Peter Sport

Sailing to Faial was as hard as sailing across. We needed wind as we didn't have the engine to help us along. We got 20 knots and after 24 hours we were close to Faial but 20 Miles to the South of our destination due to a stubborn East-North Easterly wind that went up to 25 knots as we approached Horta.

Finally on the second night, as we were tacking to the island, the wind started turning North East. This allowed us to get closer in on each tack.

Near the morning of our third day out, we got close enough to sail into the channel between Faial and Pico. A short hop into the harbour and we anchored close to the marina entrance. A bit too close to a superyacht also anchored there, which proved our rescue later.

As it was now Saturday, we couldn't get a tow into the marina. But the agent of the superyacht complained and an hour later, we got a tow in from a quickly roused marina employee.

Later we did what every sailor does after arriving in Horta, so we visited Peter Sport Cafe, comitted to sailors since early last century.

Flores

The first island we made landfall on after our ocean crossing, proved to be the right choice. Flores is beautiful, has only kind people and the pleasantest tiny marina.



We had a few days to relax after we settled down a bit, so we rented a car and drove around the island. Visiting lovely towns, crater lakes and taking walks on the hillsides proved the perfect antidote for ocean tiredness.



There are a lot of people doing handicrafts and we got some nice souvenirs from them that I'm sure the people who receive them will be thrilled with. Lace, paintings, crafted objects and shells make very good gifts after long travels.



We met tons of kind people, from the couple looking for the wedding party they flew in to attend to the numerous sailors getting into the marina to Paula who catered for our every need, from cars to excellent birthday cake.

Flores has a limited surface, but it goes very deep indeed.

The log entries

So, what happened?

Well, we set out all very happy and content, with a good weather forecast and in high spirits. The first few days were nice and quiet, a bit light on the wind side but making quite good progress otherwise.

From the log:

Saturday May 23 - We covered 111 Miles in the past 24 hours. Still 1790 to go. We got the tail of an active thunderstorm over us last night, without any serious consequence. The wind is now South East 8 to 10 knots.

Then a high established itself on our path, giving strong Easterlies. The log gives an impression:

Monday April 25 - We have had to sail North West yesterday in strong winds up to 30 knots - a tough nut to crack! We covered 140 Miles in 24 hours but only gained 7 Miles Eastward. Still 1731 Miles to go.

After the high passed, we got light winds once more, but from the South East, so we got some Easting done.

But then our luck ran out. From the log:

Friday April 29 - Where to start? We can't use the engine because the gearbox has jammed. We were lucky to replace the shroud chainplate connector after we found out it almost broke in half, but we've had to jury rig the baby stay as already 7 wires had parted. A couple of awkward moments passed while the mast was swaying around only supported with the top shroud whilst getting the baby stay connector in place of the broken one.
1460 Miles remain to be covered under jury rig.

We were still making relatively good progress, until a forecast depression forced us South:

Saturday April 30 - We have advanced beyond expectation - 101 Miles in the last 24 hours. Unfortunately a depression is going to pass us down to 34° North and in order to avoid strong Easterlies we will have to head South East again by at least 60 to a hundred Miles.

A few days later, our satellite contract got reset due to a miscommunication between the phone and the provider. We still had Navtex-forecasts from Bermuda, but we very much missed the detailed forecasts.

The next week, we got mainly light Easterly to South Easterly winds. Crackers were rationed on May 1st.

It took us until May 8th to get going in the right direction again:

Monday May 9 - First day of week 4, 899 Miles to go. We covered 93 Miles in the right direction yesterday. The bad news is that the barometer is rising, 1013 mb right now and the wind is already in the North East. If we don't get any closer in the next two days, I'll call a MAYDAY to get 2 crew off and new food supplies.

The high pressure blocked our way, we were becalmed for two days. Food and water were running low for 5 crew, we would run out of breakfast and lunch in 10 days.

The log account of May 10:

21:30 Eastern US Time (23:30 local). Mayday transmitted when a ship came into view to the South of us. GMC Fort St. George replied. Transfer succeeded of 2 crew at 1 a.m. Food supplies were received but we made contact a couple of times due to no propulsion available to us. Luckily we managed to fend off and no obvious damage to us or the freighter.

The day after, the wind picked up at 2 p.m. and we sailed straight for the Azores the next 6 days.

Then the high North of us started moving toward us and the wind went East again.

The log turns dramatic:

Wednesday May 18 - At 14:00hrs we were 222 Miles from Faial. We won't make it. We will try to get to Flores, at 132 Miles distance tonight at 18:00hrs.

We ran out of wind 5 Miles West of Flores harbour. After a panpan message Flores port authority organized a tow and at 21:10 local time we were secured in the new marina of Porto das Lajes.

Despair and Joy

33 days, 3089 Miles, 1 Mayday, 1 Panpan.

We got towed into Flores just after 21h10 today after 33 days at sea, with 3 of our initial 5 crew. We are all sound and healthy, and soon will be fast asleep after over a month at sea.

I decided to call a Panpan to get us towed in when the wind died less than 5 Miles from Flores, and current sweeping us past the island. The tow went perfect and now we're in the new marina waiting for wind to set sail for Faial and repairs to rig, engine and genoa.

Thanks to all who contributed to our succesfull crossing, you are the best!