SV Kiviuq

As Marilou prepares our Christmas eve dinner aboard Kiviuq I am taking the opportunity to pen a short post to update on our situation and, of course, to send season's greetings. I should mention that I offered to help with dinner preparation, but Marilou sensibly declined on the grounds that there isn't room in the galley for both of us to be creative at the same time.

We arrived here in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the late morning of Tuesday 20th after a 24hr passage from Arrecife. The only exciting moments of the passage were the transit of the channel between the islands of Lanzarote and Fuertaventura, when the wind rapidly built from a leisurely 15 knots out of the NE to about 25 knots. This was an expected temporary effect of the topography and so we held on to all plain sail and enjoyed afternoon tea at about 20 degrees of heel and with Kiviuq thundering along as if she intended an attempt on the passage record.

The second excitement occurred at 0500hrs on Tuesday morning just as Marilou was waking me for the 0500-0800hrs watch. As the night had progressed the NE wind had gradually died away and at 0500hrs we were under engine with the full mainsail up and pinned in hard to steady the boat in the northerly swell. Unnoticed in the dark a heavy squall with driving rain was bearing down from the north with our number on it. Consequently, just as I was anticipating a nice cup of tea prepared by the offgoing watch, the offgoing watch had to spring to action as the wind increased from about 8kts on the starboard beam to closer to 28kts in a matter of seconds. Quick work on Marilou's part had the mainsheet eased right off, which immediately made life easier for the pilot, and a reef pulled in before I had found my slippers. And this was done in pitch darkness, driving rain and in a steeply inclined cockpit. By the time I surfaced from under the saloon table triumphantly clutching my errant safety harness everything was back under control and the kettle was boiling merrily. Not for the first time, or I am sure the last, I counted myself most fortunate to have such a sailing companion.

Within twenty minutes or so the squall had left us, no doubt to have fun with some other poor souls further south, and all was sweetness and light once more. The final hours of sailing down to Santa Cruz were done in a sedate manner and warm sunshine and we were berthed in the Marina Santa Cruz before midday.

It has to be said that the marina here is not up to the high standards of the Marina Lanzarote, but it will do. It has one big advantage for us just now in that it is right in the heart of the city of Santa Cruz and so very convenient for shops, cafes, restaurants and supermarkets. It is a good place to lay in stores for a forthcoming Atlantic crossing. And it was here that we had a super day with daughter Chloe and son-in-law Shaun on Thursday 22nd when their cruise ship put in for the day. It was just terrific to see them and also to spend a little of the time with Shaun's mother and step-father.

And now, a wonderful dinner over, thanks to the power of the internet we listen to the traditional Christmas eve service of nine lessons and carols broadcast from the chapel of King's College, Cambridge. Whatever one's beliefs it is a cold heart that can remain unmoved by the solo boy chorister's haunting delivery of the first lines of the processional 'Once in Royal David's City'.

Christmas is here. May yours be peaceful, happy and restorative. And may 2017 be good to you.