09/12/2006, En route to Capetown
As we approached the Cape of Good Hope accurate weather information and news from home became very important to us. Much to our delight, we were able to communicate with Herb in Ontario and Scott in Halifax all the way to Capetown.
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08/12/2006, En route to Capetown
This part of the South Atlantic had an abundance of sea birds. The shearwaters were our constant companions, and we had frequent visits from grey-headed albatross and Mother Carrey's chickens.
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06/12/2006, En route to Capetown
There's nothing like an ocean voyage for catching up with current literature. After 42 days at sea I finally read my way through the backlog of Red Journals on board.
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05/12/2006, En route to Capetown
Raoul's all happy after catching the noon sight. Celestial navigation provided hours of fun and the occasional correct position.
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23/11/2006, En route to Capetown
We carry 450 liters of fresh water and have the ability to collect rainwater under way, but a bucket of saltwater in the cockpit, also known as the cruising man's Jacuzzi, is hard to beat.
I became less of an enthusiast as we sailed into the higher latitudes and temperatures dropped.
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07/11/2006, En route to Capetown
Raoul is holding up a sign with our longitude. We celebrated by opening a bottle of orange liqueur from La Palma, and made sure we gave Neptune some as well.
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30/10/2006, En route to Capetown
We experienced very light winds with the occasional squall. Our cruising chute, the biggest sail on board, was much in use.
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25/10/2006, Praia, San Tiago
All fresh produce bought at the Praia market had to be inspected and washed before coming aboard, in case of roaches or other creepy crawlies. The dinghy makes a good quarantine station.
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24/10/2006, Praia, San Tiago
Tonaka is a friendly fisherman who looks after visiting yachts and their dinghies. Here he takes charge of Archie, our trusty inflatable.
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19/10/2006, Tarrafal, Sao Nicolau
As a baking novice I was so amazed after turning out these two loaves; I had to take a photo. Just as well, they did not last long!
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14/10/2006, En route to Sao Nicolau
Raoul caught this beautiful Dorado shortly after sunrise. Lightly battered and fried in olive oil it made a delicious breakfast.
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13/10/2006, En route to Sao Nicolau
Hand steering has its disadvantages as I found out when a stray wave found its way into the cockpit. Jim, our Aries wind vane seen in the background, is having a break while Raoul trims the sails.
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11/10/2006, Sal, Cape Verde Islands
We were happy to drop anchor after a week on passage. Angelika and Gerd from Germany invited us for dinner aboard their boat where we met Connie, their charming cruising companion.
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08/10/2006, En route to the Cape Verde Islands
Breakfast anyone?
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06/10/2006, En route to Cape Verde Islands
Our daily skeds with Scott and Herb on the HF radio are an important part of our day. It is good to receive messages from family and friends and talk about life on board. Here Raoul shares a joke with Scott.
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30/09/2006, Santa Cruz, la Palma
There is always a number of small jobs that need doing. Raoul modified our dodger (spray hood that protects the companion way and keeps the person on watch dry in bad weather) using a hand-cranked sawing machine.
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21/09/2006, El Paso, La Palma
We've had a great time ashore with Gesine and Gerhard, Raoul's aunt and uncle, at their beautiful holiday house in El Paso. Relaxing in their lush, tropical garden, and sleeping in a proper bed have given us lots of energy to get on with the few boat jobs that need doing before the next leg of the journey.
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16/09/2006, Enroute to La Palma
Less than 100 nautical miles to go, on what turned out to be a very pleasant 6.5 day passage with steady NE trade winds. Note the lanyards on our glasses, a necessary precaution, after Raoul lost a pair overboard.
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11/09/2006, Enroute from Azores to La Palma
This was one of the most dramatic sunsets with Pico (the highest mountain in the Azores and Portugal) as the backdrop.
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10/09/2006, Praia da Vitoria
We've had a few overcast days, and the beach is deserted.
Soon we will follow the sun south, to the Canaries, with a brief stop in Madeira if the winds serve.
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