Crossing the Atlantic, the hard way

From the "For What Its Worth Dept.":

Just after Tom and Amy sailed across the Atlantic from the Cape Verde Islands to Barbados, they were followed by 56 year old Jennifer Figge of Aspen, Colorado who opted to swim across. She left Jan 12, two days after Sandpiper arrived in Barbados. It took Jennifer 24 days, and she landed in Trinidad, just a bit southwest of Barbados.

Here is an article...

So sailing across with a wobbly mast ain't so bad.

Ron

10-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #17 and FINAL!!
13'26.4N/58'13.9W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 106 nm last 24 hours
  
• 1937 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 81 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds E 10-15 Knots
  
• Seas NE 3-4 feet
  
• 474 Nautical Miles from Cap'n Chris on the S/V Christa
  

The champagne is chillin' and we can almost smell the rum!! Last noon fix with 81 miles to go until we are no longer rolling side to side, secure in an anchorage after 17 days at sea off white sand beaches .

We had to put on the brakes a bit yesterday by dropping the staysail to slow down so we did not arrive off Barbados in the middle of the night tonight. So we have just a hanky piece of jib out, giving us an average of 4 knots. There is a full moon tonight which will give us a very bright sky. So if we approach land too early in the morning then we should have no worries.

We are planning on making landfall on the north end of Barbados by first light. Then once we round the north end we still have to go 20 miles south in the lee of the island to the anchorage off Bridgetown. This is the Capitol of Barbados and is where customs and immigration is located there,  along with the Barbados Yacht Club that has our mail and more importantly hot showers.

The reason we picked Barbados as our first port in the Caribbean is that it is the most windward of all the islands by 90 miles, and is the closest to us. Most other boats, including the Atlantic Crossing Rally, skip Barbados and instead clear in at St Lucia. Because Barbados is 90 miles upwind from all the other islands very few boats make it out here. Usually they only get boats coming across the Atlantic, like us. Otherwise, boats would have to beat straight upwind against the Trades to get here. So we are hoping to be one of the few boats in the anchorage and have the place to ourselves.

I have added on our header "Miles from S/V Christa" as Sandpiper & Christa have not seen each other since being side tied together under the Golden Gate Bridge at the Presido Yacht Club years ago when we were both active duty Coast Guard. We are looking forward to meeting up and maybe Buddy Boating thru the Caribbean. Check S/V Christa out under 'Friends of Sandpiper'.

Since we are now on this side of the pond we are getting connected with Sailmail's stations in the Caribbean and we are getting great connections. If you have been holding on to an email for us because we said that Sailmail was not working, then please send away!! If you don't hear from us it is because we are sucking down rum punches and eating some flying fish sandwiches while listening to steel drums on the beach.

More When Anchored,
Tom and Amy

09-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #16
13'38.3N/56'26.2W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 113 nm last 24 hours
  
• 1834 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 189 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds E 10-15 Knots
  
• Seas NE 3-4 feet, 6 foot NE Swell
  

Another great 24-hour run with our little bit of sail out. Our rig is still standing, so all is good here. Not much to report today. No traffic or fish. Just beautiful blue skies and vibrant blue ocean surround us.

If you would like to send us a belated Holiday card or greeting I believe Ron posted the Yacht Club's mailing address where we will be able to receive mail. Just make sure you add 'S/V Sandpiper, Yacht in transit' in the address. We will most likely be in Barbados at least a week. Hope to hear from you!

 More in 24,
 Tom and Amy

08-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #15
13'50.4N/54'31.3W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 108 nm last 24 hours
  
• 1721 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 301 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 10 Knots
  
• Seas NE 2-3 feet, 5 foot NE Swell
  

Fish On!!!! Right at noon today we hooked a 4 foot Wahoo that for once we did not throw back. We do not use fishing poles. Instead, we use a heavy drag line. Its a small, heavy, dark colored cord that has a 4 foot heavy steel leader attached to a large swivel with a colorful lure. On the end that attaches to the boat is a loop of bungee cord that acts as a shock absorber when the fish strikes. There is also a loop of line that is clothes pinned to the life lines so when a fish does hit the lure we can hear it snap, letting us know there is something on the line.

The main reason we use this and not a fishing pole is that it is to hard to slow the boat down in order to reel in a fish. The drag line we use is not very sporting because it drags the fish right up to the surface, giving him little change to fight.

We brought today's Wahoo up on deck after dragging him for a bit thru the water so he would tire out. Since the drag line gear is so heavy duty there is no need for a gaff hook. We just swing the fish on deck. As soon as the fish is on deck its Amy's job to get him drunk. We have an old bottle of rot gut berry flavored Mexican vodka that we have been carrying around the world just for this purpose. One splash of this through the fish's gills takes the fight right out of him. It is far messier trying to bash a fish on the head and getting blood is splattering all over the boat than it is to kill him with a little vodka.

The hard part is cleaning the fish because Sandpiper does not really have a good spot for doing this. We take the fish up forward of the pilot house to slice him up. Its a bit of a circus routine trying to hold the fish, bucket of water, bowl, knives, and pliers while trying to skin and fillet the fish. Its a real back killer.

As I type this Amy is frying him up for a late lunch. It doesn't get any fresher than this.

This morning while looking at the mast it still seemed like it was jiggling around in the middle. So Amy acted as safety officer while I climbed up to the spreaders using the mast's folding mast steps. I attached another sling to pull against the one I installed yesterday. These 2 slings are now functioning as the broken lower shrouds. And once both were ratcheted down, the mast is looking pretty secure.

We are still not using the main sail. But we are still averaging 4-5 knots without it using the poled out jib to starboard and staysail out to port. If we can keep making 100 mile days then we can plan on arriving at Barbados Sunday morning.

No traffic last 24 hours.

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

07-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #14
13'58.5N/52'41.6W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 101 nm last 24 hours
  
• 1613 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 409 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 10 Knots
  
• Seas NE 2-3 feet
  

We still have a mast...

We were expecting 100 mile days as we are under a poled out jib to starboard, staysail out to port with the main furled and secured. And we made 101 nautical miles.

The weather has been very mild this last 24-hours, with 10 knots of wind right off the stern giving us an average of 4 knots. All through the night we could see the mast jiggling around. We kept tightening the running backstays to try to keep it under control.

This morning we looked up at the mast and could see it wiggling around in the middle right where the broken lower shrouds used to attach so I climbed up the mast to the spreaders and attached a sling around the mast. Then I attached a rope the sling and attached the other end to a come-along that was attached to the chain plates where the lower shrouds used to attach to the deck. Once this was all rigged I wrenched down on the come-along until there was a good stain in it. Now the mast is looking pretty secure.

We are making good time without the main sail, so this will be our rig until we get anchored. It looks like a simple repair as all I should have to do is replace the broken bolt through the spreaders. Then I need to re-attach the lower shrouds, then tune the rig. I do not have a bolt that long on board, so will have to find one in Barbados.

The downside is back where where the running backstays attach to the deck. One of the eyes has completely pulled thru the deck and the other has snapped in half. I do not think these attachment points were ever meant to support the whole weight of the mast.

One ship last 24 hours, one mile off our port side, heading SW. The weather today is very nice with a nice warm sun out and just a few puffy trade wind clouds floating around above us. It is also laundry day and showers. Yaaaa!

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

06-Dec-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #13
14'21.9N/51'00.2W

North Atlantic Ocean

• 113 nm last 24 hours
  
• 1512 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 509 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 10-15 Knots
  
• Seas NE 3-4 feet
  

Near Disaster!

Late this morning, while basking in the afterglow of yesterdays momentous 141 nautical mile run, we heard a loud bang up on the mast. Looking up I saw that the bolt that runs through the spreaders and also secures the lower shrouds to the mast had sheered in half. This caused the shrouds to fall on the deck while the mast jiggled around with every new swell. Also, the shock of this breaking and the lurching of the mast snapped off the deck fitting that secures the running backstay to the deck.

The main sail was immediately dropped to take the strain off the mast while we decided what to do next. We were a bit worried that the whole rig was going to come down as there was so much movement in the mast. And there was a slight bend in the mast because the shrouds on the top of the mast were now holding it at different tensions.

The good thing about the Piper is she has back-ups for her back-ups. Most boats have a single backstay (the wire that goes to the top of the mast from the boats stern), which does not offer much side-to-side support. Luckily for Sandpiper she has 2 backstay shrouds, giving her twice as much strength and support. So we ran both running backstays aft. We usually only have them out when using the staysail. Once we tightened them, they seemed to stop most of the mast's movement. Then with adjustments on all the turnbuckles on the upper shrouds, we were able to straighten up the mast.

We also took the boom and made a support for it in order to take its weight off the mast. With a few more lines run to the top of the mast securing the bottoms to different parts of the boat, it seemed like we were back in business. So we rolled the jib back out and now are back sailing again.

For now it seems like the mast will be OK as long as we keep all the tension on the top of the mast and not in the middle. So we will be sailing with just the jib till we can get anchored in Barbados and make repairs. This has cut our speed down considerably and we are expecting to make 100 mile days at best for now.

The good thing is that this happened in the daylight when then winds were very light, under 10 knots. Of all times for this to happen it is amazing that it never failed when the winds were cracking. Instead it happened on the one morning when we have had the lightest winds. I think that this bolt might have gotten fatigued over time. And with all the rolling back and forth on this trip, plus the occasional accidental jibes, it just wore down.

One ship last 24 hours one mile off our bow heading south.

"If its going to happen, its going to happen out there"

...Cap'n Ron

Tom and Amy

05-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #12
14'33.3N/49'04.4W

North Atlantic Ocean

• 141 nm last 24 hours!!
  
• 1399 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 622 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 15-20 Knots
  
• Seas NE 3-4 feet, 8 foot NE Swell
  

141 nautical miles in 24-hours!!! One of our best runs ever. For the last 24 hours the winds have stayed dead off the the stern blowing at 20 knots, gusting higher at times. With a beam reach the pressure of the wind against the sails keeps the boat from rolling back and forth. But with the winds/seas dead astern, like they have been for the last 13 days, there is nothing to keep the boat from rolling side to side. It makes for interesting sleeping when one's body is being pushed back and forth.

We still have the main out to port and jib poled out to starboard. When the winds become too strong we roll in the jib until we have control again. When the winds lighten up we unroll the jib back out.

Part of our daily routine is in the morning run the generator for about 30 minutes to make up for battery power consumed during the previous evening. We then run the water maker during the day when the solar panels are getting some of nature's juice, along with a little help from the wind generator. The water maker makes about a gallon and a half of fresh water from sea water an hour, and this gives us plenty of fresh water for drinking, showers, cooking and washing dishes. We run this till about 5pm when the solar panels are no longer making any power.

After sunset we run the generator one last time for about another 30 minutes to make sure the batteries are topped off for that night's use. Sometimes it is shorter depending on how much power the wind/solar panels are putting out.

There are flying fish all over the place out here. Usually in the morning we can find a couple out on deck. The other night I stepped on one that had landed in the cockpit in the pitch black night. Nothing better then a flapping flying fish between the toes.

Last night I turned on the flashlight to go aft to change 'Haywire's' course that he was steering. As soon as I turned on the flashlight a flying fish flew straight into the light and smacked my hand, landing in the cockpit.

No traffic last 24 hours.

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

04-Jan-2008 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #11
14'55.2N/46'40.3W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 137 nm last 24 hours!!
• 1258 nm from Cape Verde
• 768 nm to Barbados
• Winds NE 15-20 Knots
• Seas NE 3-4 feet, 8 foot NE Swell

138 nautical miles!!! Our best day since 2 November 2006 on our crossing to Australia. And that was an easy beam reach. Spirits are soaring here aboard 'Piper as we anxiously get closer every minute. I already have my first few days planned out: sit on beach, walk on beach, swim, and enjoy cold rum punch.

No traffic or fish to report except the flying fish that end up on deck, which when we are down below you can hear struggling to fly back off the deck. We are keeping ourselves busy with books, pod-casts, and movies. Looking like tonight should be another perfect night at sea.

Cheers,
Amy & Tom

---

Note from Ron: Tom and Amy just crossed over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, The longest mountain range on earth, most of which is underwater.

03-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #10
15'15.3N/44'20.4W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 129 nm last 24 hours
  
• 1121 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 900 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 15-20 Knots
  
• Seas NE 3-4ft, 8ft NE Swell
  

Another great 24-hour run and the trade winds keep blowing!! During the day the winds stay steady  about 10-15 knots. But around midnight the last few nights the winds increase to 20 knots and we have small rain squalls pass over us. They are not like the 'Night Squalls' that we experienced in the South Pacific. Here there is just a slight increase in wind speed and the rain is very light.

It does get a bit rolley at night as the swells pick up. And we have to roll in most of the jib to keep the Piper under control since the winds are dead off the stern, causing us to surf down some of the larger swells. We still have the main out to port with a preventer and the jib poled out to starboard. 

'Haywire' is doing a great job of steering, keeping us from jibing. It has only needed minor course adjustments.

Not only do we have the NE trade winds pushing us along, but we are in the North Equatorial Current which gives us a 0.5 to 1.5 knots push. This is the same current that enters the Caribbean, wraps around the west end of Cuba becoming the Gulf Stream. It then heads north to Florida's east coast, up the Atlantic seaboard, and across the Atlantic ocean, finally slamming into the northern British Isles.

Passed one ship after sunrise heading in the other direction off on the horizon. Very clear night last night before midnight with lots of stars dotting the sky. Then clouds and rain squalls.

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

02-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #9
15'22.7N/42'07.4W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 129 nm last 24 hours
• 993 nm from Cape Verde
• 1028 nm to Barbados
• Winds NE 15-20 Knots
• Seas NE 3-4 feet, 8 foot N Swell

Hump Day - Half Way Across!!

Another respectable run, making 129 nautical miles last 24-hours. This morning we were visited by three Pilot Whales swimming along Piper's, side checking her out. Even before we saw them we could hear them through the hull whistling to each.

Only one ship sited in the last 24 hours. In the early morning, our C.A.R.D (Collision Avoidance Radar Detector) started chirping away. And sure enough, a set of ships lights popped up over the horizon. But it never got closer then 6 miles from us.

Not much new to report. Just living the dream...

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

01-Jan-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #8
15'35.6N/39'54.2W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 122 nm last 24 hours
  
• 864 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 1158 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 15-20 Knots
  
• Seas NE 3-4 feet, 8 foot N Swell
  

Happy New Year Everyone Around The World!!

The Trade Winds are honking and Sandpiper is starting off 2009 with a respectful 122 nautical mile run this last 24 hours. The winds picked up to 20 knots overnight off the stern, causing Sandpiper to get a little frisky. So we just kept out the main sail and rolled in the poled out jib till there was just a small bit of if catching some wind.

Our New Years Eve party consisted of pop-corn and cookies for dinner with some sangria on ice while watching the last episodes of the "Office - Season 2" that we got for Christmas. We hope that we did not miss to many parties last night and next year will be on terra firma.

No traffic last 24 hours. We think we might be the only people for hundreds of miles around out here.

Sailmail is giving us some issues that last couple of days being so far from their stations. If we drop off line for a few days, then no worries. We just couldn't connect.

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

31-Dec-2009 Noon Update

Atlantic Crossing Day #7
15'52N/37'48W

North Atlantic Ocean

• 105 nm last 25 hours
  
• 742 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 1279 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 10-15 Knots
  
• Seas NE 1-2 feet with long 8 foot N swell
  

The trade winds are holding and Sandpiper is sailing along nicely. 'Haywire' has the helm, the main and staysail are out to port and the jib is poled out to starboard. This is the first time that we have had all 3 sails out on a downwind run. We are hoping for an even better 24-hour run tomorrow because the winds have slightly increased, giving us an average of 5-6 knots.

We had a hard strike on our fishing lure yesterday and when we pulled it in found out that our lure was gone. Whatever took it must have been quite large because we do not use fishing poles. Instead, we drag heavy lines behind the boat with large steel leaders that are very strong. So another night without a fish dinner.

No traffic last 24-hours, and a nice clear sunny day with a moonless star-filled night.

This will be the first year ever that 'Team Sandpiper' is not shore-side for New Years Eve. We hope that everyone has a great New Year Eve, wherever you are!! We will be thinking of you all as the clock strikes midnight in all the time zones you are all scattered throughout. This time last year we were in Thailand lighting paper lanterns and sending them skywards in hopes that the pirates in the Gulf of Aden would not see us. It must have worked.

More in 2009 ,
Tom and Amy

30-Dec-3008 Noon Position

Atlantic Crossing Day #6
16'06N/36'00W

North Atlantic Ocean
98 nm last 25 hours

637 nm from Cape Verde

1384 nm to Barbados
Winds N 10-15 Knots

Seas N 1-2 feet

Slowwwwwww. We advanced our clocks ahead one hour as the sun is coming up later every morning. That is why we made 98 miles over 25 hours. The last 48 hours has given us some weird weather. A mild low pressure system passed over us during this time and the winds over the last 48 hours have very slowly veered from the normal NE trade wind to east, south, and then yesterday afternoon west. Since west is the way we are going, this put the wind right on our nose. As soon as the wind went dead ahead, we entered an area of mild rain squalls.

We decided to run the engine to keep making forward progress. And at the same time run the water maker and top off the batteries for a nice full charge. We took advantage while motoring to steer away from the heaviest rain squalls and we only passed thru 2 of them. Three hours later the winds kept veering around. As soon as we cleared the rain squalls in the center of the low pressure system, we had winds off the starboard bow and were sailing again.

This whole 48 hours the wind was light and we were lucky if we were making three knots at times. By sunrise the winds were off the starboard beam, and now they are back to the NE and increasing. A complete 360 in 48 hours! 

We have been trying our luck trying to catch the 'Big Daddy Tuna' and got a hit from a small Dorado. This same fish is also called a Dolphin Fish, or Mahi Mahi. The Dorado is a really cool looking fish when caught, with bright green colors all over. But once they die all their color fades away. They also mate for life traveling, with their life partners. So if you are dragging two lures then most likely they will both bite at the same time.

As we hauled in our catch yesterday we saw we had a small Dorado with its mate right behind him/her. The other fish followed the one we hooked right to the edge of the boat and was looking up at us wondering what we were doing with its partner. We felt pretty bad looking down at this now lonely fish swimming alongside us. So we threw its partner back and called it a day. No fish for dinner.

One ship sighted last 24 hours off the stern at sunrise.

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

29-Dec-2008 Noon Position

Atlantic Crossing Day #5
16'15.0N/34'19.1W

North Atlantic Ocean

• 83 nm last 24 hours
  
• 538 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 1482 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds S-SW 10-15 Knots
  
• Seas S 2-3 feet
  

As you can see our last 24 hour run was a slow one, but comfortable. It's actually been such a comfortable ride since leaving Cape Verde we have been eating a lot more than we usually do and the fridge is getting empty. Hope the wind picks up soon so we don't have to eat spaghetti for a week, although Tom would love that.

Nothing exciting to report for the last 24 hours. We did hook another fish but they are so small we feel bad keeping them. We passed a ship yesterday, read our books, and the last few evenings have ended with watching a few episodes of 'The Office' season 2.

More tomorrow.

Peace. Out,
Amy and Tom

28-Dec-2008 Noon Position

Atlantic Crossing Day #4
16'16'9N/32'53.4W

North Atlantic Ocean

• 99 nm last 24 hours
  
• 456 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 1565 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds E/NE 10 Knots
  
• Seas NE 2-3 feet
  

The winds are pooping out at bit and our 24-hours runs are getting shorter. We have had 10 knots of wind for the last 24-hours, right off the stern, with the main sail out to port and the jib poled out to starboard.

Our 'Says Rig' wind vane (courtesy of Cap'n Chris on S/V Christa who we are expecting to reunite with very soon) has been doing all our steering. It gets a little testy in light winds. We have given it the name 'Haywire" because it looks a bit crazy and steers a little nutty at times. 

When we use our electric autopilot, it steers a straight compass course using a digital compass. So if there is any change in the wind direction, the sail trim changes. It is also very easy to jibe because even the slightest change of wind on a downwind run will back wind the main sail. 

However, when 'Haywire' steers it uses the wind direction to tell the boat which way to go. So the sail trim never changes. But if there is a change in the direction of the wind, and one does not occasionally look at the compass, it is very easy to go way off course without even knowing it.

Also, with 'Haywire' steering in light winds, Sandpiper does a sort of a long "S" pattern through the water. But when the wind picks up, it steers a somewhat straight course. Another thing with 'Haywire': We have to lean off the stern of the boat to change course, and with the electric we can change course at the helm with only the push of a button.

Being out here in the middle of the ocean where steering a straight course not as important as keeping the sail trim correct, we like using 'Haywire'. But near shore and near other boats, we switch to the electric autopilot.

We have been fishing for the last few days but we only keep catching a very small fish,  1-2 feet long, and looks like a Mahi Mahi/Dorado. They must be a smaller species out here in the eastern Atlantic. So far we have caught about 6 of them and thrown them all back as we are still hoping for the big daddy.

More in 24,
Tom and Amy

27-Dec-2008 Noon Position

Atlantic Crossing Day #3
16'21.8N/31'10.8W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 116 nm last 24 hours
  
• 357 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 1664 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds E 10-15
  
• Seas NE 2-3 feet
  

The winds have dropped a bit today and veered to the east right off the stern giving us an average of 4 knots. Although we have slowed down, the ride is smoother as the swells have dropped down.

Another large pod of Pilot Whales spent several hours acting like they were porpoises, swimming alongside, checking out Sandpiper's bottom. They were followed later by a large school of porpoises jumping all around us. Some of the Pilot Whales were over 20 feet in length and would swim sideways as they passed to get a good look at us.

No traffic last 24 hours. We do not expect to see any shipping for the next few days until we get to the N/S shipping lanes connecting the East Coast of the U.S. to South Africa.

We are just a little south of where in February 1982 solo sailer Steven Callahan hit something in the middle of the night in his small sailboat. As his boat sank, he jumped into his life raft. He drifted along with the trade winds for the next 76 days, surviving on fish he could spear from the opening in his raft, and grabbed a few birds that decided to land within his grasp. He finally was rescued by fishermen off the island of Marie-Galante in the Caribbean. If you have not read his book 'Adrift', then go get it and as it makes for a great read about what happens when you have to take to a life raft  before the era of 406MHz EPIRB's. We are hoping the Piper can make a faster passage then his life raft.

More in 24,
Amy and Tom

26-Dec-2008 Noon Position

Atlantic Crossing Day #2 (2nd 24-hours)
16'30.3N/29'10.2W
North Atlantic Ocean

• 116 nm last 24 hours
  
• 241 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 1780 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 10-15
  
• Seas NE 3-4 feet
  

Happy Boxing Day!!! Day 2, and we are still making above Sandpiper average speed. So moral is high. The ride is comfortable. The weather still a bit cold with overcast skies, but no rain.

Yesterday we busted out our 'Sensei' Christmas CD's and had a most memorable Christmas at sea.

We had one vessel on the horizon early this morning around 2am. And we had a pilot whale show this afternoon.

More tomorrow,
Amy and Tom

25-Dec-2008 Noon Position

Atlantic Crossing Day #1 (First 24 hours)
North Atlantic Ocean

16'42.5N/27'09.7W

• 125 nm last 24 hours
  
• 125 nm from Cape Verde
  
• 1896 nm to Barbados
  
• Winds NE 15-20
  
• Seas NE 3-4 feet
  

Merry Christmas to all!! As you are chewing your way thru a large juicy piece of turkey and mashed potatoes Sandpiper is back on the move due west for the next 2000 miles without anywhere else to go.

It was tempting to stay in Cape Verde thru the Christmas holidays. But the weather was looking good and it was time to go.

We had a bit of drama a couple days ago in the anchorage. We stayed aboard because the winds were so strong outside that we did not want to venture out in the dingy. It had two different painters secured to Sandpipers stern. I poked my head outside into the cockpit, between rain showers, to check out the anchorage. While we were getting nailed by 40 knot bullets of wind and I looked astern to see our dingy floating upside down. The wind had picked it up like a kite and then dumped it over, throwing my flip-flops and the dingy paddles in the water to float away. Also, it was soaking the outboard engine. We got the dinghy righted and the outboard motor off in order to clean it out. After a dousing of carburetor cleaner it seemed to run OK. But we will not know until we start using again on the other side of the Atlantic.

We left the anchorage at noon yesterday after opening our Christmas presents. We got the 'Piper secured for sea and took one last shower without the boat rolling all over the place. The winds were immediately blowing 20-25 knots which had us sailing at 7 knots, until we got behind the islands where the wind was blocked. Just a short 30-minute motor and we were back in the trade winds with just the main and staysail out, giving us an average of 6 knots all night.

Only one large tanker sighted, and an overtaking sailboat in the last 24-hours. We are very happy with the exhaust cutoff valves on the generator and engine. We now longer have to run the engines to keep the water out of them.

Tom: Merry Christmas To All!
Amy: And To All, A Good Night

The Missing Tangier Report

Merry Christmas everyone!! Sandpiper is scheduled to reluctantly leave Cape Verde tomorrow morning (Christmas Eve) and continue on our second and final attempt to make it to Barbados. Cape Verde has been a surprise on how much we like it here and we are finding it hard to pry ourselves away. Everyone is so nice here.

By popular reguest here is our Tangier report that we held off on reporting for obvious reasons. Hope nobody had their hopes up to high.

Happy Holidays!!!!!
Tom and Amy

Porto Grande, Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands

Anchored at Porto Grande
Mindelo
Sao Vicente Island
Cape Verde
North Atlantic Atlantic
16’53.0N/24’59.6W

Cape Verde has been a pleasant surprise stop for us. With our anchor securely set after an exciting 8-day trip from Grand Canary we were quite happy to not be rockin’ and rollin’. We celebrated with a victory beer and hit the sheets hard. The next morning we assessed all broken systems, and thanks to Tom’s mad boat fixing skills, everything was back to new by early afternoon.

The day before arrival we were able to get the engine started while at sea. Sailing into an anchorage is not something we like doing. So if we could get her back up and running then it was going to be a major relief. We figured that the walls (20 feet) of water that kept smacking the hull of the boat is how we got water in the engine. Since this was the roughest trip we have ever had in 3.5 years, we had no way to prevent the seawater from entering. We drained the oil, let her dry out, gave her some new oil, and finally she started. How happy were we to hear that sound again.

Thanks to our shore side support and friend Tom, we were able to fix the generator too. It turns out a plug blew out because water entered the engine of her systems too. So when we ran it at sea, the water boiled, and boom!, the plug exploded. We actually found the plug in the bilge, and with a little glue we are making power again.

The last project was the autopilot. We took the motor off and tested it to see if it had seized up. The electric meter read it was receiving 12 volts. So we cleaned out the motor, loosened the belt, and fingers crossed this works. We aren’t really sure what happened with the autopilot and won’t know if it’s fixed until we get out there. As Captain Ron says, "If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen out there."

It was a huge relief to us to be able to fix all systems ourselves as trying to lug boat parts to shore and find a mechanic is never something we enjoy. We did however invest in two cut-off valves for the engine and generator exhaust systems. So while underway we won’t have to worry about water entering the systems.

With all jobs completed, we hit the town. Our guidebook mentions town as being poor, dirty, with little to no resources. But our guidebook was way off. Town is bustling with music pumping out of the central market place and locals enjoying the Christmas shopping. ‘Club Nautico’ is where all the sailors hang out and share their salty stories. They occasional have live music too, and has been a daily pit stop for us.

The last few days we have met some really great locals and have enjoyed our visit. A lovely treat we had not planned to experience.

Our current plans are to try to check out this weekend and head west…

Amy and Tom