LIFE: Part 2

Archive for 2011

Yes, I finally got around to going up the mast to measure the standing rigging. The rigging is now over 10 years old, so due for replacement. The problem with stainless steel rigging is that you get crevice corrosion, which means that the steels gets eaten away in the areas where you can’t see it (Click to Read More...)

Current Location: Portimao, PortugalCurrent Position: 37 6.95 N 008 31.28 W Click to view map. Distance sailed since last post: 82 nautical miles. View the map of our voyage track hereAfter visiting with Ceu’s family in Casegas for another month after our visit to England, we are now by ourselves on Life Part 2 down in Portimao, Algarve. The sun is shining, the sea is (reasonably) warm, the winds variable (we often get a fresh sea breeze in the afternoon) and life is good. We are just getting our traveler car fixed, which might take about a week to order in a new one, and then we will probably take off for theFaro area. In the meantime I am catching up with some online stuff, and looking for a windsurfer that I can buy. Not a lot else to report at the moment, really 🙂

Having tired of being first a doctor and then an internet entrepreneur, Dr. Noel Swanson figured he needed a new career. After briefly thinking about putting his vast experience of wind generators to good use for the benefit of the nation, he then decided that perhaps a career in landscaping was what he really wanted to do. And on his first day at work he successfully moved a pile of dirt from point A to point B – and then smoothed it all down nicely! Meanwhile, Ceu decided that potato farming was more up her street. However, it all seemed like a lot of hard work, so in the end they figured a nice swim was in order… Thanks Carlos and Elisa for the farming and landscaping experiences! 🙂

It has been a hectic month – so apologies for lack of updates! In fact, internet access has been even harder than it normally is on the boat! Anyway, we had a great two weeks with Ceu’s mother in the small village of Casegas. Her mom had just had leg surgery for a broken leg, (Click to Read More...)

Current Location: Sines, PortugalCurrent Position: 37 56.41 N 008 51.37 W Click to view map. Distance sailed since last post: 214 nautical miles. View the map of our voyage track hereAt 3:40pm today, Tuesday, we arrived at Port Sines on the west coast of Portugal! 770 miles, for most of which, it seems, we had (Click to Read More...)

Current Location: Day 6Current Position: 37 43.12 N 013 21.56 W Click to view map. Distance sailed since last post: 584 nautical miles. View the map of our voyage track hereSunday 20 June 2011, 12:30 GMT We are still slogging away. Everything is going well, except slower than expected. All the books talk about a (Click to Read More...)

Friday, 17 June, 2011. 13:10 GMT. 38 05 N 18 57 W After motoring for 200 miles due east in glassy seas, and having visions of taking two weeks to actually get to Portugal, the wind finally filled in a bit yesterday evening. At supper time we put up the spinnaker with the main (Click to Read More...)

Current Location: Ponta Delgado, Sao Miguel, AzoresCurrent Position: 37 44.37 N 025 39.69 W Click to view map. Distance sailed since last post: 281 nautical miles. View the map of our voyage track hereIt’s been a great stay in the Azores, although the weather has been rather wet and grey, but now it is time (Click to Read More...)

So due to the winds here we still are in Flores. Planing to leave on Tuesday am. Good winds and on a beam reach, should be fast to the Island of Terceira. To everyone who keeps asking how was it 16 days without seeing land? And how did you keep busy???  how did you feel (Click to Read More...)

Current Location: Lajes, Flores, AzoresCurrent Position: 39 22.74 N 031 10.17 W Click to view map. Distance sailed since last post: 1673 nautical miles. View the map of our voyage track hereOnce again the wind disappeared, so for the last 24 hours we motored the rest of the way, very slowly, so as to arrive (Click to Read More...)