Good news on the weather front
30 November 2009 | Las Palmas Marina, Gran Canaria
Dark grey clouds and showers
Ray was up at the crack of dawn checking the latest GRIB files and happily reported that the weather system was no longer predicted to travel south but was expected to turn and head north to Gibraltar leaving our south-westerly heading clear of anything nasty...at the moment anyway. It's now 5.45pm and obviously we haven't left for the Caribbean yet. Ray has been up to the sail and rigging shop about 4 times today to see if our masthead tang has arrived but by 4.30 this afternoon the guy reluctantly advised it won't come in til tomorrow now. Argonaut got the last of the washing done and left today at around 2pm but we expect to catch up to them somewhere along the way or at the very least we'll talk to them on the radio tonight or tomorrow morning. The other boats that left yesterday were all well and comfortable when they checked in on the 'MADlantic' net this morning so we'll all continue to tune in as we go. I've contacted the weather router in Canada, Herb, to let him know we'll be tuning into him for some advice. We've also emailed Chris Parker, a weather router in Florida for some advice on waypoints that keep us in the wind and positive tides. We checked out of the EU at the Puerto Policia today at the commercial port and they stamped our passports and gave us the paperwork to show our departure. Argonaut had gone yesterday and been unable to check out at all because the police officer had a bit of an attitude problem so now they're concerned they won't be able to enter the Caribbean countries without proof of departure. If they're anything like the Bahamas I can't see them caring too much. We've filled extra bottles of water; de-rusted, oiled and collapsed the bike and packed it away, and half cleaned the hull of the slimy green mould that will slow us down considerably. So, just need to get that part fitted tomorrow, finish the hull, top the tanks with water and fuel, pay the marina and we're clear to go.