Hi All:
Well evidently, we made it! We landed in Barbados about a week ago after taking 18 days to
cross the 2000 miles from Cape Verde
to Barbados.
For the most part it was an uneventful crossing, but we never did get the sail
configuration right for the conditions. Our much anticipated down wind twistle
rig was never needed for three quarters of the way, until after we took it
down. Then it was too windy to raise it again. But our mantra was “sail for
comfort – not speed”. At times the crossing was the proverbial “milk run”,
interspersed with periods of “frappe”.
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| Daily Position Report Postings |
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| Twistle Rig Running |
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| Twistle Rig Furled |
Sargasso weed floating about in large carpets constantly
clogged our rudder and incapacitated the self steering. Fishing was a waste of
time because of weed burying the lure. We saw next to no wild life apart from
the odd dolphin and bird – a marked difference from our 2005 northern crossing,
when we were never alone.
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| The devil weed |
We watched the sea temperature creep up from 17 degrees C in
Cap Verde reaching 28 degrees in Barbados.
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| A real mid Atlantic treat - fresh bread |
Barbados
We have been at anchor in Carlyle
Bay, outside the capital Bridgetown for over a
week, who along with about ten other boats endure constant rocking and rolling.
There is a harbour in the town center, but is amidst traffic noise, lacks
security and is not free from the effects of swell. The town of Bridgetown has grown on
us since first arriving. Initial impressions being chaotic, dirty, tired and
expensive. After a week we just think expensive. Some examples –1 litre fresh
milk/$4.5Can, 1 whole pinapple/$14C, can Campbells soup/$4C, low end bottle
wine/$20C and 1 litre petrol $3.75.
Earlier this week we rented a small car for a day ($150C) to
explore the inner island, which did not meet expectations. Apart from a few
shore line vistas, this low level island showed mainly sugar cane (rum) and
scrub. On the positive side, it is the people which make the island. They are
pleasant, polite and friendly. Genuinely nice people to meet.
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| NE shore |
The wind has not eased since our arrival, which is abnormal
according to the locals. We want a reprieve so we can make our 100 mile dash
west to the Grenadines, an island chain running north-south, which we will
follow down to Grenada, then
Trinidad. It is there we will haul out and
undertake some extensive cosmetic repair.
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| Sea horse and rider swam by the boat as excercise |
Cheers……Mike and Grace
