“28:01.207N 16:36.289W”

 

2,470 Miles since leaving Sandwich

 

We arrived in time for Christmas in Tenerife 26^th December 2022

 

I’ve taken the comments that I put onto the GFS tracking page that follows us when we are at sea and put them into this edition of the blog.  I have also beefed up a few of the comments and tried to correct my more glaring spelling and grammar atrocities. Of course I have left a few deliberately in order to keep the editing team on their toes. Pictured below is our course and right at the bottom are the stats for this leg, lots of motoring. I have added pictures which I can’t do at sea and I will follow up with a big picture upload once I get Jan' pictures from his phone.

Hope you enjoy; this is our 6 day trip from Gibraltar to San Miguel Tenerife.

 

Departed 1500 19^th Dec arrived 1330 25^th Dec

 

Spectra ready to leave Queensway Marina Gibraltar

 

Engine is on

Wed Dec 21 2022

We had a very good sail for the first 20 hours regularly hitting 7-8 knots but then as always seems to happen the wind headed us. Most of Tuesday we valiantly tried to tack into it but as it was getting steadily lighter, and the boat speed was down to 2-3 knots I switched the engine on at 2330 on the 20th. It is now 10:45 local time and we have been running all night. Batteries are charged up again, water maker is on and making 50 litres an hour and the gallant crew are having the first showers of the trip, Spectra is beginning to smell so much nicer.

So far, no dramas, Petr and Jan are fitting in very well and all is happy aboard the good ship Spectra.

We had a mad amount of shipping coming out of the Gibraltar straights. Crossing the shipping lanes under sail was let’s say interesting, but we managed it without incident. No Orcas but lots and lots of dolphins. Jan has taken some really good pictures which I will upload when we get ashore.

My turn for a shower now so I will sign off now…

 

Back on course and the engine is off

Thu Dec 22 2022

The morning of day three arrived with the sunup and a gentle North easterly breeze. Yesterday we finally switched the engine off at 1815 and have been sailing ever since, albeit slowly. With all white sails set we are managing about 4.5 knots, but it is in the right direction. The only real incident so far was when Petr had to get me up at 0500 to shift all of the sails onto the other tack the wind had been slowly shifting all night and so by small increments, we ended up heading for Madeira again. We took it nice and slowly, first gybing the mizzen and main, before tying them back down with their preventers. Then the stay sail came over and then it was time to furl in the foresail before shifting the pole onto the other side and then pulling it all out again. All in all, it took the best part of an hour to get everything reset and ourselves back on a course again. It was worth it though as the new course was directly heading for Tenerife so happy days. Petr did his first long watch, 4 hours, on his own last night, and it all went well. Jan also did his first solo night watch, 2 hours, last night and we are all alive this morning so it must have been ok. I am sleeping fully dressed in the saloon in order to be there if needed. At the moment I am averaging one call up per shift so not much quality sleep for yours truly at the moment.

I am making lunch today, Spanish omelette and just to be flash I am also making fresh bread which is also rising (I hope) as I type.

Dolphins still join us on a regular basis and the fish still fail to bite my hooks so no change there then.

All is well with the world…

 

Mums Birthday

Thu Dec 22 2022

We put some flowers into the sea to remember Mums birthday today in the following position 32.41.159N 10.59.06

I much prefer to remember Mums birthday than the day she died, be positive remember happy moments and do not dwell on the sad ones.

I’m also glad Sue, my sister, and I made the decision to scatter Mums ashes in the sea. That way wherever the family are we can feel close to her by just finding a patch of water. This year I was sailing near Morocco and Sue was in South Africa but we were all connected.

 

Happy birthday Mum, sorry about the baggy pants but I had been up all night. Xx

 

Ships that pass in the night

Fri Dec 23 2022

Still all ok this end.

We had a large tanker called Afnia Malacca, 183 meters, come up behind us yesterday. After tracking it for 30 minutes and with only 30 minutes to go to a closest point of 50 meters I radioed them up. Instantly we got a very pleasant response, the nice man on watch told us he had us in sight and he would alter course to keep well clear. He eventually passed us with two miles clearance and Norma gave him another call to say thanks, his response was, “no problems, Happy sailings”. On Jans 2000 to 2200 watch we had a fast-sailing boat, ‘Masarrati’ buzzing around us. We only got sight of its lights, but it was 21 meters long and doing 23.2 knots which compared to our 5 knots at the same time was pretty damn impressive. It shot past our stern three miles away and then an hour later reappeared and crossed our bows about 5 miles ahead.

We checked the generator yesterday and that is all working fine giving us another tick off the to do list. We also put the big Asymmetric sail up for half an hour this morning. Unfortunately, the wind was dying, and it had to come down again before Jan got to see it as he was sleeping off watch. Engine is on again now and we are heading for Tenerife at a stead 6.5 knots meaning a Christmas day arrival is back on schedule. The only other point of note is that I had my first attempt at baking bread yesterday and it didn’t turn our too bad if I say so myself. It was a bit flat but tasted good so I’m chalking that up as a success.

That’s it for now - shower day again - happy days!!!

 

Whales, Dolphins, Sun fish, Turtles and the wind dies

Sat Dec 24 2022

After a 24 hour sail the wind as predicted finally came round to the front of us and then died to low single digits. I didn’t want to, but the engine was finally put on at 11:15 yesterday morning. It is now 11:30 on the 24/12/22 and we have been running under engine for 24 hours. Upside - we should be making a lot of good mileage in the right direction, down side - It is sooooo boring!

To lighten the day, we have had our regular collection of dolphins coming over to play. Last night I watched one for nearly 20 minutes silhouetted by the phosphorescence in a ghostly shadow as it darted back and forward beside us. We also saw a little turtle paddling like mad to get out of our way and we had a small group of Pilot whales come over to investigate us. This caused a moment of concern as we thought the black body and different shaped fin might be another visit from the hooligan Orcas. Another point of interest was a large Sunfish swimming along on its side, very strange creatures those.

Yesterday’s 24-hour run was a measly 123 miles as we were trying to sail for most of it under quite light winds. Today’s run when, I calculate it at 1500, should be much better and a glance at the chart shows us just about abeam of the northernmost point of Lanzarote as I type.

We had a spring-cleaning day yesterday, washed the decks down and aired the spinnakers and rope lockers which were all damp. We had to alter course for large tankers a couple of times but nothing dramatic and we are simply bob, bob, bobbing along eating up the miles to Tenerife.

 

Ocean swimming

Sat Dec 24 2022

At 1500 local time today we hove the boat to (stopped it in the water using the sails to cancel out forward movement) and went for a swim. At least Petr, Jan and myself did, Norma took one look at the depth which was 3.5Km at that point and decided that she would be lifeguard for the day. Actually, Spectra was at an absolute dead stop in the water allowing the three of us to splash around in the Surprisingly warm water for 15 minutes before we got under way again. Petr was very European and stripped down to the buff before leaping in which caused Norma to come over all unnecessary. There just not happy unless it is all swinging about are they. Anyway, he has his pants back on now, so all is well with the world.

Until next time……

 

3.5 Km deep and we have a swim on a calm day.

 

Merry Christmas and we catch a very big fish

Sun Dec 25 2022

We had a quiet last night motoring across a flat sea. Norma has decorated the cabin for Christmas and the Turkey is defrosting. Just as the light was fading we caught an 8kg Mahi Mahi. After doing the necessary we now have replaced the space in the freezer with big fish steaks. I divided it up into big 3 person portion sizes (Norma doesn’t like fish) and we ended up with 9 of those. I’m guessing we have enough fish for the first two weeks of the crossing now. To say Jan was excited would be the understatement of the week he was grinning from ear to ear and proclaiming this trip as the best experience ever.

It is now Christmas day and we are motoring between Tenerife and Gran Canaria expecting to arrive in port by 1400 where we will have our Christmas dinner on the aft deck table.

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas and we will call before the end of the day.

 

Spectra ready for Christmas while still at sea

 

  A proud fisherman

 

Incidentally I have offered Jan the part of my body double for the action scenes in the film Share the dream 2

 

And the good bit afterwards

 

Christmas day update on Boxing day morning

 

Mon Dec 26 2022

We did in fact arrive at 1330 and called the marina to let them know that we were coming in. I got a rather garbled reply that we would have to wait until after 1500 to see if a berth was available. I told him that we had reserved a berth to which he replied after 3 you call back. Figuring that as it was Christmas day a junior bod had been left in the office while the managers had lunch and it would all get sorted we hove to again and waited. At 3 Norma radioed them and was told our berth had been given away as we hadn’t arrived before 3 on the 24^th. She replied. Much more calmly than I would have that we had confirmed by email with them that we would arrive between the 24^th and the 26^th depending on weather and they had agreed. A long pause ended when the manager said we sent you an email yesterday, to which Norma replied, again, way more diplomatically than I would have, that sending an email to a boat at sea was not going to get read until they got into port so that is rather a pointless exercise and doesn’t really count. Another pause ended with them saying, come onto the fuel pontoon and we will see what we can do. Long story short after a lot of messing about we got a berth in this very busy marina and finally got to relax and have our Christmas dinner. Norma, already the hero of the day, compounded her heroinesness by producing a full turkey dinner which was traditional for me but a new experience for Jan, German usually Goose in his home, and Petr CZK usually Carp in his home. Their first taste of Turkey was proclaimed a success, after beer and wine all was well with the world in Spectra’s little bubble at least.

 

Mileage runs on the rhomb line are:

Day 1 137 miles

Day 2 108 miles (huge dog leg while tacking)

Day 3 121 miles

Day 4 123 miles

Day 5 151 miles

Day 6 130 miles

Actual distance sailed through the water was 811 miles

It was a slow and sometimes frustrating journey as the winds were light and often on our nose meaning long tacks to get position or motoring for extended periods. But we got here, the crew were excellent and I would happily sail with both of them again. Spectra as always did her part and both Norma and myself enjoyed the ride.

Next we will say goodbye to Jan and Petr on or before the 28^th and then greet Hannah on the 29^th, then Shaun and Rob on the 30^th. After a quick hello we will be of to Antigua…..

 

  Tenerife alongside