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SailBlog

Vessel Name: Reflexion
Vessel Make/Model: XC38
Hailing Port: St Helier
Crew: Graham Cole and Ian Miller
About: Two Old Farts crossing the Atlantic
30 January 2019 | Gatwick
20 January 2019 | 17 13'N:53 56'W, Atlantic
20 January 2019 | 17 13'N:53 19'W, Atlantic
20 January 2019 | 17 13'N:53 19'W, Atlantic
19 January 2019 | 17 15'N:51 44'W, Atlantic
17 January 2019 | 16 42'N:42 12'W, Atlantic
17 January 2019 | 16 20'N:40 06'W, Atlantic
17 January 2019 | 16 20'N:40 06'W, Atlantic
17 January 2019 | 116.38 'N:31.22 0'W, Atlantic
15 January 2019 | 16.74 0'N:42.53 0'E, Mindelo
07 January 2019 | Mindelo
04 January 2019 | Lisbon Airport Hotel Tryp
03 January 2019 | Heathrow T3
31 December 2018
Recent Blog Posts
30 January 2019 | Gatwick

Land Ahoy

20 January 2019 | 17 13'N:53 56'W, Atlantic

Hat Trick

Well, that's three fish in three outings for the Blue and White "Tuna Toast" lure. Lob it out for a couple of hours behind the boat and Boom. Easy, dunno what all the fuss is about! This morning went fishing for dinner as we are pretty well out of fresh food (apart from the odd vegetable). Dusk has been successful before so thought I would try dawn (talking of Dawn - I hear a good nght was had by all at the GC. Music courtesy of Donald and Freddie). So, out it went and two hours later a lovely small Mahi Mahi ( aka dorado) was hauled on board. Got two nice fillets with each one being just right for dinner for the two of us. I think I have eaten it before but cannot remember what it was like so looking forward to eating well tonight. I do npot know if anyone has left comments on teh blog site but I cannot see them from my end so apologies if you are expecting a reply.

20 January 2019 | 17 13'N:53 19'W, Atlantic

Lack of Soap

Yuk, I hear you say. No soap and no washing for two weeks. Worry not, the title of the piece is less to do with ablutions and more to do with operas. You know how you can go away for a very long time and then come home, switch on Coronation Street and pick up where you left off as if you had never been [...]

Land Ahoy

30 January 2019 | Gatwick

Well, we got to Antigua on 23rd Jan. That’s 16 days from Cape Verde which is not particularly fast but we chose to sail comfortably rather than racing, especially with just the two of us covering the watches. Apologies for not registering our position from the sat phone to show we had arrived – apparently it looked like we were stuck off the coast for days on end. We landed at English Harbour which is the old naval base for Nelson’s fleet. It is very atmospheric with all the old buildings of the dockyard now converted to bars and hotels while still retaining the sense of history. I think we were the smallest boat in the harbour surrounded as we were by super yachts. I do not really understand the point of super yachts. In the main the only people on board were the crew. Apart from the one next to us which seemed to have just one elderly gent as owner/guest and a few much younger girls. I assume they must have been his nieces. We arrived during the finishing stages of the Talisker Atlantic Challenge which has some 30 boats row across the Atlantic from the Canary Isles. ROW!! Utter madness. Soon after our arrival we saw a boat row in to great reception and hooting from all the super yachts. They had been at sea for 42 days and they were probably around the middle of the pack. The winners took 32 days and I believe the stragglers would be well over 50 days
After a couple of days of good food, drink and reggae music we moved the boat on to Jolly Harbour on the East side of the Island. We are staying in an AirBnB owned by a lady called Anne (highly recommended to any prospective visitor) and have hired a car for a few days. I am departing today (29th) for UK but Ian will stay on for more punishment in the form of watching the second cricket Test match here on Antigua. Should be interesting after the annihilation handed out by the West Indies in the first Test. .
There was a rowing team of girls from Antigua that landed on 28th Jan and were major celebrities on the Island. Schools finished at midday and the Prime Minister turned up to great them on arrival. We were at their hotel for lunch today and saw them. They were still struggling to walk. Major Respect.
Talking of rowing (arguing) and Prime Ministers I saw the TV in Antigua Airport and see nothing much has changed in the great Brexit debacle. Maybe Michel Barnier, Theresa May and the others should form teams and row across the Atlantic. Winner takes all.
So, feelings after the trip – would I do it again? Probably not but it was a unique experience being so far away from anywhere and having no choice but to continue through to the end. Antigua is a nice place with generally friendly people and great beaches. Am I looking forward to going back home – yes definitely.

Hat Trick

20 January 2019 | 17 13'N:53 56'W, Atlantic
Graham
Well, that's three fish in three outings for the Blue and White "Tuna Toast" lure. Lob it out for a couple of hours behind the boat and Boom. Easy, dunno what all the fuss is about! This morning went fishing for dinner as we are pretty well out of fresh food (apart from the odd vegetable). Dusk has been successful before so thought I would try dawn (talking of Dawn - I hear a good nght was had by all at the GC. Music courtesy of Donald and Freddie). So, out it went and two hours later a lovely small Mahi Mahi ( aka dorado) was hauled on board. Got two nice fillets with each one being just right for dinner for the two of us. I think I have eaten it before but cannot remember what it was like so looking forward to eating well tonight. I do npot know if anyone has left comments on teh blog site but I cannot see them from my end so apologies if you are expecting a reply.

Lack of Soap

20 January 2019 | 17 13'N:53 19'W, Atlantic
Graham
Yuk, I hear you say. No soap and no washing for two weeks. Worry not, the title of the piece is less to do with ablutions and more to do with operas. You know how you can go away for a very long time and then come home, switch on Coronation Street and pick up where you left off as if you had never been away? Then you go through a guilt trip that you are getting drawn into meaningless drivel and should be ashamed of yourself and should really be following something much more important. Like Brexit.

(spoiler alert for my American friends - the following rubbish relates to the various soap operas popular in the UK) I have not heard a single word about the subject for two weeks so have no idea if May held or pulled her meaningless vote again. Or is she still PM? Has Corbyn been caught poaching rabbits from Home Farm or Mr Speaker goosed the barmaid in the Quenn Vic. Has Rees Mogg been enjoying free cinema tickets by comparing the CommonMarket.com. Has Donald Trump tweeted about his upcoming cameo role in Emmerdale and will George Clooney run for office.

As with the regular soaps, no doubt I'll switch on and pick it up exactly where I left off.

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