Swagmans Log – Day 1 – Off to a Flying (but then very wet) Start

We’d already decided to take it easy on the start line.  With 2,900 miles to cover, best not to risk a collision just to get in the pictures.  We set ourselves up with a full main and were prepared to run away before the gusting northerly winds with a poled out genoa.  The race fleet, which left 20 minutes before, all adopted a port gybe out of their start and headed off seaward.  The vast majority of the cruiser fleet copied this strategy.  We elected to cross mid line on port, and it was not too crowded, but when we found a huge Oyster plonking itself off our stern, we took advantage of the northerly wind gusts, gybed over onto starboard, re-set the pole on the other side – and off we went rocking due south at 9 knots, almost parallel to the coast.  Only a few others followed this route, as the famed ‘acceleration zone’ where winds increase by 15 – 20 knots, exist close to shore only 15 miles south.

Our course decision paid off.  Despite hitting the zone with full main and effecting, (a) broach, (b) second broach and (c) third broach and near divorce, we managed to tuck in the first reef just as a squall and its accompanying torrential downpour rolled over us.  Very very wet bunnies.

But the boat loved it all.  We topped 12 knots in the gusts and made good progress southward as the rest of the fleet disappeared in the rain behind us.

No one was more surprised than us when emerging into sunshine and then rounding the end of the island to head south west, we found ourselves in front of a goodly portion of not just the cruiser big boats, but also some of the race fleet that had left 20 minutes before!  Could not help it and took shots of the Volvo 60 that then caught up and slowly slid past us.  We did get a wave.

The evening saw us slide across the so called wind shadows existing south west of both Gran Canaria and Tenerife, but it was only for minutes that we ever saw less than 15 knots of breeze – all now coming from the north east.  It did however give us a chance to re-launch the spinnaker after a year or so in the sail locker.  Interesting – as the breeze went from 10 knots at hoist, to 25 knots once set!

The night saw us running 3 hour watches – but as usual first night out, we were all over the place and only a few hours sleep was gained by each.  Suspect I got the most sleep.  Winches rattled as reefs went in and out as the wind gusted at times to 30 knots then fell back to 20’s, and the swooping motion you feel just before the boat broaches and tries to tumble you our of your bunk, is guaranteed to keep only the exhausted wide awake.

Daylight saw us closing a position 60 miles (almost) due south of the most western Canary Island, Hierro.  Our 1200 position today which we are required to report to ARC by email, was 26 21’77N, 18 11’529W. 

It shows we’ve useful 195 miles in the 23 hours since the start, and we’re still trucking along OK.  Extended by our current speed, it should give us a 205 mile in 24 hours recording.  Average speed therefore 8.5 knots.  No engine used at all.

When Sue updates this tomorrow – we’re doing it in rotation – she’ll cover this afternoon and evening as well.

Great to be sailing and apart from morning grumps due to lack of sleep – all are fine and well.

Love from Sue, Gerry and John

JOHN ALLISON

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Swagman Log – Day 2 – Rollicking Along

Re John’s log yesterday, we had a fast rollicking ride for the first 24 hours.  The boat was rollicking, I was rollicking.  I rollicked from table to chairs, I rollicked out of the heads when the door flew open, and I rollicked out of my bed when the boat broached. The washing up after dinner (chicken curry made for me by a lass from Swansea before the start), ended up on the galley floor, the milk from the Weetabix went into the bowl one side, and out onto the floor on the other, this morning more milk washed down my shorts and onto the floorboards.  God knows what the bilge is going to smell like by the time we reach the other end.  I cannot begin to count the bruises I’m accumulating.  Gerry said he should have bought me a blow up Sumo Wrestling suit, I could have bounced my way around below.   BUT when we got the positions through for the first 24 hours, FANTASTIC, at the first 24 hour sked we were lying in 23^rd position.   In front of many of the race division boats,  what a blast, I’ve told John that temporarily the caravan and the divorce are on hold.

Wind is easier now and the seas not so large, sailed through the night in company with two other boats, but this am, cannot see them on the horizon.   The engine is running to recharge batteries, the watermaker is running, I’ve had a good sleep and I was allowed to have a shower (A girl dispensation), and all is well with the world.

Love from Sue, Gerry and John

Position as at 1200 on 27/11/2007 was 25 41.20N, 021 25.126W.  Distance run in last 24 hours 185 miles, average velocity made good of 7.7 knots.  No engine hours.

SUE ALLISON

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Swagman LOg - Day 3 - What a Blast!

GERRY PENTLETON

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Swagman Log – Day 4 – Magic and Mishaps

John back on the keyboard.  It’s been a 24 hours with  a bit of both magic and mishap in this 24 hour period.  Early morning saw us continueing WSW basically down the great circle route towards St Lucia, under cloudy skies with occasional rain spatters.  By late morning it had cleared up, and with the wind still shifting back and forth around ENE at 20 knots, we managed to keep up a goodly pace (for a cruiser with half the Canary Islands groceries and grog on board, that is). Magic boat.

The ocean around us have been absolutely empty.  No sign of any other participant – or anything else for that matter.  The three of us have settled into a lovely easy routine – lots of laughs - shared memories – stories.  Just great.  Magic crew.

Have in this period been better able to stay in a straight line with solid 15 – 20 knots of breeze and gusts over 25 knots coming from behind.  We were hopeful we might set a higher 24 hour run figure this day, but when eagle eyed Garry spotted a metre long rip in our mainsail luff around 1700 – we knew our hopes were dashed.

It was an interesting exercise sewing it up whilst strapped around the mast base………not exactly a real neat job.  Sue reefed the main to give us a chance to get at the rip and Gerry and I sewed away almost inverted, as the boat continued to rock along downwind.  It was dark by the time we’d finished, so we elected to continue through the night just with reefed main plus poled out genoa and live with the temporary loss in miles covered.

We re-sewed on the other side after dawn and then re-hoisted, but the night sail combo forced upon us proved not too bad.  It is actually a nicely balanced formula – we’ve managed to still top 9.5 knots despite us nursing the damage – but to do so we’ve two on deck at all times - so it’s meant reduced slumber all round. 

Regarding our direction which we see is at variance with a lot of the others, we’ve taken a great circle route aiming for now directly at St Lucia, whilst the race fleets stayed north and west looking for more wind, and the majority of cruisers have headed SW. We like the racers want stronger winds, but we also know there is a risk heading west relatively slowly in hitting the remains of a low pressure trough which was straddling this route.  It is breaking up, and the part that’s remained is still 600 miles south west, but as we’re unsure what conditions we’ll find if we reached it, we are hedging our bets.  So far it has worked out but there are lots of miles to cover. 

We’re hoping the Azores high now building will cause our NE winds to swing E as we get further south west, and our plan is that when that happens, we’ll gybe and get more south to duck under the remains of that trough, and finally a couple of days later, we’ll gybe again and head due west for St Lucia under spinnaker.

Well that’s at least the plan………….but hey, they are made for changing!

Love and kisses to all from Sue, Gerry and John.

JOHN ALLISON

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Swagman Log – Day 5 – Highs and Lows of the sailing life

Last night was very tiring, the boat was rocking and rolling, sleep was impossible, we were all fractious and over tired.   Some sleep in relays this morning and we are all fine.   The weather is warming up and the wind fair.    Added to the assortment of fungus deposited in the bilge in the galley, add two gin and tonics, sent flying off the worktop after preparation.  What a waste!  I’ve also smashed into the guard rail around the top of the stove and bent it inwards and for my troubles, got two more lovely bruises on my hips.  We have just espied another boat, the first for the last three days, a 44 ft catamaran.  Had a chat with then on the VHF, they have been busy catching fish, but I have decided not to cast my lures, which cost me a fortune in the UK, cause I’m afraid of catching Dolphin, my lures are so big.   Saw more dolphin today, plus flying fish and birds flying low over the ocean this far out – we’ve covered 1,000 miles since leaving Gran Canaria.   The spinnaker went up this afternoon, but a 25 knot squall with rain in it saw us trying to get it in very quickly.  It ended up with the three of us lying on top of it to stop it going overboard, and then stuffing it un bagged down the forward head hatch.

I got to add HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my younger son Robert for today.  We wish that he and elder son Alex were with us now.  Think they would find it a blast.  

They say this is not a race but a cruising in company rally BUT we are glued to the radio when the position reports come in, and either dejected and then finding we’re determined to push harder.  Or we’re elated and equally determind to push harder.   I have to keep repeating the mantra ‘we are just a cruising boat’ – but John simply ignores this view.

Our noon position today was 24 30N, 31 11W.  We covered 185 miles in the past 24 hours, with zero time under engine, so have an average VMG of  7.7 knots.

Love to all

SUE ALLISON

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Swagman Log – Day 6 – What a belter.

What a fantastic days sailing with at times sizeable waves and when on the helm and sitting on top of some of them it felt like being on the roof of a house, charging down a hill, driving a big shiny blue Mac truck!

With us making such good progress running repairs had to be done “under way” and this meant John and I up at the mast bouncing about (whilst strapped on).  We had conducted most of the repairs when John said “ be careful with that pin Gerry it’s the only one I have on board”……no pressure then !!

Had a couple of flying fish land on the boat today, with one almost hitting John on the head L

Again Sue has been a star in meal preparation albeit last night we were charging so hard and getting through squalls that it was a hurried affair - but tasty non the less.

We altered course earlier today to avoid the forecast 50 kt winds as they could really spoil one’s day…………..and more to the point may mean snack bars and cans of juice.

Stories are coming in about a boat diverting to Cape Verdes and another had a MOB but recovered him safely.

We are still sailing with excellent breeze and I’m glad to say that Mr Yanmar is only on to charge the batteries otherwise the heat in my cabin would be unbearable.  It’s just getting hotter the further south we go.

I left the inner hatch open last night and in the middle of  my sleep (if that’s what it could be called) I was wakened by a big dollop of water straight on top of me…..Sue was on watch and had taken a fair amount of water over into the cockpit during a big stern wave slap……c’est la vie.

 Our noon position today was 20 16N, 35 30W.  We covered just over 200 miles in the past 24 hours which is a superb result.  So have an average VMG of  8.4 knots.

Love to family and friends.

Gerry

Swagmans Log – Day 7 – Hunting some wind on the south side of the course

Since noon yesterday we’ve been heading south west, looking to dip that further 300 miles south before taking up a new heading due west for St Lucia.  As explained before, it’s to avoid the low that straddled our old course, and also its attendant light wind area sitting to the south of it, that makes us have to do this. 

It means by the time we get to St Lucia our course is going to look a bit like a big reverse Z – but with luck it should keep us in reasonable breezes most of the way and moving.  I don’t care which way we go to get there, as long as we go quickly!

The full sail wardrobe has now been aired.  Our symmetrical spinnaker as been  giving us  some good speeds for most of this last 24 hours, and it was only mid arvo when we needed to replace it with our Code 0 headsail to make further southing when the wind dropped under 10 knots and veered further.  Again – a super bit of mylar and tape – allowing us to make 7 knots in less than 10 knots of true breeze!

The suns got so hot this afternoon we’ve even accepted we are kinda cruisers, and hauled up the bimini.  Blessed shade – and needed – as today were celebrating our crossing of the half way point.  It seems odd.  What with hot sun, .flat sea, warm breezes, spinnaker flying, boat sliding along nicely, and us all with glasses charged and sippin cold wine.  It’s definitely not a race right now.

Our noon position today was 18 44N 38 03W.  We’ve covered 171 miles since midday yesterday, and all under sail.

Lotsa love to everyone from Sue, Gerry and John

John Allison

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Swagman Log – Day 9 – ‘Now Here’s the Rub’

Being cruisers, we were happy to say Good Luck, give them hell to the other Hanse 461 , Anteater Blues, owned by Phil and Robbie from Perth crewed with their son and three of his racing sailing mates.  (Perth being our old home town.   BUT, by going west at the start, they went south we got the jump on them and have been in front of them for the last eight day, which of course has made us work all the harder to keep in front.   At the position reports today they have caught up with us through the night, and are running parallel with us, albeit they are 100 miles further north.   We have been reducing sail through the nights as we are only one person on watch.  Now Here’s the Rub  - Do we congratulate ourselves that we have sailed so well so far keeping a racing boat with six crew at bay, OR do we go for it with just the three of us and give it our best shot.   If we decide to go for it, we will have to sail two up in the night to keep the spinnaker flying, and there are squalls forcast for the next few days.  SO – what’s it to be?  Watch this space!

Sue

Our noon position today was 17 16N 40 24W, so we covered 160 miles (ED: in pretty light conditions).  BUT we used the engine for 2 hours 30 minutes – a factor they will compute into our results.

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What it means here is that the wind has moderated somewhat from the strong gust we had yesterday, but it is still averaging 20 / 25 knots out of the North / North East.  So it would appear the trades are firmly with us, making this rally easier for most, but from a racing point of view - one in which tactics are not going to be of any use.

There is no need to choose direction any more – just get away from the island - point the bow at top end of St Lucia – and trim your little hearts out for maximum speed all the way.

Shame really.  If we’d been able to strategise and go in differing directions, it might have helped us get up in the placings, but unless they change our handicap downward, I’m not sure how well we’ll do.

At this time we’re rated at 1.077, and Anteater with its 6 man crew, rated at 1.109.  They are both high – and it looks likely they’ll make ours higher still now I’ve advised them we’ve a spainnaker.  A quick look at our ‘fleet’ gives them the following equally high handicaps:

Hanse 540 – 1.140

Hanse 531 – 1.100

Hanse 430 – 1.067

Hanse 411 – 1.020

Hanse 371 – 0.966

When you compare this with say, Beneteau 57’s – 1.068; Oyster 55’s – 1.045; Moody 46’s – 0.998; you can see they clearly expect the Hanses to fly.

Still – it’s a rally not a race.

Cleaned off the boat yesterday and the divers came and did the same below the waterline.  They reported it was slimy but not too infested with the local coral worm that can grow in this harbour at an alarming rate.  It is now as smooth as a babies bum.  Cost 90 euros.

Sue oiled her trimmers and gave both me and James from Blue Heron a buzz cut.  The girls got busy giving provisioning advice to a boat full of race boys who came back from the shops with trolly loads of beer, coke, chocolate and fruit juice.  Sara wanted to he hoisted to the mast top so we obliged.  No fear shown.   An impressed skipper and crew.  Gerry who hates heights, panicked every minute she was airborne.

And here’s a shot Sara took looking back at our deck from the top set of spreaders.  It’s a good way to see how Swagman carries her width right to the back.  Which along with underwater profile, is why we’ve so much space below and slide off surfing so easily.

You can just see me taking my photo of Sara from the left side of the jetty.  Sue’s on the winch. Those girls cleaning and loading fruit on the both behind us are Hanna and Lucy off Nooka.  Its Matt and Hanna who are going on through to NZ.

Enjoyed a nice meal last night at Hotel Santa Catalina with Gerry and Sara and then slipped into the final farewell cocktail party organised by the ARC at the shoreside Bar / Club.  Impressive free booze (whatever u wanted) right up to midnight.  This medication helped us both to ZZZZZZZZZ away despite winds hunting the boats around and we slipped off to the patter of raindrops on the deck.

Today we check out with officials, sort our a missing beer order (probably buy it from local supermarket), see Sara off, probably quiet meal tonight with Gerry, then Happy Hour at 2300 – then fireworks at 2400.  It’s nice to be participating.

JOHN

24 hours ago the wind finally clocked right round to be blowing from the north, and with it we got cloudy skies, heavy rain, and gusty winds topping 30 knots.

The swing and its gusts caused a few issues for boats in the anchorage. One Lagoon 38 Catamaran with no one on board decided to go walkabout – and was sliding out of the anchorage area and through the harbour mouth before the local emergency services could get to it.  Luckily it hadn’t touched any other boats in the escape bid - and it was boarded and soon re-anchored. 

Gerry and Sara joined us at 0800 yesterday and we all headed off to the Central Fresh Food Market to pick and cart back home our veggies and fruit.  It seemed quite a lot for produce for three people – totalled 110 euros – but worth going as we were able to pick every piece and focus on getting mainly part ripe or unripe items.

Once back on the boat we washed each piece in a mild vinegar / water solution to ensure we were not carrying cockroach eggs, dried each tenderly with paper towels, and then stored it all in layers separated by foam into three big collapsible crates as seen below. 

These veggies in the picture have been washed but not yet padded or layered.

I know it seems a lot of work, but they say this is much better doing it this way then stringing it all up in nets like they used to on yachts.  With nets, the motion of the boat plus the thin string used to make the netting invariable causes fine line bruising....and we can't have that on our boat, can we?  Or course not.

So once layerd, these crates in turn were stacked into our aft shower (not being used for purpose on trip), packed out around with maybe half the miteral water to prevent any movement, and with blinds down and door closed, we think it should prove a cool and dark area as required to extend its life.  It also makes the adjacent head smell a bit fruity.......

We’d already performed one major food shop a week or so back. 

This stuff stacked on table amounted to 700 euros of mainly canned, bottled and packaged items which we’ve already managed to hide away in cupboard, under bunks and floorboards, etc.

The additional mineral water and fruit juice arrived yesterday also.  120 litres of the former just in case our water maker fails and if the 360 litres in the tanks somehow gets contaminated.  Can’t see all this happening, but guess we’ll drink it sometime - and expresso with bottled water does it for me.

We've a further 5 slabs of beer due to arrive today - cheaper by that volume - and it will nicely compliment the 150 bottles of wine we also have stored.  And our meat order, selected last week, should arrive vacuum packed and also deep, deep frozen, this afternoon.

We’ve scoured all the supermarkets daily for long life bread but it goes off the shelves as fast as they make it.  They do these Spanish baked brown cut loaves which actually taste fine and have a use by date beynd mid December.  Only managed to secure 7 so far - but complimented with part baked vacuum packed rolls, plus Sues back up plan of mixing and baking her own (OH NO – I hear a collective cry), we should get by.

Sues still got a further 'top up' shop she’ll do today, and all that should then remain is filling the water tanks from the jetty, and food wise, we're done.  

Admittedly, Swagman’s sitting low on her lines in the water right now, but not quite low enough to be renamed U15 just yet.

Regarding boaty tasks.  We’ve got back the sewn spinnaker and with it collected some spare 12 and 10mm rigging wire with stainless bulldog connectors - just in case we get a chance to repair any rigging break. 

Just need to repack spinnaker and code 0 once dry into correct race bags of ease of use out on the start line………….

Then the diver (who should have cleaned our bottom yesterday, but didn't) should arrive to do his job.  Due to torrential rain the harbour water was dirty with unmentionalbe floating objects and as black from the road run off into this area, that he simply could not see what he was doing.  The three tides working through here since then should see it all clear out OK.

Sara leave Saturday midday for Scotland, so we’ve planned a farewell supper for the four of us tonight at their hotel, and Sue and I will slip into the end of the Official ARC Farewell Party after.  Jerry see's Sara away and then arrives to camp on boat for one last night before we're all off, so I'm guessing we’ll share a few sherberts Saturday evening as they have a big fireworks display at midnight.

But with the start next day – we should keep consumption to a moderate level.

Shouldn't we?

Well, the weathers actually done what our forecaster had predicted.  It has  begun to clock round to the west, pending a swing further to the north, from which it should blow for our start on Sunday.  Might even have some rain.

But it is looking likely we'll have downwind spinnaker start - with the resultant mayhem they normally cause.  With 240 boats all wanting to be in the pictures, and no one having brakes when spinnakers are up, methinks its one of those days when we'll not push too hard pre-start.  I'd hate to find ourselves over the line before the gun and having to do a penalty with a spinnaker up - or indeed with so many yachts crashing around, having to turn back for repairs following a ramming...........

Our route over to St Lucia is of course simple. 

From the start line off Las Palmas harbour on the NE tip of Gran Canaria at 1400 Sunday, we head south 50 miles down the east side of the island, and then turn south west and run 2,900 miles until we hit the Caribbean.  Easy peasy?

Well it's not.  

First off, the so called trade winds which allow boats to sail readily from Africa to the Caribbean are produced as a result of the Azores high.  This is a conventional weather pattern which begins to form in place end November, and settles firmly into place by mid January.  It's not quite settled yet - so even once clear of the islands - deciding on a route over will depend upon whats happended.

But first things first - just choosing best options out of the start line is complex enough.

The Canary Islands are so high they bend and modify local winds, creating some odd wind scenarios.  Each island has defined wind 'acceleration zones' – sausage shaped areas either side of the bottom of each island.  They say if we have 25 knots out of the start line, then it could well be 40/45 knots in our zone.  So from the start, do we go out eastward to sea and miss them?  Or stay in close to shore and risk them?  You choose.

Second question comes once past the acceleration zone, and hopfully pointing south at empty ocean.  One then needs to check out the prevailing wind shadows cast by all the islands.  These shadows runs for up to 40/60 miles, so to turn immediately westward and try to cross them, one has a pretty good chance of coming to a standstill in a calm patch - maybe 30 miles across!!

So one usually choses to go further south before turning.

But then also if its nightfall (which it should be), we'll see another effect where the mountains and the islands get blanketed with a still area of moist air.  As a result any winds blowing will get lifted higher over this denser air  blanket at nightfall - and the wind carried over the blanket then drops back to sea level even further south............

Plus as a final fluke is this wind not just drops vertically, but is often  deflected to circulate back north towards the south end of the islands.

Cripes!  You could find yourself in headwinds when all others 40 miles away are still sailing off downwind! 

So its only once you are clear of these local influences one then needs to review what is happening in the wider picture - where are the highs?