Thursday 11 August 2016

Azores - UK - Netherlands


Tercera, Azores













Inside the vent of an extinct volcano




Departure from Angra do Horoismo, Tercera, Azores






A wrinkle-less ocean after several windless days 















First signs of a weather change














The coast of South East England after 11 days

Dartmouth





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The lighthouse and helicopter platform near Beachy Head



Dover



Crossing the shipping lane






Sometimes it is hard to figure out what course to steer to avoid all the traffic


It looked like I was able to pass in front of this cargo ship but when I call the captain on the VHF he requests I pass astern.



Port of Rotterdam by night





Peer of IJmuiden on Thursday morning 28th July, two months after I left Bonaire




A warm welcome on the Noordzeekanaal from IJmuiden to Amsterdam





My sister and brother welcoming me at the jetty on the KNSM-Eiland in Amsterdam, the same place I departed from on 25th July 2012



This is the end of my solo trip around the Atlantic Ocean. As new adventures of a different kind lie ahead, Harmattan will be for sale at the end of this summer.


Monday 4 July 2016

Bermuda - Azores

I left Bermuda on 14th June and arrived 18 days later at Horta on the Azores. The trip was  sort of a tutti frutti in terms of weather and sailing conditions: downwind, close hauled, light winds, storm, mist, rain, blue skies with perfect visibility, etc. I had them all. The frustrating part was the headwinds that started 800 miles before Horta and obliged me to beat for days. It was only two days before my arrival that the NNE winds picked up and that we could steer a straight course to Horta.

The fishing started promising but after having lost three lures and one hook completely bent I was at the verge of throwing my fishing gear overboard. Luckily I caught a 1.45m Sailfish a few hours later.

I read much less than I intended to. Somehow there is always something else that needs to do be done on board – including sleeping.  Although I also often find myself just watching the sea, as if staring at a tv-screen from which you can’t keep your eyes off.

I crossed three other cruisers and even had a short chat with an American couple when I passed them by at very short distance.



Below some images in chronological order:



 




 














Left wind-speed and direction. This was during a gust, on average we had 35 knots of wind and ran at 8+ knots under a double reefed mainsail and a tip of the Genoa
















'Something big' managed to bend this heavy hook.

A sailfish of 1.45m




A view from the galley's window













Clouds on fire


This group of dolphins popped up along side the boat just as I wanted to photograph the evening skies












Roughly 240 miles before Horta, after many days of headwinds, we finally pick up the NNE breeze and sail close-hauled under the genaker straight towards the Azores.



Portuguese man o' war - I have seen hundreds of them during this passage


The contours of Pico on Saturday morning 2nd July

Horta Marina, Faial, Azores




The Caldera of Faial