SwissBoat: 2010

Tuesday, 26 October 2010

RICE & PEAS, MON.

Lovely lunch, no pasta in sight. Rice, peas, sausages and mushrooms. Stick that on the RMYC menu. Very cheerful crew enjoying really warm sunshine and cracking view.

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW...

Weather has improved considerably; sun is shining on Lampedusa. Wind about 15 knots, sea state very comfortable.

PANTS

It was a pants, as in Pantelleria, joke! I only changed the shirt.

Just approaching Lampedusa. No big issues; couple of near broaches, but near is still a long way on this boat. Celebrated Pantelleria with clean socks, clean underwear and clean shirt. About to have more pasta surprise. Yesterday it was capers and olives; today who knows, who cares. After all the other places we have passed one word describes Lampedusa. Flat. Cheers from the happy crew on Steinlager 2.

IT'S A LONG WAY TO LAMPEDUSA

PUNCH UP

Poor old Vladimir took a five knuckle sandwich on the forehead during a gnarly spinnaker takedown. Even the spinnaker suffered!

ROASTED ARABICA

Morning, just passing Pantelleria. Raining. 17 knots from NW. Smelling expresso, drinking black tea Russian style. Under gennaker, main and mizzen. Barrelling along. Matteo on helm. Daylight upon us. Setting up for Lampedusa. Wind building steadily; up to 21 knots while writing.

Monday, 25 October 2010

CAPO SAN VITO

Just arriving Capo San Vito under reefed main and vice grip no. 4. Fast moving squall with max 32 knots struck with rain and lightning. Frantic half hour to get squared away. Now sailing in 14 knots wondering what the fuss was about.

BEST DAY'S SAILING FOR YEARS - THANKYOU STEINLAGER 2

PUT THAT PIPE OUT

Just put the jury-rigged number 4 through its first tack. So far so good. Now hammering into seaway to make the clearing tack for southward course. Blue skies. Very wet bowman. Vladimir on stern smoking his pipe again. Stunning scenery. Capo San Vito in distance. No time for lunch or a faint heart.

A MESSAGE TO YOU KURT ARRIGO

You better be shooting someone in big waves and sunshine. We are all over the place. Fingers crossed nothing breaks.

HEATH ROBINSON ON THE HIGH SEAS

Wow. Slowing down the train proving difficult. All sorts of problems changing to the no 4. Almost lost number 3 when it ripped out of the foil. 8 on the foredeck to get it under control. No 4 has a jury fix to the headstay involving vice grips hanks and string. Picture to follow if it stays in place. All on deck. Lifejackets and harnesses mandatory. Russians on aft deck smoking pipes and cigs like nothing happened. Me I’m knackered. Anyone for deck quoits. Nearing western end Sicily. 20 knots from west.

ALL QUIET BELOW

PROBLEMS WITH THE CAMERA!

Saturated reds. Not the Russians! What do I do?

THE OFFICE - ME JUST WATCHING

DAWN PATROL FROM STROMBOLI

Sunday, 24 October 2010

FLIGHT PATH TO STROMBOLI

STRAIT TO STROMBOLI

Well not quite but it sounds good. The start yesterday was everything I had hoped it would be in terms of excitement and spectacle. The number of boats, the atmosphere of the watching crowds and the susupense waiting for the off. Thank goodness we did not stuff it all up by being over early.

The first section to Sicily was fairly starightforward. We did try to t-bone Nisida at St Paul's but fortunately did not. It was then a fetch all the way to Capo Passero in 10-12 knots. Perfect. We even had tortelini for supper.

The night became a nightmare. We are 35 tonnes. 35 tonnes is heavy displacement and simply does not go downwind in 5 knots. So, when the wind began swinging further and further south and dropping off the Beaufort Scale, many of those who we had passed on the way to Sisicily began to catch us and overhaul us. Curses. Daybreak brought no comfort with 13 boats ahead of us on the horizon and some no bigger than 50 feet compared to our 80 feet.

As the day went on so the situation improved. On my second off watch the wind really piped up. I missed a dramatic gybe that heralded the improvement in the wind and some fast reaching at last. We really ate the final miles to the Strait and I almost missed the passage whilst I was below trying to send some images to the media centre (they better use them).

Once we popped out of the Strait like a cork out of the bottle we power reached most of the way to Stromboli in overcast skies that allowed a little sunlight through early afternoon. We had a shortlived period of 22 knots, but try as we might we could not extend byond a short burst of 11 knots. We push a lot of water. Still when the tough weather comes I'm sure we'll be happy to have that extra weight.

So night has fallen on day 2 and it is time for bed for three hours of rest.

A plus

CHAMPAGNE DARLING!

6 Italians, 5 Kazakhs, 4 Russians, 1 Pole and a pom just celebrated arriving at Stromboli with 2 bottles of Moet. Who says we ain’t stylin'!

CULINARY DEMO

Cooking has been sketchy. Tortellini with hot tomato sauce last night. I’m sure I smelt bacon and eggs this morning but it turned out to be cornflakes. Russian made black tea with sugar and classical music in the background is rather good. I favour chocolate biscuit sandwich over humus with Tabasco. Pan on stove more pasta about to arrive. Bet it involves chilli and tomato sauce. Yum yum at least the sun is almost out. Trust there are crowds to clap us past Stromboli cheers from the big red. Now flying 4 sails.