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!

Across again

Our last stop in the BVI is Anegada. Low island of sand and brush, paradise of birds, sea and sun.





No messages for three weeks, so perhaps we can dream of what we leave behind...

















Tomorrow we're off for Faial, 2200 Miles on, to Europe!

Rhone diving

It was a dive I'd read about and it was supposed to be special, so after some inquiries I went with BVI Dive to the wreck of RMS Rhone. We had to get a permit to use one of the national park moorings, so I went to the park office and handed over my 12 dollars to a slightly disorganized but very cheerful lady at the counter. We anchored over at Peter island and in the morning motored over to Salt island, where the Rhone was wrecked about 150 years ago.



The dive was very well organized, and we went down two times, first for the bow section in about 25 meters and then the stern section, a bit shallower next to the rocks where it floundered and about 300 passengers met their deaths.

And it was awesome. Barracuda, sharks, huge lobsters, huge coral reef fish, it has it all. Two swim-throughs into the wreck with fish and lobsters hiding inside. And endless parts strewn across the ocean floor, some recognizable and some just coral encrusted bits of metal.

Just before the second dive, rain had started pouring so we went in and stayed just below the surface for a minute or two, watching the rain splashing down in the water above us. It is a very nice sight, especially in such nice warm water at 27° C.

So the diving in the BVI proved first rate, as the snorkeling already had. It was an excellent diving experience to conclude an already wonderful cruise in the Caribbean aboard Victor Too.

Goin' home

After the lonely beaches of Anguilla, we've come to the last stop of our Caribbean circuit. Very touristy, with hundreds of charter boats. We manage to squeeze into anchorages, albeit sometimes a bit awkwardly. The beaches are fine, the sailing excellent.



The first items on a list of things to do before we leave for the Azores are being tackled. It isn't a very long list, we've been doing this for a while now. Just a few more days of cruising, relaxing and sampling the local cooking and we'll be heading across the big pond again.

The crew has smoothly filled up and we'll be crossing with the five of us. We're preparing for the extra people on board. The last few bouts of snorkeling and some more turtles, rays, lobsters and barracuda. One evening snorkel with my dive lights we had an eagle ray whizzing by at very close range.



The BVI is a very nice cruising ground, something to come back to. So many bays to be explored, so many islands. They'll have to wait for us to come back one day, perhaps chartering out of Road Town or a nearby place.

So we head for Village Cay Marina, where we'll pick up our crew and get supplies, and seek that weather window that sets us off across to yet another string of beautiful islands, much closer to home.

Routine

It's a bright morning and we decide we want to be Somewhere Else. The boat has been tidied and nothing will fall over if we heel. Ingrid takes the anchor winch stick while I start the engine.



I walk forward to help with the anchor chain safety. We always attach a hook to the chain to prevent the forces from being transferred to the anchor winch.



I take the rope with me to the cockpit to secure it. Meanwhile, Ingrid has started winching the anchor in. I help her by motoring forward slowly.



After the anchor is up and secured, we sail off for our next destination.



After a hard sail - the Caribbean, you know - we arrive and Ingrid walks forward to prepare the anchor. She stands ready while Paul positions Victor Too.



The anchor goes at the right spot and we let out 10 meters of chain, then wait for the wind to make the anchor grab. We let out more scope and secure the chain.

Then, sometimes I snorkel to check on the anchor. But when we can see the sandy bottom, this isn't necessary. Only once we've had to re-anchor, and once I have had to reverse afterwards to make the anchor dig in. So we're quite pleased with our Manson anchor.



After all the cruising, we deserved a drink!

Snorkeling

Awe

First I was stunned. I was looking at a huge fish. It was 1.5 meters long and it was floating in the water. We were snorkeling off Creole Rock in French St. Martin. There was a good deal of coral and many schools of fish, angelfish, sergeant majors, surgeonfish, the works. Then I stared at its head as I circled it slowly. It was a barracuda.

Anxiety

It was not just a barracuda, but the biggest monster I have seen to date. It was floating about 30 cm below the surface and it was so big I squeezed Ingrid's hand and whispered "barracuda" in my snorkel tube. We positioned ourselves to its side and a bit further away, to get a good look and also not to attract attention to ourselves.

Escape

The head of this fish was so big, my whole hand would fit in its mouth effortlessly. I imagined it was pure luck that it wasn't feeding or we may have suddenly become prey. We watched it intently for a good ten minutes as it seemed to rest between the coral heads and apparently unaware fish swam around it. After a while I figured it wasn't going to attack us, or it would have already done so. So I started backing away slowly, holding hands with Ingrid as we exchanged glances while keeping an eye on this monster of the seas. We successfully got away and regretted not having brought the underwater camera Ingrid's brother had bought just the day before.