A little boat and a big ocean.

19 July 2020

18 September 2015 | Beaulieu River, UK 50’27.32N 2’32.09W – Hayling Yacht Company, Hayling Island, UK 50 48.27’N 0’58.24W via Wicor Marine, UK

The end……. Or is it?

14 September 2015 | St Anne, Alderney 49’43.47N 2’11.35W – Beaulei River, UK 50’27.32N 2’32.09W via Studland Bay, UK

The usual and unusual.

12 September 2015 | Gosselin, Sark 49’25.78N 2’22.70W – St Anne, Alderney 49’43.47N 2’11.35W

Bristles.

07 September 2015 | St Peter Port, Guernsey 49’27.32N 2’32.09W – Harve Gosselin, Sark 49’25.78N 2’22.70W

Abracadabra.

01 September 2015 | Tregarvan, Aulne River, France 48’15.16N 4’14.00W – St Peter Port, Guernsey 49’27.32N 2’32.09W via Cameret Sur Mer, France & Herm, Guernsey

Secret squirrels results in smiles.

23 August 2015 | Ile de Penfret, Iles de Glenan, France 47’43.05N 3’57.04W – Tregarvan, Aulne River, France 48’15.16N 4’14.00W via Anse de Kerautret, River Odet, France, Englishmans Cove, River Odet, France & Camerat sur Mer, France

Hovering, Horrified and Hiding.

19 August 2015 | Treac’h er Gourhed, Ile Houat, France 47’22.99N 2’56.85W - Ile de Penfret, Iles de Glenan, France 47’43.05N 3’57.04W via Port Kerel, Belle Ile, France & Port Tudy, Groix, France

Designed for purpose.

14 August 2015 | La Rochelle, France 46’08.60N 1’10.09W – Treac’h er Gourhed, Ile Houat, France 47’22.99N 2’56.85W via Anse des Vieilles, Ile d’Yeu, France & Trebezy, St Nazaire, France

Guadeloupe or Martinique, Ile d’Yeo or Ile Houat.

08 August 2015 | Anse l’Oubye, Ile de Re, France 46 09.2455 N 1’15.50W – La Rochelle, France 46’08.60N 1’10.09W

La Sandwich

04 August 2015 | Ribadesella, Spain 43’27.81N 5’03.71W – Anse l’Oubye, Ile de Re, France 46 09.2455 N 1’15.50W

Fables vs Reality

01 August 2015 | Ribadesella, Spain 43’27.81N 5’03.71W

Hide and seek.

28 July 2015 | Luarco, Spain 43’32.87N 6’32.08W – Ribadesella, Spain 43’27.81N 5’03.71W via Laurno

Whoop whoop. Danger danger.

24 July 2015 | Ria Vivero, Spain 43’40.55N 7‘36.16W – Luarco, Spain 43’32.87N 6’32.08W via Ribadeo, Spain

English. Yes English. Do you speak ENGLISH?

21 July 2015 | Ria de Cedeira, Spain 43’39.26N 8’03.74W – Ria Vivero, Spain 43’40.55N 7‘36.16W

Viva Espania.

16 July 2015 | Vila Franca do Campo, Sao Miguel, Azores 37’43.01N 25’25.75W – Ria de Cedeira, Spain 43’39.26N 8’03.74W, via Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores

A change is as good as a rest.

06 July 2015 | Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores 37’44.29N 25’39.94W – Vila Franca do Campo, Sao Miguel, Azores 37’43.01N 25’25.75W

Tales of the unexpected.

30 June 2015 | Angra do Heroismo, Terceira, Azores 38’39.15N 27’12.97W – Ponta Delgada, Sao Migual, Azores 37’44.29N 25’39.94W

An island beyond words.

25 June 2015 | Velas, Sao Jorge, Azores 38’40.82N 28’12.16W – Angra do Heroismo, Terceira, Azores 38’39.15N 27’12.97W

Fly, transforms to walk, transforms to raisin.

19 June 2015 | Horta, Faial, Azores 38’31.99N 28’37.50W – Velas, Sao Jorge, Azores 38’40.82N 28’12.16W via Cais do Pico, Pico Azores

Actions of generations.

Aesop’s Fable

01 October 2014 | 79th Boat Basin, New York City, NY, USA 40’47.37N 73’59.04W – Solomons, MA, USA 38’20.32N 76’27.59W via Cape May, NJ, USA, Bohemia River, MA, USA, Weems Creek, MA, USA & Crab Creek, MA, USA

There is a lot to be learnt from the fable of the Hare and the Tortoise. One could take from it that doggedness and determination beat speed and haste, or one could take from it that Hares are good for the pot and hunted by many so don’t win the race. In the race of the Hare, aka American boats, and the tortoise, aka Ruffian, the moral of the story is that American boats with big engines give their crews more sleep and demoralise the crew of Ruffian as they blast past day after day.

Before the race south could begin we waited for the tide by taking a Beatles inspired tour of NYC. We took in John Lennon’s flat and it was a, err, a flat and then to strawberry fields, where there was indeed a, err, field. After the tour we felt the only way that John could have gained inspiration had something to do with Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (LSD).

Lady Liberty, from her exalted position, waved us goodbye and in the shadows of the skyscrapers of Manhattan, the race south was on. The flocks of so called American snowbirds were on their way south and we had a date at a yard 100’s of miles away in the Chesapeake. Our trusty engine purred away and as we motored into the night the first of the boats we’d left behind in NYC overtook us.

With dawn Iain felt that we’d get the upper hand by doing something that American sailboats don’t do. Sail. Fiona was woken by an overexcited Iain asking to pop the chute and up it went, but still it wasn’t enough to beat the big iron sails of the boats around us and we watched in horror as phase 2 of overtaking started.

When we finally entered Cape May all those boats that we’d watched motor past us and into the distance, were rested, relaxed and recharging their batteries. We were very much the Tortoise anchoring among a flock of Hares.

Up the Delaware and down dale, we had early starts and late finishes and time and time again the same boats overtook us with their big engines roaring away and sails that never saw the light of day. Ruffian was confirmed as a sailboat and not a motorboat.

The Hares had shown that doggedness and determination are no match for horsepower and so with the race well and truly lost it was time for a pitstop in Crab Creek, Annapolis. Wolfgang not only supplied us with our long awaited solar panels, he also regaled us with stories that in the long run all boats go at 5 knots and we’d have our victory in the long run.

With all those hard miles behind us when we arrived at Solomons we could finally stop, but not rest. There is now another race in progress where the competition is time and we’re working like Hares to try and get through Ruffians job list.

So The Hudson River is a nice quiet slow moving river then? NOT!