece.We
will post some photos and will keep posting on the blog as well.We hope
to have wireless and looking forward,as always to share some of our
experiences with you.

Thought for the day is to be thankful.Not going to elaborate on that,I
have so much to be thankful for and hope you do too.

Paul

The truth will set you free

Greetings from 100nm southwest of Madeira.A little wind on the nose is
impeding our progress somewhat,but persistence,as always,pays
dividends.My last few postings touched a bit on the different
elements.All in prepiration for the journey ahead of us.When you go on a
journey,you need some essentials to take with you.For this journey we
are planning to change vessels a bit and start a new blog with some
bells and whistles to enhance your experience vastly.Your participation
in many regards will be essential to make the most of it.I would like to
know what books you reading,which movies you enjoy,your favorite music
etc etc etc.This I want to add to the blog so we can all share.

There are a few things one can never have enough of and one of these is
respect.At the core lies self respect,and once you know just what and
who you really are this will flow naturally.This is part of our
journey,a journey of self-discovery.Only to the extend that you respect
yourself can you respect anything or anyone else.To force respect from
someone only serves violence.Violence is the lowest form of intelligence
and yet it is all around us.I wonder if one can call it intelligence at
all.

Yet,most of the movies on circuit is nothing but violence.The bigger the
problem the bigger the hammer.And we sit and watch it,absorb it and grow
immune to the fact that we are being sucked into it.to have the same
effect the next time must be more violent,more absurd.And always
justified,mental pollution of a most dangerous kind,toxic waste.Bad news
sell better,good news is only an afterthought.Prophets of doom abound,as
it always has been.

You are being robbed,you are being indoctrinated,you are being raped.I
feel that strong about it.And when those that sow the seeds of violence
harvest their crops,it only breeds more violence.War is old men talking
and young men dying.It is also the most profitable business in the
world.Nowadays it is mostly used to "liberate" a nation and secure their
oil reserves.Are we really that daft?Are we still living under a cloud
of fear?

Fortunately the days for this type of misinformation is numbered.
Wikileaks caused some serious damage to the powers that be and "rule"
us.The truth in the end will surface,and it will stand firm.It is our
only salvation,the truth,the whole truth,and nothing but the truth.The
greatest truth is the truth about you,who you are and what you are.Once
you have that,you will be free indeed.And our journey will take us
there.The highest truth is love.But the word love, in this context is
much more than a feeling.I would love to elaborate on that but it would
be jumping the gun.Remember the song "The whole of the moon" ?By the
Waterboys if I'm not mistaken.

A slither of moon is rising in the east,Venus is shining brightly and in
an hours time the sun will dim both of them for the duration of the day,
warming us inside and out,loving us and loving it.

Go you well and may the sun shine bright on you today.

Paul

The truth will set you freeThe greatest truth jjjjj

Greetings from 100nm southwest of Madeira.A little wind on the nose is
impeding our progress somewhat,but persistence,as always,pays
dividends.My last few postings touched a bit on the different
elements.All in prepiration for the journey ahead of us.When you go on a
journey,you need some essentials to take with you.For this journey we
are planning to change vessels a bit and start a new blog with some
bells and whistles to enhance your experience vastly.Your participation
in many regards will be essential to make the most of it.I would like to
know what books you reading,which movies you enjoy,your favorite music
etc etc etc.This I want to add to the blog so we can all share.

There are a few things one can never have enough of and one of these is
respect.At the core lies self respect,and once you know just what and
who you really are this will flow naturally.This is part of our
journey,a journey of self-discovery.Only to the extend that you respect
yourself can you respect anything or anyone else.To force respect from
someone only serves violence.Violence is the lowest form of intelligence
and yet it is all around us.I wonder if one can call it intelligence at
all.

Yet,most of the movies on circuit is nothing but violence.The bigger the
problem the bigger the hammer.And we sit and watch it,absorb it and grow
immune to the fact that we are being sucked into it.to have the same
effect the next time must be more violent,more absurd.And always
justified,mental pollution of a most dangerous kind,toxic waste.Bad news
sell better,good news is only an afterthought.Prophets of doom abound,as
it always has been.

You are being robbed,you are being indoctrinated,you are being raped.I
feel that strong about it.And when those that sow the seeds of violence
harvest their crops,it only breeds more violence.War is old men talking
and young men dying.It is also the most profitable business in the
world.Nowadays it is mostly used to "liberate" a nation and secure their
oil reserves.Are we really that daft?Are we still living under a cloud
of fear?

Fortunately the days for this type of misinformation is numbered.
Wikileaks caused some serious damage to the powers that be and "rule"
us.The truth in the end will surface,and it will stand firm.It is our
only salvation,the truth,the whole truth,and nothing but the truth.The
greatest truth is the truth about you,who you are and what you are.Once
you have that,you will be free indeed.And our journey will take us
there.The highest truth is love.But the word love, in this context is
much more than a feeling.I would love to elaborate on that but it would
be jumping the gun.Remember the song "The whole of the moon" ?By the
Waterboys if I'm not mistaken.

A slither of moon is rising in the east,Venus is shining brightly and in
an hours time the sun will dim both of them for the duration of the day,
warming us inside and out,loving us and loving it.

Go you well and may the sun shine bright on you today.

Paul

Smoke on the water, fire in the sky

I for a reason did not post any blog on Sunday.It was far more important
for you to reflect on the night before,the dark hour,whether you
participated or not.It was also Brad's 24th birtday today and our
mailbox was loaded with good wishes for the young lad.Thanks to everyone
that made him feel special on his special day.Two birthdays we've had so
far on this trip.Brad had a choice of flapjacks,scones or cappuchino
muffins and he chose the latter.Half an hour later we were enjoying
muffins and a glass of milk.Probably not half as nice as his mommy's,but
mommy is far far away...ha ha ha.Lisa,he misses you terribly.

I would like to talk about the next element on my list.You may wonder
why we discuss elements and other related subjects.Partly due to the
fact that we are so close to the elements,and partly because I want to
take you on a journey,a mission of sorts.A journey from before there was
time right through to where time will be no more.For you to get the full
picture,we are just scratching the surface of the basic elements as a
foundation.Which brings me to fire.

Once upon time man,or I prefer to say humans,could witness fire mostly
caused by lightning striking and setting alight forests,scorching the
earth to make way for new growth.In time,we learned to harness and make
our own fire.The Bushman in Southern Africa was one of the first to
create enough friction betwwen a stick and a block of wood to get a
small ember which in turn would get a small tuff of dry grass
smouldering.By blowing on it,flames would eventually appear out of the
smoke which was used to light twigs and the twigs to set alight bigger
pieces of wood.Nowadays we switch on electricity,flick a Bic or strike a
match if we want fire,no big deal.Those days it must have been an
awesome feat,a kind of magic.Now they could keep themselves warm,protect
themselves against wild predators,and even started developing a taste
for bbq.

This new magic developed and soon they could build kilns and pottery was
born,vessels of clay baked hard that could store food and water.Some
time later,in the iron age,they learned about certain types of metal
that they could melt and cast into different shapes,either for tools to
dig the earth,weapons to hunt with or even jewelery to adorn their
bodies.And as with many discoveries,this all spread across the
globe,across the ocean,all very much similtaniously.How this happens is
another subject altogether,and also a fascinating one.

The centre of the earth is molten rock,and as soon as it gets out
through volcanoes and into contact with air,it also sets alight
everything in it's path as the lava starts to flow.And then of course
the sun,the big ball of fire in the sky.Much can be said about this
heavenly body and how it was,still is and probably till it oneday burns
out,will be feared,enjoyed,and worshipped by many.Zeus,according to
Greek Mythology,that seduced just about every maiden in the sky which
gave birth to other heavenly bodies again.And the easiest way to start a
fire from the sun,can you guess?I will write it backwards so you can
have a moment to think before you just read it.ssalg gniyfingam.of
course,a magnifying glass...ha ha ha.Did you enjoy that?

Can you imagine a life without fire?If you can you are one up on me.I
for the life of me can't.The more you think about it,the more you
realize what fire is.It is not just the flame at the end of the match
stick.There is far far more to fire than that.Imagine waking up with no
fire,and yes,electricity is a form of fire energy.Imagine one day not
having any contact with anything that was made with fire.No hot
shower,no clothes to wear,no car to drive,no tv,no computer,no
telephone,no furniture,no house even,the bricks were made with fire.No
roof over your head.I am sure you can add another hundred items to this
list,and I think we all get the point.The workings of fire is all aound
us,and if you exclude the sun as well,no food.So bottom line,no fire no
life.I now first have to switch on the gas stove and make myself a warm
cup of bush tea.And everywhere I look I see stuff that was made with
fire.Glass,metal,plastic and on and on and on.All different types and
shapes and sizes.Aaaah,that's better.I now get the point.

Fire as a symbol has many connotations and we will dive into that at
another stage,my favorite saying lately it seems,because there is just
so much to tell.But it is vitally important to understand as much as
possible about the elements before we start our journey,and I hope yiu
will bare with me.If I bore you I will be pleasantly surprised.Write me
and tell me so then.If I don't,please also write and me and tell me so.

With that,I conclude today's musings and sincerely hope that I have
given you something to think about.

Seems that we will arrive at Madeira within the next two days or so.Our
position at midnight UTC was 30*46'N/20*44'W.We are 230nm west of
Masiera and motorsailing on a close haul,pinching the wind a
little.Wishing you a great week ahead.

Paul

34 days at sea

Time takes on a whole new meaning when you have been at sea for 34 days
non stop.And with another six days or so to go before we get to Madeira
would bring the total to about forty days.How we keep our sanity is a
mystery,one of many we ponder.We become like the ocean I guss,ultra calm
as it has been for many days in a row now.One day just slips into the
other.What day of the week it is we can't just tell,we have to look at
our logbook.The sun comes up,the day goes by,we cook,we bake,we talk,we
listen to music,we recall memories,we make memories,we think.

Not once on this trip have there been a bad vibe between any of us.Small
things become big things.Today we bucketed a Portuguese Man O War or
blue bottle as we know it in SA.A type of jelly fish,apparently the
first form of life on planet earth.We saw it floating,turned
around,scooped it,studied it from all angles and slipped it back into
the ocean.We haven't had wind for days and Madeira,although only about
400 miles away,seems very far away at the speed we are motoring.At four
knots,we could be there in 100 hrs,but we have learned not to try and
gestimate our ETA,we will get there when we are supposed to.No way we
can rush it.

No wind for the next few days according to our weather predictions,and
wghen we will get wind,it will be against us.We are being tested,not
physically at all,but mentally.Part of our saving grace is that we can
stay in touch with people close to us and that include you.Part of it is
what we experience out here,pure,indiluted nature as it has been for as
long as it has been.The moon,the stars,the sun,the rainbows,the
wind,the water,the clouds,the rain,all of it forming us,saturating our
senses and touching our souls.

Yes,Madeira sound like Utopia to us.Probably why I love it so much,it
always comes after and extended period of time out at sea when we sail
to Europe.Can you imagine how much we long for all those things we so
easily take for granted when we are on land?

Today is Earth Hour,a time to think about our future and the future of
our planet.Every hour should be Earth Hour.Every action of ours should
be in line with a sustainable way of living.Life is sacred and every
action has consequences.We are the custodians of all around us.We are
responsible for what the future holds.It is in our hands to make a
difference.It is in our hearts we have to care.With all we have,with all
we are.And yes,you can make a difference.When you look in a mirror
again,there you will find the person that will make the difference.

Take care,of yourself,your future,your planet.

Paul

Earth Hour 2011 - Saturday 26 March

Well well well.Over 1.4 billion people have already signed up for this
event.In SA,at 8:30 pm,a lot of lights will be switched off to show
solidarity with other people all over the world,people who want to make
a difference.I'm posting this blog earlier than my usual posting to
afford you the opportunity to sign up if you haven't yet.I'm sure if you
google earth hour you will find the site to sign up.I have a suspicion
that 1.4 billion is perhaps 10% of the people who will take part in this
event,most people won't sign up for various reasons,but if you want to
stand up and be counted in,sign up.It will only make a stronger
statement that we as citizens of the world can and will unite.

Our beautiful planet earth...From outer space she is the blue planet,our
blue planet.Some call her Gaia.The one that sustains us,you and me and
everyone and every other living creature who share in her bounty.The
one,once we shed our bodies,our bodies return to to foster new life.She
has been taking a most serious beating for the last few centuries.Her
forest have been burned to ashes,slashed and burned.Her insides have
been taken out in unsustainable levels.Her oceans have been raped and
and plundered.Whole species have dissapeared.Her air has been turned
into poison,her rain that she has blessed us with been turned into acid
rain.Her rivers have been dammed up.I can continue in this vain,all the
unspeakable atrocities that have been committed,and all in the name of
progress.And she is angry.She is showing us more and more that she will
take us out if we carry on in this way.

We have forgotten that it is all sacred,that life is a privilige.And
what will we leave behind for our children and their children.How will
we explain to them that we just sat and watched all of this happen and
didn't do anything about it.What will I tell my daughter if she can't
swim in the river because it is full of pesticides and herbicides and
sewerage.She will ask me why and why I don't do anything about it.She is
sensitive and intuitive to the highest degree and sharper than any two
edged sword.She will know that any reason I give her is just an
excuse.And to say that that is just the way it is,do you think that will
work.I think you know the answer to that one.

When she sees a dead moth,she will ever so gently pick the moth
up,cradle it in her hands,take it outside,dig a shallow grave,bury the
body and place a flower on top.And in the sunlight I will see
a glistening tear running down her cheeks.And I will be sad with her,and
pay due respect to life and death and once again relearn what I once
knew as a child,that all life is sacred.That none is less insignificant
than the other,that we can't make and break as we please,that we are
ultimately accountable,everyone of us.

Outside,here on the dark ocean,blobs of bioluminiscence is lighting up
as we move past.In the skies,on the western horizon,Orion is on his
eternal quest to wound the Bull.Wonder if he ever considered the
consequences should the bull get angry and chase him down.But there they
are,in a status quo,in limbo.Down here on planet earth,the tide is
turning,the status quo is ending,the bull has been wounded.And man will
ultimately be faced with the full fury of Gaia,nature,call it what you
like,if we don't mend our ways and learn to live in harmony.Just who do
we think we are after all.

Do your bit for planet earth tomorrow,state your intention,show your
compassion.And who knows,just maybe there will be a brighter future for
our children,for our forests,our oceans,our fellow
inhabitants,ourselves.It is inevitable,it will happen and your
contribution will shine throughout eternity.All the darkness in the
world cannot hide the light of a single candle.Be that candle,the flame
that never dies.Because that is who and what you are,an eternal being
that can make a difference.It is your choice.And don't be afraid of the
darkness that will happen on Saturday night,the light inside of you will
shine brighter than ever.

Our position just after midnight UTC is 28*31'N/26*06'W.We are 543nm
from Madiera,going slow but steady.

I wish you a most interesting day today,and an even more interesting
night on Saturday.

Paul

All I need is the air that I breath....

To fall straight into the elements,as I said,one can live for three days
without water and five weeks without food.But how long can one live
without air.Many years ago I read an incredible book called The Breath
of God by Lyall Watson if I'm not mistaken.All about air and how finely
balanced the different layers of air must be to sustain life.A 2% move
this way or that way and we wouldn't be able to live,we and all the
other forms of life that is sustained by our beautiful planet.

And beyond our planet there is space,infinite space.And as a
planet,somehow we have and keep our place in the universe.Isn't it
marvellous.Should it all have wedged on gravity,then where would all the
planets and starts fall to should gravity be no more.Are we gravitating
outwards,or rather the universe,or inwards.A question scientists have
battled with for ages.Albert Einstein,Stephen Hawkins,Leonardo da Vinci
and many other great minds have pondered this question.

So air I guess would then be the primary element.Without air water would
be dead,the earth would be liveless and fire also needs air to burn.And
what does ait symbolize but that which we cannot see,the spirit.We can
see the workings of the spirit,we can see the trees dance in a breeze
but we cannot sse the breeze.A simple conclusion then that before we
became bodies,we are first and foremost spirit.Yes,we all know
this,inherently,but we mostly forget that we are not just a body with an
average lifespan of 80 years in todays world.We focus most of our energy
and time and thought on this little or short period of time.Everyone for
himself,do or die,law of the jungle,name it what you like,but is mostly
so spiritually deprived that it boggles the mind.We are spirit after
all,and we forget that and mostly focus on our need and greed.And we go
to war for this,we kill,rob and steal to satisfy this urgent need to
have more and more,at the cost of who cares anyway.

But this is the way it is and the way it must be.It is the only way to
come to our full senses once again and stand up for who and what we as
human beings really are.Not servants to the goverments we elect into
power that promise a better life for all and just serve their own
agendas.At the cost of poverty and hunger for the masses.Peoples real
liberation is close at hand,and the people we elect should serve the
people,not the other way round.And yes,with force we can suppress the
voice of the people,but not for much longer.There is more than enough
for everyone if everyone share and care.The truth will triumph in the
end,and the forces that are pushing for a world goverment will try
everything in their might to stop the truth from spreading.But it is too
late now,the seeds have been planted and are starting to sprout.We are
no longer accepting what we are forcefed through regulated media.We are
growing aware of what is happening and what has been happening.

The world religions,the world banks,the world super powers,the world
pharmaceutical companies,do you really,for a single moment think they
have your best interests at heart.War is business,point.You create
war,you supply and train the soldiers,you go to war,you take what you
want.Under the auspices of liberating the people so they can serve
you,their new master.And who pays for this war and what is the
currency.We have been slaves long enough to cherish our freedom,our
inherent freedom that we have as humans.Born free and taxed to death is
a saying we all know.The western empires are crumbling,like the Twin
Towers and in the east the Indian Tiger economy and the Chinese Dragon
economy is rising.How much honesty,integrity and transparency is build
into these systems.Do we need new empires,are we ever going to learn
that we can all live in peace and harmony.And the answer to the first
part of the question is no,we don't need new empires.And to the second
part of the question a resounding yes,yes,yes.

We have to go back to where we came from,to what we really are,and who
we are and like Bob Dylan sang,the answer my friend,is blowing in the
wind.With all our differences,in appearance and culture,there is one
binding factor,our spirit.We are all spirit,first and foremost and soon
it will be upon us.The day some of us dread,the day some of us can't
wait for.I will be naughty and say the Mayan prophecies brings this day
to the year 2012,next year.And the day,somewhere between October and
December.We will evolve,we will revolt,we will reveal.A bit different
from veni,vidi,vici,Ceasar's famous we came,we saw,we conquered.

Empires come and go,but the spirit lives forever.So everytime you
breath,remember,you are spirit first.

May the Great Spirit within you be awakened.

Paul

P.S.We have little to no wind,about 550 nm from Madeira and motoring.Our
position at AM 10:00 UTC was 28*11'N/26*55'W.Had our first bit of rain in
a while last night.A bit chilli but great to wash all the salt residue of
the boat.Overcast today and will probably rain again tonight.

Aqua Terra Aqua

To not go to far off the track,I hope,lets look at the
elements.According to the Western mind there are four:-earth,water,air
and fire.The Chinese add an interesting slant to this,they seperate
earth into metal and wood.Let's focus for now on one,the one I spend
most of my time on,water.According to science,water once covered the
planet,the whole of the planet.When it was true blue I guess you could
say.And then a seperation happened and earth started popping up here
and there.The biggest earth body was called Gondolia,and when the
continents started to drift apart,Africa remained and the Americas
moved west,Europe formed in the north and so on.One of the most
interesting places I've been to is Madagascar.90% of the plants and
animals there are endemic,such an enormous variety.In the whole of
Africa there is one species of boabab,in Madagascar there are seven.The
biggest variety of chameleons also happen to be there,from the dwarf to
the giant chameleon,respectively the smallest and biggest chameleons in
the world.What Madagascar is most famous for are the lemurs.They are not
dogs,or cats,or monkeys or baboons.They are the predecessor of some of
these species.But much more about that much later and to get back on
track again,there is water all around us.And inside of us.70-80% of our
bodies consists of water,males less than females.And the salt levels in
our blood is exactly the same as the salt level of the oceans.Is this
just coincidence or does it perhaps tell us more about who we are and
where we came from,as human beings.And the effect of the moon on water
is undisputable.The tides that roll in and out twice a day is testimony
to that,and that the moon therefore would affect us as well,in a huge
way,cannot be disputed.Fish feed mostly at certain phases of the moon,in
rivers,dams and the ocean.Farmers of old knew when the best time to
plant which crop,all based on the phases of the moon.

On a symbolic level,water represents the subconscience,earth the
conscience.So we can deduct that long before there was conscience,there
was the subconscience.All around us,all inside us,falling from the
skies,seeping out of the earth,you find water just about everywhere.And
life without water,life as we know it is not possible without
water.Until very recently,it was thought that air,in whatever form,was
also essential to life.In underwater volcanoes a form of life was
discovered that flourishes without any air,in the hottest possible
enviroment.And if water is then the subconscience,why do we shy away
from what is so much part of us and influence us so greatly.Is it
perhaps because we cannot so easily control the subconscience.What you
suppress will persist and just keep on pushing harder and harder,until
you face it and discover what goes on beneath the surface.It is most
definetely the road less travelled by,sometimes surfacing in dreams.

Everytime you drink water,in whatever form,everytime you bath,everytime
you eat,everytime you do anything at all,water is there.Whether you take
it for granted or not,it is there.Wouldn't it be interesting to become
more aware of the water inside of us,the water outside of us,the water
all around us.I think there is much to learn from water,it is such an
incredible medium and conducter.Whales,before there was ships on the
ocean could let their songs travel all around the globe.And if you can
relate water to the subconcscience,you will find that then also
everywhere.So to answer the question where we do we come from,I think
the answer might just be right in front of you,right inside of you.

Today the ocean out here is calm and a gentle swell is rolling
through.Interesting also that you can survive for five weeks without
food,but only three days without water.This may just show how important
it is for us to look at water differently,and all it represents and
symbolizes.And on many levels,it is essential for our survival,inside
and out.It is also a most powerful force,and I would then wish for today
that the Force may be with you,and that you may be One with the Force,as
we are,although we don't really know it,not yet.

Our position at PM 03:00 UTC is 27*42'N/28*08'W.Wind has died down to a
breeze and we are motoring towards Madeira which is about 650nm away.In
km's that would be about 1200 km's only.And travelling at 5 kts/hr that
gives us about 9 kms/hr.Yeh,I guess sailors do it longer and slower.

On a reach to Madeira

First there was the evolutions,then the revolutions,now it is time for
revelations.Time to discover who and what we really are as
humans.Time to figure out where we are at this point in time and the way
forward.

I was born and raised a stone's throw away from what is known as "The
Cradle of Mankind",and just recently a new discovery there has shaken
the world once again,added another piece to the puzzle.Standing on the
ridge,rain falling on the eastern side will run to the Indian Ocean,rain
on the western side will run to the Atlantic.I have always been drawn to
the oceans of the world,and have had the privilige to sail these
oceans,all of of them.I have been to places you probably haven't even
heard of or knew existed.I didn't either,but I followed my
destiny,sometimes daunted,but never fazed.And from these deep oceans I
could ponder and muse at will,far away from any mental or enviromental
pollution.I could connect and become one with the elements,the powers
that be,the universe at large,and the universe within.And life has
moulded me and shaped me and shaken me to the core at times.I observed
all that was,that is,and the shape of things to come.I refrained from
judging,from standing up for a cause,from taking sides.How could I when
I knew that it is all just part of the process.But I did look at
everything in great detail,acquired as many skills as possible.But I am
also human.I also failed at times.At times I had nothing and nothing to
loose.Other times I thought I had everything and lost it all.I've been
hungry and I've been oversatisfied,been cold to the bone and been hot to
the core.

And you,how has your life been so far? Which roads less travelled have
you been on? What have you seen?Yes,we are all unique,our fingerprints
prove it,for one.What excruciating pain have you endured? What dizzy
heights have you reached? What incredible light-ness of being have you
experienced? Not all of us can be fringe dwellers for want of a better
term.And not all of us finds safety in long term careers with
set incomes.Absolutely nothing wrong with that,perhaps your destiny is
to provide the opportunities and necessities for humanity to evolve yet
again.Makes me think of the song in Jungle Book about the bare
necessities.What we gonna do?What have you learned about yourself,about
who you are,about what you are,about why you are and about where you are
heading?

At this point in time,we on sailing vessel Venus,is heading straight for
Madeira...ha ha ha.On a reach with our white flags aflying.Wind in our
hair,sun shining down,water rushing past underneath us.Our position at
AM 11:00 UTC is 25*29'N/032*35'W.

And all around and all inside things are happening,a new awakening.I
trust you feel it too,and ecstatic.If not,don't stress,it will reach you
soon.In the air,in your blood and in your bones.It is a most exciting
time to be alive,to become alive,to be all you are meant to be.

Peace and light and love to you

Paul

28 days at sea...aaaahhhhoooooo!!!!!!!!

If you are reading this it means that you have survived the full moon,on
the equinox,over the weekend.The nearest the moon has been to planet
earth my 7 year old daughter Maryna informed me,in 18 years.So yes,it
was big and strong.Through our clear skies and 20x50 binoculars it was a
sight imprinted on our minds for ever.Well done then,you came through.A
bit wiser,a bit more ready for the times ahead.I learned a lot more than
I could ever anticipate during the course of the weekend,and it will
start filtering through the blog in time to come.First need to absorb
before I can share the most amazing insights that was bestowed on me.And
it will effect you,positively beyond your wildest dreams.While I let it
all sink in,this blog will also be linked to a lot of other blogs etc
around the world.I have been waiting for the right time to do this and
for the right person to appear on the horizon who can do the transition
in the best possible way,and give you much more to enjoy.This person
has We promise to stay real and true,as we always have.

Since last night the wind has started veering as we hoped for and
expected.We have been curving towards Madeira,ever so slowly,and
currently we are heading straight for our next stop.Full main and genoa
flying and making the most of the breeze that is pulling us
along,slicing through a very gentle ocean at betwteen 6 and 7
kts.Overcast this morning the sun has come out to play a bit and shine
on us,warming us inside and out.We love the cold and cloudy,and we love
the sunshine as well.In fact,not much we don't love as far as weather
goes.Strong stuff is tuff but we enjoy it for different reasons,perhaps
not at the time we are in it,but in retrospect it also shapes us.

The vibe on the boat is excellent.We came through some very difficult
times in many different ways.But we have just kept at it,never losing
the plot,and doing the best we can with what we get.And now it seems
that it won't be much longer before we see land again.28 days since we
left Madeira,28 days at sea and going strong.It takes some
doing,mentally and physically.

Pieter baked a most delicious bread yesterday.Never had a chance to cool
down.Out of the oven,on the breadboard,sliced and devoured,till the last
crumb.Butter and strawberry jam and fresh bread.Perhaps something you
take for granted,for us out here,a feast of untold culinary
delight.Brad's turn to hit us with his skills behind the stove
today,cooking with gas.

Our position today at PM 03:00 UTC was 25*29'N/32*35'W.Our COG
60*T.Temperature 25*C,wind 13 kts apparent,speed 7 kts,waveheight .5
mtrs.Distance to Greece 2880nm,to Madeira 920 nm.

Go you well and take care

Paul

Sailing vs Investment

Hi all

It has been a while since you have heard from me, but I am in great spirit and
still doing very well on this beautiful
ocean!

We are waiting for the favourable east wind to blow which will allow us to make
a better run in for Madeira. Like all good
things, this cannot be rushed or forced and we will just have to make the best
with what winds we are given on the day.

I have come to realise that there is actually a big link between sailing and
economics (more specifically investing)...you
get one type of person that wants to sail as fast as they can and get to their
destinations in the shortest possible time.
They are likely to choose to have a full main and head sail, which will be
pulled in tight. This will cause their sails to
be under an immense amount of pressure. They could cause their vessel to be
taken on a very bumpy ride, and possibly even
cause them to be dismasted or to burst a sail in heavy winds. These sailors can
be compared to the risk-loving invesors.
They are the speculators who want the largest returns, even if it adds risk to
their portfolios. They want all the benefits
sooner rather than later. Maybe a Harly-Davidson?

On the opposite side of the spectrum, you get the risk-averse investor. This
type of sailor will be cautious of heavy winds,
and will choose to reef their mainsail and furl their genoa in a bit so as to
have less sail exposed to the wind and thus
take the pressure of the wind better. They may even choose to open their
mainsail from time to time to spill some wind and
save their rigging. They are not too concerned about how quickly they can reach
their destination, but are more focussed on
getting there (in one piece). This investor will tend to forgo some of the
attractive high returns in favour of the slightly
less attractive returns. But in doing so they reduce the amount of risk in their
portfolios and increase the likelihood of
reaching their investment goals. Maybe this is a safe, comfortable retirement in
the future.

So you may ask, how do I get the best of both worlds? This sailor will carefully
assess the weather files he/she can expect
to encounter on their journey, and then choose and adapt their sail trimmings
accordingly. Therefore in light winds they can
have full main and headsail out, but in the event that a gust, storm blows
through they will be able to quickly put in a
first or second reef in their respective sails and wait for the storm to blow
over. This investor will choose to have a well
diversified portfolio of assets (some risky assets and some relatively riskless
assets) thereby giving them slightly higher
returns than the risk-averse investor at the same time as a lower than average
level of risk in their portfolio. The trick
is finding a asset manager who can accurately establsh what type of investor you
are, and what you hope to achieve from your
investment. From there, they should be able to compile a tailor-made portfolio
of assets for you. Give me a call in a few
years by which stage I will be a successful asset manager/ investment broker and
I will gladly do this for you!:)

Quite funny how sailing can be related to other walks of life hey?

Our current position is 23* 41'N 33* 24'W 13:00 UTC.

Hope you all had a very relaxing weekend.

Chat later
Brad

Ravings of a madman...ha ha ha

Thanks for the comment Claire.Yes,musings and ramblings,or perhaps the
ravings of a madman.Sure,when musing I produce pure poetry,so to dilute
it a bit I add some ramblings and leave you to connect the dots.Tonight
will be full moon.Out on the ocean,on full moon,the sun sets at exactly
the same time as the moon is rising.Yesterday at sunset we nearly
witnessed a green flash.This is a phenomenon one seldom sees,a burst of
green light just as the sun dips below the horizon.It requires very
little or even better no clouds.Apparently it is the last visible colour
in the colour spectrum and you can probably google greenflash and learn
more about it.I have been fortunate enough to have seen it a few times.

We had a fairly slow night sailing and motoring.This morning as the sun
started to lighten the eastern skies,along come a bit of stronger wind
and even a little drizzle as a darker cloud moved over.It has stayed
with us and the sea is fairly bumpy,impeding our progress somewhat.If
the wind stays with us the swell with build and become more evenly
spaced making for a smoother passage.We are furling in the headsail as
the conditions get a bit more demanding.

Our weather prediction is predicting less wind,and at this stage a
little more is better for us than a little less than predicted.We are
sailing straight north waiting for the wind to start veering east and
even south,all the way around when it should start coming from the
northwest,closer to the Azores.We can then start heading for Madeira
which is about 1000nm away.One can't always sail straight where you want
to go and motoring straight to Madeira will be a lot slower than sailing
around the longer way.As with all things,we know it will change,it must
change,but we are looking mighty forward to our stop at Madeira,for many
reasons.

Yes,hard times for all aboard,also for different reasons.Brad was nearly
in with a job on a superyacht and e mailed the first mate,having taken a
lot of time to get his wording perfect.A friend of his landed a job on
the boat and informed Brad that they will be looking for a deckhand in
the next two months and Brad should forward his CV to the first mate
which Brad did.Unfortunately his application was not successful and he
was obviously dissapointed.But you can't keep a good man down and soon
he will be rearing to face the feature again,more determined than
before.We are fortunately a tight knit unit on this boat and support
each other through our trials and tribulations,whatever they may be.

We just opened the mainsail to spill some wind and take pressure of of
our rigging and seem to be running a bit smoother.The wind is sitting at
a steady 22/23 kts and our speed is round about 6.5 kts.so not much
poetry today,or ramblings or ravings,just a glimpse of how it is out
here.We wish you a safe weekend and will drop a little letter in your
inbox in the morning.

Our position at AM 09:00 UTC was 21*23'N/33*05'W.Sunny skies outside
with some shatterred clouds,temperature a mild 23*C and the barometer at
19mb/hPa.Our Oregon Scientific weather station is predicting sunny
skies.Saw a ship at 7am this morning,a rainbow,got our lure out,Brad had
some dolphins visiting on his 3 to 6 am shift this morning.And with
that,over to you.

Paul

Flower power in the full equinox moon

Last night it was my turn to prepare supper,and armed with a secret
recipe for fishcakes,it was all systems go.First time for me and all I
will disclose that the fish I used was dorado.Have you ever had dorado
fishcakes?Decadent beyond words...ha ha ha.Served with peas,there was
not a morsel left,and it was a huge batch I made.Yummy yummy yummy.

The nearly full moon also shone down on us as the night set in,in all
her mysterious glory.Hardly a cloud in the sky,we were fully exposed to
the moonshine.And it is not just any full moon that will soon shine down
on you,it is the twice a year equinox,when the moon is closest and her
influence the most powerfull.The veil between the worlds we sometimes
speak of in hushed tones,the thinnest.The lunatics are on the loose,and
we,we just howl at the moon,from deep inside.Wild wild wild,it gets wild
out here.Wild as the wind can be at at times.

I have to watch myself,just want to let rip from the inside,and say all
I think,all I know,all I am.Poison in small doses can heal,in bigger
doses,can kill.But the path you walk is your own,you have to make your
own way,walk your own footsteps.And your destiny will find you,or you
will find your destiny.Are we the masters of our own fate,the captain of
our ships,or is it all predestined,what we are,what we see,what we will
be,what we feel.Not much technical jargon today,in fact not much of
anything at all.

Wonder what the first person experienced that discovered a
flower,blooming in a up to then fairly barren landscape.The colours,the
fragrance,the beauty,the fragile nature and structure.Was that person
left breathless,awestruck,no words to describe this miracle trembling in
the breeze.Take yourself there...yes you can.Deja'vu if you like,or
perhaps some memory stuck in the deepest crevices of your mind.In a way
you were there,you were that person,the cosmic conscienceness,the
morphic memory embedded for eternity.Did you bend down and smell the
flower,did you touch it apprehensively in complete amazement,did it stir
the first feelings of gentleness in you?Did you run and fetched your
partner and shared this amazing discovery,that will change human history
forever.Did you and your partner looked each other in the eye for the
first time,did you feel something inside welling up,did you shed a tear?

Please indulge me,I,a man,is trying to understand the mysterious power
of a flower.I am an absolute beginner,in this as in many other
pursuits.And to hide my ignorance,I would say flowers on Valentine's day
is purely commercial crap,to the great annoyance of my lovely wife,who
has to bear so much with her sometimes Homos Ignoramus of a husband she
has...ha ha ha.Thanks love ,and I send you thirteen ruby red roses.Ones
that will never fade and loose their lustre,that will shine on forever.

I a nutshell,I think today is a swell day to stop a moment and smell the
flowers,drink in all mesmerizing colours you see.I wonder who was
first,the butterfly or the flower?Anyway,you may think I suffer a bit
from moonstroke,so be it then.....Aaaaaahhhhooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!.Will
have to make sure we wear our mooncaps tonight,don our moonglasses and
rub in some moontan lotion.I lost it,lost the plot completely.

Our position at AM 09:00 UTC was 19*59'N/32*38'W.Very little wind,so
motorsailing.Have a magic weekend,take extra care,the full moon this
time of the year can have a dangerous effect,so before you do anything
you may regret later,rather don't.

Paul

Dreamscapes and other technicalities

At last we have relatively "flat" seas.Main and headsails first reef and
sailing at 6.6 kts with 15 kts apparent wind.I know some of the posts
are a bit technical,but sailing is like that sometimes,a bit
technical.Nautical terms are fascinating if you find out where the
different terms originate from.The word yacht for example is an old
Dutch word when the Dutch started using vessels for recreational
purposes,an unthinkable thing at the time in the 1700's.Then vessels
were used exclusively for trade and war.Words like galley for
kitchen,heads for your toilet,starboard for right and port for left are
just a few examples of some of these nautical terms.

There are also a lot of marine sayings i.e. never leave on a Friday,when
the dolphins come to play trouble is on the way,a red sunset at night is
a sailors delight.They all are based in history,sometimes still valid
today,some pretty obscure.The "horse latitudes" for example,an area
which we are sailing to at the moment is an area with very light and
variable winds,and without a motor you could be stuck there for
weeks.The ships of old also had horses on board who requires drinking
water and also add weight to the ship.As the water was running low,the
horses would be thrown overboard hence the name horse latitudes.

There is also for example no such thing as a rope on a boat.You might
shake your head in disbelief and say that there are all types of ropes
on a boat.How do you get the sails up,how do you tie things down and
what about all the knots one must know to sail a boat.They all have
different names and for good reason to.If,as captain I want the crew to
perform some manouvre,I can't use the word rope for every single
application.Therefore I would say that when we want to drop the mainsail
we first tighten the topping lift,a rope,check the lazy jacks,also
ropes,loosen the main halyard,a rope,and let the mainsail down.There are
sheets and lines,also ropes,all with a specific purpose.Imagine the
confusion if we only had one word,rope,for every purpose on a
boat.Mayhem would ensue.

Sure,if you sit in a yachtclub and listen to all these terms being
used,I won't blame you if it sounds like a foreign language.Perhaps you
are not interested enough in sailing to learn all these nautical
terms.But you may find it fascinating to learn where all the terms and
sayings come from.If not,that is also fine.If all you want to know is
how and what we experience out here,you won't be dissapointed.But I have
got news for you.Yes,it is beautiful out here,more than words can
say.Just yesterday we had a few rainbows,ending right behind our
boat.And yes,we can enter dreamscapes out here like nowhere else.No
mental pollution.But beauty is everywhere,right where you are there is
untold beauty.And what is beauty?Is it something that moves you,yes.Is
it something that inspires you,yes.Is it something that makes you laugh
or cry,yes.Is it something that shows that there is more to you than
meets the eye,yes,yes,yes.

I know the most precious beauty of all is inside of you,the beauty
within.It is there,always was and always will be.Look for it and you
will find it.And you will then also see it in the people around you,the
places,the trees,the birds,the rocks,even your shoes.They all have a
story to tell.And learn to love this beauty within,and you will learn to
love all the beauty outside.Learn to respect this beauty within,and you
will respect the beauty all around around you.Most of all,look for the
sacredness of the beauty within,and the sacredness of all around you
will reveal itself to you.You are far more than you can ever
imagine.Worth more than all the gold.Some artists could catch a glimpse
of it and were able to capture it on canvas,in words,in music.

Yes,I know.We are often so trapped by fear,by hatred,by prejudice,by
greed,by responsibilities.I believe a little beauty goes a long way.Find
a little inside and you will overcome your fears,your hatred,your
prejudice,your greed and will more than meet your responsibilities.You
will at last make it your responsibilty to love and to be loved.And only
to the extend that you can know and love yourself,can you know and love
all around you.We evolve,we go through uncertain
patches.Metamorphosis,can you imagine what it all entails?Is it the
butterfly that wants to keep the dream alive and lays it eggs.The eggs
becomes caterpillars,the caterpillars crawl around dreaming of being a
butterfly.Why do they?Because that what they were once upon a time.So
they spin a cocoon,and they have faith in their dream of becoming a
butterfly.And after a while,when the Great Alchemist is finished,out
crawls a butterfly,spread it's wings to dry in the sun,and the dream
lives on.

So ya well no fine,all these damn technicalities.Blah blah blah.Or as my
daughter have been taught by me,belah belah belah.

Our position at PM 01:00 UTC was 18*04'N/32*40'W.We have about 3440 nm
to go to Greece,but next and final stop,probably,will be Madeira.

Fantastic to have you aboard,even if it is just in spirit.

Standing by on 16

Paul

Leader of the pack

The strong weather has blown over at last,and in it's wake the sea is
still a bit bumpy.We are burning to throw more canvass at the wind to
make up for some lost time and will do so in the next few hours.Thankyou
for sparing a thought and a prayer for us during this testing few days
and sure you will enjoy our efforts to make it to Madeira in calmer
conditions.

Let me take you behind the scenes a bit,some inside info that I am sure
you will find interesting.At any one time throughout the year there are
at least 15 of these Leopard Catamarans on the water being delivered all
around the globe.You have some idea of how things work on this boat,the
trials and tribulations,the ups and downs,and at the end,triumphantly
reaching our final destination.Not as victors that have conquered the
oceans,but as driftwood that has reached the shore,shaped and at the
mercy of the elements.

And for every boat a competent skipper and crew must be allocated.As you
can imagine,characters from all walks of life.Some with egos as big
as,or no,rather bigger than the known universe,although I like to think
they are in the minority.I could be dead wrong.Some eccentrics,some
loners,some lunatics in the nicer sense of the word,some hell
raisers,some dreamers,some schemers,some wanderers.Some who wait for
things to happen,some who makes things happen and some who wonder what
happened.

Every boat has at least three crew members,and with every crew you also
have concerned parents or wifes or husbands or kids or girlfriends or
boyfriends,friends and other family.Yes,you get female skippers and crew
as well.One of the very best skippers I know is female and I respect her
immensily for various reasons.

And we all face storms and some boats don't have good crew dynamics.We
also deliver boats anytime anywhere.This is the nature of the work we
do.Cyclones and hurricanes,pirates,ships etc are all things we have to
deal with at different times.No,we are not expected to sail through
hurricanes,but we are expected to take heed and get out of the way and
run for shelter when hurricanes are on the way.

The person pivotal to managing this wild bunch of people and elements
and who is mother to us all is Nicky.We report to her every Monday and
Thursday,giving our position,distance to go,our estimated time of
arrival,the state of the boat and also how the crew is doing.She is the
one you when what looks like a potential pirate situation is
developing.Ask me.Towards the end of last year I delivered a boat to
India and somewhere along the route a ship similar to what the pirates
use crossed our path about four miles ahead and stopped.Not a nice
situation.My crew had different reactions,one of them really got scared
and started shivering a bit,my other crewmember changed his clothes in
case we get taken hostage.I knew there was not much we could do but the
idea of being in some Somali hide away for months not seeing my family
was not a pleasant one.I phoned Nicky and told her of our
predicament.She immediatly got in touch with Seychelles and within
minutes navy vessels were mobilized and on their way.Plan was also to
hide the epirb,a tracker of sorts and activate it should we be
boarded.She phoned us every ten minutes to check on us and keep us
informed of developments from her side.The situation really got tense
when the tuna boat dropped skievs in the water,exactly what they do when
they come to board you.It was with unspeakable relieve when we saw the
nest going out and saw that it was a legitimate fishing vessel.Close
call but proved that she will move the world to assist in any way she
can.

When crew don't stay in touch with their loved ones they phone Nicky to
find out what is happening.All she can do is give the last position
report and request the skipper to keep his satelite phone on at all
times so friends and family can stay in touch.There is not enough space
to even start touching on all the trouble she has to put up with at
times,and I only know a little bit from my side of the trouble she goes
to to look after her crew,spread across the oceans of the world,day and
night.She is the one when we get a bit lost at sea...ha ha ha...to point
us in the right direction.And when we all fly home after a delivery she
also does all the travel arrangements,and flying us in from all corners
of the globe is a huge operation in itself.And yes,she also sorts out
our payments before and after the trip.In our office in Cape Town there
is also Louis,but more about him some other time.

Nix,you are one helluva colleague,counsellor,friend and much more.And
yes,in many ways,no one of us will dispute that you are the leader of
the back.Like the Queen of old you send your boats far and
wide,fortunately not expecting us to come back with the loot,but come
back with boatpapers to say that the boat was delivered in excellent
condition.We salute you.

On our side we have now shaked a reef and flying over a still bit bumpy
sea,the aftermath of some rough weather.Our headsail is trimmed to about
third reef and we are starting to catch up on time lost taking it easy
through the rough stuff.Our position at AM 11:00 UTC
15*42'N/32*23'W.Barometer at 1018 mb/hPa.Wind about 22kts apparent,our
windvane mode on the autopilot set at 65*,rudder response on 2,and our
speed a steady 6.5 to 7 kts.Wave hight about 2 mtrs.

Should some spelling mistakes creep in,please excuse.I don't edit at
all,so what you read is fresh out of the oven which reminds me.Last
night Brad's pizza turned out extra special.One thin crust pizza with
mince and onion,lots of cheese and a touch of syrup.The other pizza was
a seafood pizza with mussels,oysters,olives,cheese and a bit of
chilli.Well done Mr.Cannon,you have outdone yourself,again.Specially
prepared to celebrate Pieter's birthday.

With that I bid you farewell till we meet again.Just passed another
sailing vessel and had some radio coms with them.They are on their way
to St.Martin coming from the Med.Nice to see another sailing vessel out
here.

Paul

Nearly through the rough weather

One more day of roughing it out,and also Pieter's birthday today,woop
woop hiep hiep hooray!Roughest birthday he's had in twenty seven
years,weatherwise...ha ha ha.On the menu,pizza ala Atlantica,produced
and performed by the one and only,the incompatible,the great Bradley
James Canon!!!!!!!!!!Yes,at sea for twenty two days now and all
well,mentally and physically.Especially the news of calmer weather
moving in sits well with us.But we won't let our guard down and will
stay alert to the last.I must say,the strong weather is testing us and
the thrill of us getting through it somehow bonds us more and our faith
in our boat has increased accordingly.Our abilities to work together as
a team has also reached new heights,our operations running as smooth as
clockwork.

Brad is getting some sleep in,Pieter is one day older,and me,I am just
smiling at all the antics around me.And why not,no reason for complaints
on this side.And our boat,she is a happy boat,going where she can
go,riding the waves like a lady,looking after us as we are looking after
her.We are of course a little tired but soon we will be at Madeira to
charge our batteries again.

Above us,at night we can see the moon is sweliing some,casting her spell
on the waves as they come rolling through.Today we are having a fair
share of glorious sunshine,fish are jumping,spray flying here and there.

Our position at PM 01:00 UTC was 14*32'N/32*01'W.

Go you well and see you on the morrow.

Paul

The great visitation

This morning,just after five,Brad woke up startled and stared wide eyed
out of the window:-"Where we going?".I was on the 3 to 6 watch and in
adverse weather I mostly sit inside and go out every ten minutes or so
to have a look around.I could see Brad was completely lost and asked
him:-"Who are you? What are you?".He has been suffering a bit from
insomnia and wakes up at all hours.And just before he has to start his
watch,he normally falls asleep.He soon realized that all is ok and
started chatting to me about this and that and laughed about his waking
up antics.He though he was on watch and fell asleep,one often have
dreams like this when you start sailing.At 5:45 he realized that I am on
watch and 15 minutes to go before he starts his 6 to 10 watch.Another
spell of laughter ensued,he was still a bit dazed and confused.

The heavy weather is here and we are doing exceedingly well.Not going to
fast our yacht finds her way between the waves rolling in,dancing
lightfooted on this shifting dance floor.Now and then she dips her
nose,or bow in nautical terms,in under a wave and spray covers the whole
boat.At times a little naughty,or not so little really,wave hits us
side on and also spills it load all over us.If you are attuned and
aware,you can normally duck into the boat when these things happen and
stay dry.It comes with time.Wind at this stage is peaking at 30 kts and
giving us just over 5kts.So yes,we are deeply reefed,a bit slow in
lighter winds but so what,can't rush a good thing.Pieter is also holding
up very well and his sealegs haven't faltered yet.

To some,water symbolizes the subconscience and land the conscience.The
ying and yang,the right brain and left brain,so many ways to portray and
try understand what we really are.We know so much,inherently,but so
often are not aware of what we know.The fine balance between being awake
and asleep,and the great worlds inbetween.The vivid scenes of
our lucid dreaming out here are phenominal.And then,after years of
trying,you find that you are awake and aware in your dreams.Not just
being swept along,but actually in control to a large extend.Dreamland
takes on a whole new dimension,and some of the more ancient cultures
also experienced this and gave it different words.And attached great
meaning to what they would find or encounter on there travels in this
dreamscape.My favorite sound in the whole wide world is whale song.It
speaks to something so deep inside,so primal,so undesrcibably moving.I
can talk a lot more about these things,but suffice to say,this morning
we had a huge sperm whale blessing us with it's presence.Showing us that
we are not alone,that all the good energy,the angels,the bubbles you
send to protect us,are with us.And that we are we are meant to be,right
here,right now.On a previous occasion I,for a moment questioned whether
there is any life out here,after a prolonged period of time on the
ocean.The thought just went out when a huge whale surfaced right next to
me.I had tears in my eyes,for no reasons that I could fathom,just
something deep within resonating with something,or perhaps the
realization that what we are as humans we don't really know,but we are
part and at one with every particle within and without.We have been at
sea now for twenty one days since our last stop,and the sperm whale
just smiled upon us.

My deepest sympathies to the Japanese,and to whales that they kill in
the name of research.

Our position at PM02:00UTC 12*59'N/31*18'W,we are about 3660nm from
Greece,400nm from Cape Verde and 1700nm from Madeira,our next stop.In a
straight line we are 1400nm from this beautiful island.Hope you have a
good one till we meet again.

Cheers

Paul

The fourth dimension

In my previous blog I discussed our heavy weather preparations and our
options which comprised of running with the weather away from where we
want to go,heaving to keeping us more or less on the same spot drifting
slowly west or motoring into the weather with a tad of headsail.

In a dreamlike state between last night and this morning it dawned on me
that there could be a fourth option.And that would be to have a third
reef in the mainsail which we don't have,combined with a bit of headsail
and slowly sailing into the weather,a much more balanced spread of
power.

I discussed it with the crew and we all concurred that the third reef
would be a great option,another weapon in our arsenal.I started watch at
six this morning and by seven could sit still anymore.Went through all
our safety lines,checked all our knots,tied down a few loose ends here
and there and started looking at the possibility of rigging a third
reef.By that time Brad was also up and soon Pieter also joined in.The
wind was at times up to 20kts+ already and time to sit around and watch
for ships while we've got plans to implement run out.With Pieter at the
helm we went on a broad reach,shadowed the headsail and furled it
in,back into the wind and dropped the main.Motoring now we turned to run
with the wind again to give us a steady platform to work from.We lashed
the mainsail down at the back where we want the thrird reef,right at the
batten and used the batten pocket as a stronghold to tie the back
down.Using a sailtie and a length of cord we managed to secure it.At the
mast we also tied down the mainsail and when we were ready we hoisted
the main.Small problem,we tied the sail down at the mast to high and
dropped it again.Five minutes and the sail was up again,but we were not
happy with our plan at the back of the sail where we tied the reef
in.Dropped the main again,lifted the boom high and tied the topping lift
down,keeping the boom raised.Once again we tied the third reef
in,slacked the topping lift a bit and voila!.Our third reef looked just
fine and we tensioned the topping lift a bit to aid the reef we tied
in,taking some of the pressure.We raised the mainsail again and it was
love at first sight when we saw this little cheeky bit of sail standing
proud against the wind.Full main takes the head of the sail to the top
of the mast,1st reef a meter down,2nd reef a third from the top of the
mast.Our 3rd reef only goes halfway up the mast.We furled a section of
genoa out to match the wind and turned back into the wind,not all the
way.That is called the no go zone as no boat can sail directly into the
wind.We keep at about 60 degrees off the wind and the results of our
efforts are very satisfying.

We are now ready as can be for the expected strong winds and the cirrus
clouds are already starting to streak across the skies,a sure sign of
strong winds on the way.We expect a two day spell of between 20 and 45
kts of wind which will surely test us,in every way.We don't care to much
about speed at this stage,safely navigating the ocean at this stage
takes priority.At least we will be going in the right direction,and when
the wind does pick up,we can easily furl the headsail to suit the
conditions.

Thanks for all the good wishes we receive,the prayers and support from
our friends and family.To my wife Lizette,thanks love for sending us
some love and light and we wish you the same.It is at times like this
that support from family and friends counts most.I know we are all
wrapped up in our own lifes to an extend and there are so many mediums
vying for your attention.However,it only takes a minute to send a small
message,and with the smartphones around nowadays,there just is no
excuse.It is at times like this that the value of family and friendship
cannot be taken for granted.Life is just too short.

By the time you read this,we will be facing big waves coming at
us,strong winds blowing through us,for two days and two nights.So spare
a thought for us as we experience the elements in all their might and
beauty and fury.We will certainly be thinking of you which will give us
the will to get through this in one piece.We have already given our
expected guest a name,Gale.Or perhaps we are the guests at her party.And
we hope she will be coming dancing not to wildly,rather a peaceful waltz
than a torrid tango.

Over and out

Paul

And the wind cries...Mary

It is gradually becoming a little colder,day by day.Very gradually,more
so at night as we sail deeper into the northern hemispehere.Soon the
fine,reddish dust of the Sahara desert will cover the heat of the sun,
a pinkish glow rising in the morning and setting at dusk.You first smeel
the sweet earth and then after a day or so you taste it.All around the
boat the dust finds a place to settle,and often with it,insects blown
into the ocean,600 miles from land.And the swallows too,but let me not
dwell to much on that for now.We'll talk about it again when we get
there.For now,we are in a different mode altogether.The area we are
entering is known as the birthplace of hurricanes,just off Cape
Verde.From here they run across the North Atlantic at about 10-16
nm/hr,gaining strenght as they get closer to the the Caribbean,sometimes
running straight through or turning up north to the Bahamas.These
tropical revolving storms turn into hurricanes when certain conditions
prevail,mostly the temperature of the water they move over.But that is
far away from where we are.Relatively.

Our weather files predicts two days of very strong weather,gale force
winds that will test us.We have the good fortune to know it will come to
help us prepare for it.The downside to knowing beforehand is the period
of dread till she arrives.We look at all our options,storm tactics for
want of a better word.No land close enough for us to seek shelter.Our
three options are sailing into it,with just a small section of headsail
to aid us and motoring.Finding a good balance and rhythm into the
oncoming swell can be not too uncomfortable.

Secondly we can hove to.It is simply backfilling the headsail by turning
through the wind without bringing the headsail over.You then have the
mainsail pushing one way and the headsail the other way,working against
each other and causing the boat to sit relatively stable,like a duck on
the water,bobbing up and down the swells as they roll through under the
hull.We practised this manouvre a few times yesterday,so theory becames
practise.Played with the angle of the headsail a bit to see how we can
place minimum stress on our rigging. So heaving to is also an option and
the crew were suprised at how stable the boat sits in this position.

Our third option is to run with the weather pushing us further west than
we planned.As we expect the strong weather to last for about two days we
have calculated where we should end up when the storm abates.We would
normally drag something behind the boat to slow us down a bit and give
us better rudder control.At these windspeeds waves of up to 6mtrs can be
expected.If you go to fast you sail into the wave in front of you,stop
for a moment and the wave from behind can sometimes fall into the back
of the boat,called pooped.Funny term for such a scary event.If you slow
yourself down to much it can also happen so finding the right speed is
also an interesting exercise.

All our options have pros and cons,and we have to see exactly what the
weather brings us before we can choose an option.It is also Pieter's
27th birthday on the 15th.Smack bang in the middle of the strong
weather.He is fine about the weather predicted.Been in strong weather
before during his sailing course with OSA just recently.Brad is a bit
apprehensive,it will be the first time for him.To be blaze about the
experience is highly dangerous.To be a little bit nervous is good,to
respect the elements essential,to fear them paralyzing.Another bar story
in the making...ha ha ha.I don't talk much about these events when I am
on land,don't compare and compete and see who survived the biggest,who
is the strongest blah blah blah.Within a small intimate circle of
friends we compare tactics,but we never boast,we have been humbled to
many times.And you are now a part of this small insider group of
friends,a view right into our hearts and souls as we prepare for whats
ahead of us.Physically and mentally we will be tested,and we will give
it our all,our very best.

Brad has just placed same cappucino muffins in the oven,so I am out of
here and will keep you posted.And Claire,thanks for giving us a glimpse
into the inside of the NICU re your comment on the previous blog.

Take care and enjoy the weekend

Paul

For whom the bell tolls...

Last night we had a close close encounter with one of the fishing
vessels that we have been spotting on the horizon for the last few
nights.Came within two miles of us before it stopped to pick up one of
their bouys and started hauling their nets.An interesting little nav
exercise for all aboard our vessel.Called the fishing vessel on the
radio,but as per usual,no response.Just to make sure he spotted us we
turned our stern,or back of our boat towards him for a while before
settling on our course again.Our stern light is the brightest,and you
won't find this manouvre in any sailing manual,but it makes sense to me.

We also enjoyed a most superb supper last night,fresh dorado
fillets,cross cut to about 15mm,and fried in just a little oil.No spices
or herbs needed to add flavour,just a sprinkle of salt and pepper.Brad
supplemented that with potato spuds,butternut and three bean salad.It
was the first time Pieter and Brad tasted dorado and they are united in
their view,the best fish they ever tasted.Dorado in a restaurant,if you
lucky enough to get it,was frozen and then defrosted before being
prepared and served to you.Not the same,so yes I guess spoiled for life
as far as that goes.At least they had a taste of the best.Don't get me
wrong,fish in restaurants is also great,and the traditional Friday fish
and chips goes down well.In London I was treated to pubstyle fish and
chips with room temperature bitters,or beer as we would call it.Also
went down swell.And yes,the poor cow now roaming the oceans
aimlessly,hope you find a new mate soon.We now and then also catch the
cow,and then the poor bull is left to fend for himself.That is the
nature of life I guess,and if you watch BBC Blue Planet and Planet
Earth,nature's ways we don't always understand.I would love to show my 7
year old daughter these sometimes beautiful scenes,but sometimes cruel
as well.But I am somehow hesitant to do this,although it will show her
another side of life which is just as much part of it,death.But the
energy,the spirit,the breath of life goes on even though the vessel or
the body will perish.And the will to live I don't think anyone knows
more about than the ladies that work at Panorama NICU.Respect to the
team that knows these things in a most intimate manner.Please share a
bit of your insights into the fighting spirit and will to live,sometimes
against all odds.I salute you.

We are enjoying a good spell of weather and sea conditions,and just as
the rough weather comes to an end,so will the good.No problem,once
again,such is life,the good and the bad.And in a way the bad is good and
the good is bad,figure that one out if you like.The eternal ebb and flow
that we see in the skies as the moon grows and wanes,the sun rise and
the sun sets,and our planet,mostly covered by ocean,just spinning around
in this finely balancing act as the seasons come and go.Sometimes she
explodes,sometimes she cracks,sometimes she's warm,sometimes she's
cold.And we,the inhabitants that share this with a multitude of other
forms of life,we also come and go,just like everything else.And for
anything to live,something must die.It is the nature of life.There is a
lot we don't know,but I think there is more we know and not always aware
of.Actually,very seldom aware of,or hardly ever.But we can learn a lot
about the nature of life and death by being aware.Death is our constant
companion,our shadow.so why not embrace it,invite it in,sit down and
dine with it.Then there won't be any more reason for fear.And in the
face of death you can stay calm and focused and have a better shot at
survival.Part of us was there before time,and the same part will be
there when time is no more.

And on this lighter note I wish you a splendid day till we meet
again.Will post our position again tomorrow.

Cheers

Paul

For whom the bell tolls...

Last night we had a close close encounter with one of the fishing
vessels that we have been spotting on the horizon for the last few
nights.Came within two miles of us before it stopped to pick up one of
their bouys and started hauling their nets.An interesting little nav
exercise for all aboard our vessel.Called the fishing vessel on the
radio,but as per usual,no response.Just to make sure he spotted us we
turned our stern,or back of our boat towards him for a while before
settling on our course again.Our stern light is the brightest,and you
won't find this manouvre in any sailing manual,but it makes sense to me.

We also enjoyed a most superb supper last night,fresh dorado
fillets,cross cut to about 15mm,and fried in just a little oil.No spices
or herbs needed to add flavour,just a sprinkle of salt and pepper.Brad
supplemented that with potato spuds,butternut and three bean salad.It
was the first time Pieter and Brad tasted dorado and they are united in
their view,the best fish they ever tasted.Dorado in a restaurant,if you
lucky enough to get it,was frozen and then defrosted before being
prepared and served to you.Not the same,so yes I guess spoiled for life
as far as that goes.At least they had a taste of the best.Don't get me
wrong,fish in restaurants is also great,and the traditional Friday fish
and chips goes down well.In London I was treated to pubstyle fish and
chips with room temperature bitters,or beer as we would call it.Also
went down swell.And yes,the poor cow now roaming the oceans
aimlessly,hope you find a new mate soon.We now and then also catch the
cow,and then the poor bull is left to fend for himself.That is the
nature of life I guess,and if you watch BBC Blue Planet and Planet
Earth,nature's ways we don't always understand.I would love to show my 7
year old daughter these sometimes beautiful scenes,but sometimes cruel
as well.But I am somehow hesitant to do this,although it will show her
another side of life which is just as much part of it,death.But the
energy,the spirit,the breath of life goes on even though the vessel or
the body will perish.And the will to live I don't think anyone knows
more about than the ladies that work at Panorama NICU.Respect to the
team that knows these things in a most intimate manner.Please share a
bit of your insights into the fighting spirit and will to live,sometimes
against all odds.I salute you.

We are enjoying a good spell of weather and sea conditions,and just as
the rough weather comes to an end,so will the good.No problem,once
again,such is life,the good and the bad.And in a way the bad is good and
the good is bad,figure that one out if you like.The eternal ebb and flow
that we see in the skies as the moon grows and wanes,the sun rise and
the sun sets,and our planet,mostly covered by ocean,just spinning around
in this finely balancing act as the seasons come and go.Sometimes she
explodes,sometimes she cracks,sometimes she's warm,sometimes she's
cold.And we,the inhabitants that share this with a multitude of other
forms of life,we also come and go,just like everything else.And for
anything to live,something must die.It is the nature of life.There is a
lot we don't know,but I think there is more we know and not always aware
of.Actually,very seldom aware of,or hardly ever.But we can learn a lot
about the nature of life and death by being aware.Death is our constant
companion,our shadow.so why not embrace it,invite it in,sit down and
dine with it.Then there won't be any more reason for fear.And in the
face of death you can stay calm and focused and have a better shot at
survival.Part of us was there before time,and the same part will be
there when time is no more.

And on this lighter note I wish you a splendid day till we meet
again.Will post our position again tomorrow.

Cheers

Paul

An unexpected surprise!

After a relative rough night it is awesome to have the sun shining down
on us this morning.The wind has dropped a bit and with that the swell is
also more gentle on us.We are up to speed again,but gradually letting
out a bit more sail.Yesterday,small clusters of a type of seaweed
started popping up here and there.It took some effort to get a piece
with the boat hook and after a few attempts we finally landed a small
piece.This morning the seaweed is coming past in big clusters.I just
dipped the boathook into the water and in no time had a nice big piece.A
difficult colour to describe,perhaps mustardy comes closest.Little
prickly leaves with airbubbles that looks like small grapes to keep them
afloat.The piece I just hooked also had a barnacle attached to it.Lots
of life out here.If you can google floating seaweed perhaps you can come
up with the scientific name for this form of life.

We also had a few fishing boats on the horizon last night plying their
trade.They have been around for the last two nights,and same as
yesterday,we sailed past some of their floats bobbing on the water this
morning.Their bright lights at night make them quite easy to spot.We
also had two ships passing us yesterday.Just had to interupt my writing
for an hour or so.As I say,a lot of life out here.I asked Brad earlier one
what he is planning for supper.He said fish with spuds and salad.I decided
to let the lure out,hoping for some fresh dorado.An hour ago our fish
alarm sounded and lo and behold,a huge dorado frantiaclly jumping out of
the water behind us,solidly hooked on our lure.The hunter became the
hunted.

Brad fiited gloves and then the battle ensued.By this time Pieter was also
out and witnessed this epic struggle,Brad against this huge green,yellow
fighting machine,one on one.I reminded Brad to keep in mind that this is a
sacred ritual and not a killing just for the sake of killing.I al;so
pointed out to them the dorado following the hooked one.Yes,they mate for
life and the partner was following closely.On closer inspection I saw we
caught the bull,the female is called,as you can probably guess,the cow.The
bull has a very square head whereas the cow is more rounded.I furled in
some headsail to slow us down a bit and Brad was getting the fish closer
and closer.We contrapted a noose to tie around his tail when he got in
closer,but when I tried to grab his tail,it was much to big and slippery
to hold onto,and still slapping dangerously.Thinking quick we tied a knife
to the end of a broomstick and used it as a harpoon to subdue this figting
beast.Soon the blood was flowing and then we could get him in,tie the
noose around his tail and drag him backwards to drown him.Brad lifted him
onto the boat and laid him down,still slapping his tail.We prefer to not
let the fish suffer unduly and,as is the case with most dorados,the only
way to really take them out is clubbing them on the head with what some
call a priest.The winch handle worked fine and within seconds the dorado
was laying deadstill,hopefully no longer feeling any more pain or
fear.Having seen this a few times before,I told Pieter and Brad to observe
how the colour changes,from a bright yellow and progressively to white
blue as it's spirit leaves the body.Brad posed for a few photos and we
will post them soon as we get to Madeira.We high fived each other,gave
thanks to the fish and to Providence,for providing in such grand fashion.

The boys are outside processing the fish and soon we will have some
sushimi for lunch and for supper freshest possible dorado fillets.There si
more than enough,and you are most welcome to join us.With that I will end
todays posting,got to get the goodies ready for the sushimi.Bon appetit!

Paul

P.S.Our position now at PM03:16UTC 05*46'N/26*48'W.If you check our position
on google earth you will see that we are due west of Liberia,about 700nm
from the nearest continent and about 550nm from the Cape Verde islands.

It's been a hard days night,and I've been working...

It certainly is getting a bit rougher out here.We have been beating
into 15 kts north easterlies and then the sea became progressively
bigger and choppier.Dropped the mainsail to 2nd reef and not a minute to
early.She started picking up and peaked at about 25 kts.Drops again and
furl the genoa tentavily out a bit more and then in again when the wind
gets stronger.The watches are going quicker as conditions are getting
more demanding and require more attention to keep us going as safe and
as smooth as possible.Also had two fishing vessels on the horizon last
night,and this morning we sailed passed some of their floats or markers
where they have their nets.

Now and then we have a wave crashing over the bow and one was a bit
bigger and splashed some water into the saloon.Pieter who was on watch
was drenched.He said he saw the wave coming over as in slow motion and
did not react quick enough not to get wet.Very fortunately for us he
also noticed that our roller furler sheet,or rope that we use to bring
the headsail in and out,was chafed badly at on spot and we could effect
repairs before it blew out on us.This normally would happen when you
want it the least,at night with 25 kts pumping.In practise it means that
the whole headsail sail will come out and cause endless
problems.Happened to me once one a delivery from China to New
Zealand,and instinctively I backfilled the headsail into a hove to
position.Using the head and mainsail to work against each other and
cause the boat to basically come to a standstill.Every piece of
equipment is now getting tested and so far we are on top of it.

I often ask the guys to helm a bit on their watches for various
reasons.It is very different helming downwind than negotiating big waves
coming in from the sides,driving up to the crest and put the boat down
gently on the back of the wave.And they just keep coming,requiring a lot
of focus and nerve at times.We were laughing today about the experience
we are having.If you sit in a bar and someone tells you how they sailed
from this island to that island,you can either just keep quiet and smile
like me or have a story to tell.Pieter reckons this is a lot of work
just to have a story in a bar to tell.I prefer to write about our
experiences so that you can hopefully have something interesting to read
and share a bit of our experience.

Pieter is doing well with the green monster but it shows up now and
then.Brad now gave a name to this monster,Shrek!I like Shrek,no,I love
Shrek,but that is probably the nicest name we could come up with.Last
night for supper Pieter treated us to Chicken ala Pasta Shells and we
enjoyed it thoroughly.My turn to cook today,goulash with spiced rice.Not
the real Turkish goulash,although I hear that is also very tasty.Brad
baked the oats cookies,although we had no coconut or bicarb of soda,it
is still a treat that we can munch on.You must get the idea that we eat
all day long...ha ha ha.Not really,but our bodies do require substinance
as the motion of the boat does take a lot of energy out of you.Passive
exercise,even when you sleep.

You take care and we promise to take care on this side.

Paul

At one with the elements

When I took over watch this morning I looked around and saw that the
skies were heavily pregnant with rain.All different shades of grey,from
dark ominous grey to the softest dove grey,it would be a real challenge
to capture all this in pencil.The wind veered and soon we had wind from
behind,speeding up gradually.Across the waters I saw the rippling effect
as the rain started dancing in our direction.I did not waste a moment to
furl in the headsail,then turned the boat into the wind and dropped the
mainsail.Closed all the hatches and upped the revs a bit.A minute or two
later and it is raining all around us,as far as the eye can
see,beautiful,refreshing rain,washing our boat clean from head to
toe.Amazing to see all the formations as the clouds can no longer hold
and the water falling from the skies.

Back to last night,Brad worked really hard to bake huge rolls,make huge
hamburger patties,fried some onion rings and chips and then the battle
ensued.We ate and we ate and we ate and ate some more.Brad won the
battle,Pieter also won his battle but I just couldn't anymore.250 g
patties just proved too much for me.It was ultra delicious and our
craving for hamburgers have been dealt a heavy blow.Stuff that food
comas are made of,but a little restless with so much protein to digest.I
was glad that my watch was fom 9 to midnight last night,giving my body
some time to recover before I went to lay it down after my watch.

We also had our first bit of stronger headwinds last night.17 kts and
with a lumpy sea,we had a little to much headsail out.Lumpy is a new
nautical term I am borrowing from Paul Rackstraw who also enjoys
following our adventures on the oceans of the world.He is the owner of a
Maverick catamaran called Catarina.He took part in the recent Mykonos
Regatta and described some parts of the ocean they had to navigate as
lumpy.Never heard it before used as nautical term and you can watch a
short video clip of Catarina on YouTube,search "Catarina Mykonos" and
you should find it.

Brad was on watch and time to learn a few new tricks.Our spec sail chart
will show that we can sail 15-20 kts of wind with main 1st reef and
headsail between first and second reef,which was how he had the
sails.The seastate however had us going a bit to hard into
"potholes",slamming once or twice and the boat shuddering at the
impact.These boats are built very strong and can take a bashing like
that,however,by furling the headsail in quite a bit more we were
navigating the swells far more gently.Obviously we had to give up some
speed,but getting there in one piece is more important than getting
there quickly.It was pitchdark and one couldn't see the state of the
sea,just a glimpse now and then when lightning in the clouds illuminated
the water for a split second.Don't get me wrong,both my crew are
excellent and I don't think any skipper could wish for better crew.Just
yesterday I observed Brad faultlessly executing the whole exercise of
getting the mainsail and headsail up in no time at all,all by himself.We
all learn all the time and some things we can only learn when conditions
allow,like last night.

We do expect some steady winds to settle in today.Sailing long distance
is not only a physical challenge,it poses challenges in many other areas
as well.It is also not you against the elements,it is you at one with
the elements,with yourself,with each other.And when it all comes
together,it is pure bliss.There is a lot of thunder and lightning in the
air this morning.We have dropped the extra piece of anchor in the water to
conduct a possible strike to the water and have also disconnected the VHF
aerial from the radio.Normally a strike would hit the aerial and run down
and through all the PC boards of our instruments.We hope to prevent that.

Our current position @ AM 07:30 UTC 02*35'N/24*06'W.Distance to go
3945nm.ETA 10/04/11.

Hope the week ahead will also be good to you.

Paul

North east south westerly winds

Yip,we are in the zone where the wind,or rather the breeze comes from
all directions,our wind instrument swinging around and around at
times.Closer to Africa the doldrums are at there widest,narrowing down a
bit closer to the Americas and then widening a little bit again closer
to those continents.A transitional phase we are going through.From
glassy smooth waters to a little bit of rodeo as small squalls comes
over and now then.Lightning up in the clouds at night looks like
explosions,lighting up a section here and a section there.The swell is
positively starting to build and rolling in from the northeast.Motoring
along at slow speed and waiting for the wind to assist our
progress.According to our grib weather files we can expect from the
northeast within 24 hrs.

Pieter lost his sealegs a little and the green monster surfaced,just
once so far,but the man is big,the man is strong.He is not green in a
bad way and hopefully he 's body will settle as soon as the swell
settles.Rodeo up and down,stop go stop go,not nice for anyone.But it
won't last forever.Pieter thought this is the way it could be for the
rest of the trip.If that was the case I told him I may consider going
back to Cape Town and try the other way 'round.No turning back
though,that would be even worse when we have to beat back to Cape
Town.We will probably take it for a while and turn back to Europe
again,and then back to Cape Town.Just stick around the doldrums it seems
till we run out of food,water and fuel.Long before that we will run out
patience though,even though we have an ample supply of that.

My tuna and potato bake mix went down just fine last night.Brad is
mixing dough.On the menu tonight...ta ta tra ta ta tra ta ta
ta.....burgers.Hamburgers!To you on land it may seem trivial,you can
have a burger just about anywhere anytime you like.Out here we have to
do the whole toot whoop whoop.We were just talking about Saul's Saloon
in Seapoint,Cape Town,where monster burgers are to be had.Brad is now
inspired to conjure up not only burgers,but fried onion rings and chips
as well.Watch out Spur,you have some serious competition.Thinking of
it,Wimpy burgers are great to as is Steers.I should stop,you may think
we are obsessing...ha ha ha.Torturing ourselves,good for body,soul and
spirit.Brad just added Mc Rib burgers to the equation,lets not go
there.I blame all this on the tuna we ate last night,Brain food.No we
are ghaving all these gastronomic fantasies.Enough of this.

Brad just aimed a potato that is not so good anymore at our tin hanging
outside,our fish alarm.He missed,again.I told him he should go and play
cricket for the Proteas.You can get in,as long as you are not better
than Greame Smith.Sorry boys,to hear that you lost,again.Well done
Sharks and to my team,the Stormers,very well done.To the Bulls,ya well
no fine.Not this time.You have to up your game a bit or get left behind.

To give you an idea of our present situation,our position @ PM 02:30 UTC
01*52'N/023*14'W.Distance still to go 3999nm.Speed at the moment 3 kts
motoring.Divide 3999 by 3 and again by 24 and we have 55 and a half days
to go at this speed.We hope to be there by April 10,about 34 days.So you
can see that we have great faith that the wind will pick up tomorrow and
send us on our merry way.Temperature 30*C,humidity 73%.

Hope your weekend was a good one.

Taking it easy

Paul