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Postcard From the Voyaging Thomasina - Dec 05
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THINGS HAVE NOT GONE TO PLAN - and why should they when dealing with the elements of wind and water. The weather on leaving the Canaries was nowhere near settled enough for a crossing, so we had a replan to go down to the Verdes and, if luck was with us, on to the Caribbean. Down to the Verdes went OK arriving at the Island of Sol at 2 in the morning (why are land falls always at night?). It became clear that the time frame for Roy and Allan was not going to be met, so they flew eventually back from Boavista to Sol then, via somewhere to home. They and I were desperately disappointed that the crossing was not on for them, but as Roy put it “sailing and deadlines do not often go hand in hand”. I miss them both. |
I have now sailed across the 150 miles to the North Western part of the Islands. The winds were so good I had to slow Thomasina down so that we would arrive at dawn at Sao Nicolau, whereI stayed for a couple of days and explored. It was a wonderful island, little tourism, welcoming people and glorious mountains in the interior.
I am now across at Sao Vincente at the port of Mindalo where I shall get some more diesel and bits and pieces, check the weather and, if all looks good, leave fairly quickly to try and make the Carribean for Christmas. Who knows? The weather at the moment looks a lot more settled that the last couple of weeks of storms and calms. There are a couple of dismasted boats here that are testament to the last mid Atlantic storm!
The pilotage around here is interesting, the charts all being very old. Quite a few of the Islands and shoals are not where they should be vis a vis GPS, and the depth charting is way out in places. I was in 10 meters of water today where there should have been 1000 meters. Puts you a bit on edge that! But as I like to quote, GPS is a wonderful tool for knowing exactly where you are when you hit something!
To add to it all the pilot book for the area is really quite out of date. Caught another big Dorado today, great fun. Also had something very big on which stripped all my line then straightened out the hook. On reflection I am quite glad that happened, anything that big can stay well out of my cockpit.
Allan gave me a Christmas cake which his wife Cath made, It has only survived thus far because I can see her mentally giving me a right telling if I touch it before Christmas. I now will not touch it as I might just well be at sea this Christmas.
On that note, a Merry Christmas and a good New year to all. I will not be sending cards this year, so 'Humbug'.
