“36:08.08N 5:21.309W”

1,659 Miles since leaving Sandwich

All change with the trip plans 15^th December 2022

We had some really bad news on the 6^th of Dec in that our good friend and loyal crew mate Chris is ill and will not be able to join us for the big trip. Both Norma and myself were both knocked for six by this news and have both been really worried about Chris and of course Julie. Latest news is that he is very sick but it’s not life threatening so that’s something at least. Obviously, Chris will not be up to an Ocean crossing now and he will have to sit this one out with the fat kids on the bench and join us again in the sun when he is better. Looking forward to that already. 

After the Morocco debacle we flew back to the UK to spend some time with our children Gemma and Tony, and of course the grand children before Christmas. All is well with the family, and they are all doing very well with their various ventures, I of course take full credit for their every success, (Norma helped). One point of note was that Gemma has increased her family group by the inclusion of Magnus, a five-month-old Rhodesian Ridgeback. He is a lovely big dog and very well behaved for a baby, but he did rather take a shine to me in a very inappropriate way. I spent the week being sniffed in places that just should not get sniffed in public, chewed every time my hands came out of my pockets and what he did to my left leg on several occasions still makes me tearful, just thinking about it.

Magnus Macdonaldson – inappropriate sniffer and serial leg rapist

Yesterday we flew back from Gatwick after getting out of bed at 0330 in the morning and being driven by a very sleepy Tony to the airport. Norma had planned everything and with our hold bag stuffed with foody bits for the big legs ahead we boarded the flight direct to Gibraltar. Due to land at 10:30 we found ourselves looking down at a thick bank of cloud interspersed with violent lightning strikes as we circled the rock. After circling for an hour without a break in the weather the pilot informed us that the airport was closed and that the storm was heading towards Malaga meaning that we couldn’t divert there either. The next option was Seville and that was where we headed. We landed in Seville about 20 minutes later in the pouring rain. The bags started to get off loaded and then the baggage crew were diverted to attend a scheduled flight arrival. The end result was that we sat on the tarmac for two hours looking at our bags getting soaking wet in the pouring rain. The crew did make many calls to try and get the bags moved but to no avail. Eventually we were disembarked and put on coaches for the three-hour drive to La Linea. On arrival we had to walk across the border in the still pouring rain and catch a bus to the marina. Eventually we got aboard Spectra at 7pm some eight and a half hours late, soaking wet and with bags of soggy clothes.

Amazing what a good night’s sleep can do. I awoke this morning all bright eyed and bushy tailed to find a pool of water in the forward companionway. Then I noticed the electricity had tripped, then I noticed that gas had run out, then I noticed that the rain was absolutely hammering down outside, did I mention that I hate living on a boat sometimes. I walked the 1-mile round trip to the chandlers to get the gas bottle refilled before walking the 2-mile round trip to the shops to get another load of food for the trip, all in the rain of course. By the time I got back to Spectra I was late for an appointment in the lounge bar to meet Jan one of our prospective crew for the trip to Tenerife. Norma had contacted Jan, from Germany but temporarily based in La Linea, via face book initially as a possible Atlantic crew.  As it has worked out after putting our feelers out, we are now full crewed for the Atlantic crossing, so we are offering Jan a trip down to Tenerife. He hasn’t got any sailing experience but is young, fit, well-mannered and keen to learn ergo a keeper. Luckily enough he seemed to like us and the boat as well and we are now all set for him to move aboard next Saturday afternoon. We also have Petr from the Czech Republic flying in on Saturday to join us on Sunday. We contacted Petr via an ad in crew seekers. He is a day skipper and keen to increase his sailing experience. As Petr is using his Christmas holidays for the trip, he is a perfect fit for the run down to Tenerife. We had several email exchanges with Petr followed by a WhatsAp video call. All seemed to gel and that makes four for the 750-mile trip. We plan to leave at lunchtime on Monday 19th December and if we have a good run we will get to San Miguel on Christmas eve, If we don’t have a good run we have Turkey in the freezer and it will be Christmas dinner at sea which will be a new experience for us all. I will of course take the opportunity to say, “Gawd bless us one and all” should we find ourselves having a floating meal.

Robert (Rob) from Kent a very good friend of Shaun’s who has one Atlantic crossing under his belt already, has been in contact and again after a few messages back and forth we had a video call before welcoming him to the team for the Atlantic crossing. With one berth still vacant we had been having conversations with various people. Hannah from Belgium who is currently located in Lanzarote and has some blue water sailing experience came to the fore. After the now obligatory messaging and video call she was also welcomed to the Atlantic crossing team.

To summarise:  Gibraltar to Tenerife – depart planned for 19^th December – Norma, Petr, Jan and Myself.

                                Tenerife to Antigua – Depart end of December – Norma, Shaun, Robert, Hannah and Myself. 

No disrespect to any of the above but I still wish Chris could be with us but sadly that is not to be this time. As I have said before we will see him in the sun and there are plenty of ocean trips to come next year when he is hale and hearty again.

It is now Thursday night and still pouring with rain. The next few days are going to be mad busy. I just hope the rain goes away and we can get on with the preparation without getting soaked every time we set foot on deck.

Until next time Adieu …………….