first start Wednesday, May 12, the hold is full, repairs finished. Fabrice has made its mark on board, announced the winds are not very favorable and strong enough: east 20 knots for 3 days. After nearly 30 hours, with a wave strong enough, the forestay (the cable that connects the bow to the top of the mat, surrounded a tube that holds the headsail) stands at the front carried by the sail. Within ten minutes the sail is doused, placing the releasable stay to relieve the mast and the forestay shall be attached by ropes to the front. The genoa is a little damaged, we will at a later sailing. We decided to return the engine to prevent excessive pull on the mat. In conclusion we thought lucky enough that this happens to us after 150 miles and not in the middle of the Atlantic. We thus arrive the next day, Saturday at 4 am to Marigo (St. Martin). 4 hours after sunrise to make the most of things during the day. Grace our friend Alain (an old hand of the veil), which guides us for repair, the tube is repaired Monday (May 17) and the boat is ready to go. We take advantage of the next morning to finalize everything and we start in earnest Tuesday, May 18 at 14:30. Winds are a bit more favorable, less powerful and better oriented (east-southeast).
1,2,3,4 days close was expected and we expected that. The boat is wet, it can not dry the business, it moves and you sleep poorly. In addition to our course (25-30 °) is not motivating, it should be the 45th to arrive in the Azores. At this rate we can hope to arrive Newfoundland in ten days ...
5,6,7 th day closer still, and it was not planned, suddenly it starts to get heavy and morale is low. We imagine already Azores spirit to enjoy steak fry. On Monday 24 the wind shifted a little and advance for the first time since the beginning, go straight to our destination, by cons is always near.
eighth day, Tuesday 25, the wind and the sea is calm, it is always near. We take advantage of the business to dry, ventilate the boat and make a good meal in the evening: foie gras, duck confit potatoes and a bottle of good wine. It's been a lot good morale.
9th, 10th and 11th days, the wind is carrying it's really nice, it's fine, we shower, we wash, we continue to dry business. Little surprise: a sea turtle just say hello. It makes even our first personal weather forecast: lower barometer hectopascal 1026 to 1015 in 24, this is not huge but enough to announce a depression. Note also all the hallmarks: the passage of warm front, then the cold front and winds west-northwest and then west-southwest. It blows at 20-25 knots but the shot is moving fast, 150 miles per day.
12th and 13th days (29-30 May). A large cloud system passes over us. Wind is variable, but not too strong, between 5 and 15 knots. It affects nearly all speeds, passing near the downwind in no time. It is very humid, it's raining and visibility was very low. We spend much of their time indoors, the boat being set to walk alone.
14th day I woke up and I'll make a move to the front with Fabrizio put the rope on the reel drum genoa. There is a close and the wind blowing at 15-20 knots. Everything is going well. It returns to the cockpit, I just left it to eventually start in front, Fabrice rule the reel. All of a sudden we empannons in less than a quarter of a second Fabrice is very violently ejected by listening to the GV in the cockpit. In less than a second I'm on him by asking Julian at the helm of the boat and managed to roll up the genoa. Fabrice is on the floor, half unconscious with blood on his head. My first reflex is to look at the condition of his skull. "Good news," the injury does not look serious but still important: an opening of 1, 5 cm by 4 mm in depth just above forehead. I put my finger on it, the blood does not seem to sink slowly back and Fabrice conscience and said he was very sore right arm. He looks groggy, but not in danger. I look at his arm, 'there is no fracture but his wrist is already starting to turn blue. Manu and Oliv inside preparing the first aid kit. I detach Fabrizio, who still had his harness and we go home. All this happened within 2 or 3 minutes. The sea is quite choppy, the swell comes from all directions. It stays out with Julian to handle the boat while others care Fabrizio.
In conclusion, more (much more), fearing that bad. It was decided steri strip to put on the wound to the skull. Stitches would probably have been more appropriate but it is impossible to do anything with the swell, and ultimately it worked very well kept. His Grip does not seem broken and he tartine Ernica. Also in the battle we will have lost our spinnaker pole (how? No idea). As
to relieve us, the weather reappears in early afternoon, after 3 days covered. Dried whole, we take the sun, we wash. The sea and wind are calm, 2 or 3 groups of dolphins pass near the racket. We open 2 bottles of wine and the other 2 boxes of duck to "celebrate" the return au calme et oublier la frayeur de ce matin.
Mardi 1er juin, 15ème jours, le temps est encore super agréable, vent arrière de 15-20 nœuds, un peu de houle mais on est au portant et on ne la sent pas. On en profite pour s’occuper du bateau : réparation de la BLU, couture sur la capote de protection et le lazybag, plein d’essence, lessives, douches… Le vent forcit en fin d’après midi, contrairement à la température que faiblit fortement, et on commence vraiment à avoir froid.
16ème jours, 150 miles, on avance vite. Le vent est toujours portant avec une composante nord, on avance au grand largue à 6-7 nœuds. En fin de matinée la houle se lève avec des low of 3-4 meters and increasing wind a little. Around noon the swell became stronger again and we see appear lows of 5-6 meters. We prepare the boat, the genoa is rolled, you put the jib No3 (equivalent to a storm) on releasable stay. An hour after the sea is very high (waves of 5-6 meters) and wind increases to 35 knots, it is impressive to see these mountains of water moving. The boat performs well, we advance to 6-7 knots with the jib and the mainsail No3 minimized. The interior is prepared and cooked rice is made for the evening, just in case. Breaking the pass near the boat and a lack of surprise but we Jul anticipates the bar and it is taken from the front: a fair amount of water enters the boat but we're tied and completely closed the hullabaloo. I decide to go and prepare myself in case it worse. Pants, t-shirt, polo shirt, fleece, bote, waxed full gloves. I go out, Julian, always at the bar tells me that the wind has subsided slightly, as the swell. Indeed, after two hours, we go back to 20-25 knots of wind with a sea that is more dangerous. This will not last long, just time to show us what a gale in the Atlantic: it is impressive. Oddly one has reminded all that some boats face it alone on board, or worse by two with one or the other with sea sickness ... and often they do not have our age. The gale is completed ahead slowly but the cold wave and we are passing a very bad night.
17th day, Thursday 3, the wind is always present, it is moving fast. We are missing 170 miles to reach Flores, the island's most westerly of the Azores. It is hoped to arrive the next day before dark. The big question is: is there a marina on the island? Or rather we can t ask quietly to port, shower, sleep soundly based ... the guide, which dates from 2003, there is a marina project being built but nothing more. This will be the surprise. The wind turns and you end up downwind in the early afternoon, sails scissors. We remain vigilant, we remember the gale of yesterday ... the wind and wave power but the boat is good, we move quickly, 6-7 knots. The wind continued to gently force, from the second quarter as a result of the swell, the boat is hardly tenable downwind and cross it becomes very very sporty, and the sound of many jibes prevents us from sleeping. At 4 o'clock, when the wind is blowing at 25 knots we decided to lower the main sail and walk under genoa alone. It was the right choice, it is also rapid and the boat is much better. One would deal with it before! It was the toughest quarter for Fabrice and Olivier. Like what, even 100 miles from the finish, you must always be vigilant.
We arrive on June 4 at 18h in Flores, the ribs are wonderful: big cliffs several hundred meters, very green with many waterfalls. We arrive at anchor, without marina, it inflates the schedule, we throw ourselves on the first Bar-Restaurant ...
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