Bishops Rock lighthouse, The Chain Locker Pub, fish and chips; having crossed the Atlantic how much will these British landmarks mean to the FCS Crew as they land at Falmouth? Will they miss the whales, 45 degree living, the everlasting horizon, the donkey, the tinned sweetcorn? Find out below….
Date :30 January 2018
Time : 12:00 GMT
Position : 47.57.14N 9.01.98W
Destination Falmouth
ETA 31 January
Good Morning
Still motoring, we have an apparent wind reading of 9knts and we are travelling at 7.7 so not a lot of wind. It is predicted to build by midnight tonight and we are still holding out hope of sailing the last 100nm or so.
Spirits are still high on board and the crew are being very patient although everyone is expressing the same feeling of excitement at reaching Falmouth. We are currently going over the Continental Shelf which has increased the sloppy yawing motion to the extent that the contents of the boat are just sliding from port to starboard and back again every 30 seconds.
We have had some more sunshine and a beautiful bright almost full moon, however the last hour has seen the cloud cover increase to 7/8. The intention for the remainder of this watch is to monitor the wind speed and if appropriate shake out the 2nd reef and trim the sails to try and cut back on revs a bit.
Everyone is looking forward to communication with the outside world on reaching Falmouth, we should be very close by the time the next mod day report is due.
Regards
Nick, Mate, Challenger 2
Day 19 Monday January 2018
(jab et al)
37N25W 060 Continued Calm, Azores High
Absence of distraction
Conjures attraction
To focus the present.
(after MB)
Itain Fin- Chris T
Best Sleeper Howard
Leaving the Azores
The watery belly of the earth
The source of life and grief and mirth
The Challenger creeps along her skin
The matelots filled with Pete’s bar gin.
Annon
Challenger 2 Whale watching excursions day 2
2 Whales so far today, both very much alive and very close, lots of tail flapping and heads popping up to say hello…
Seats still available contact us now for our next whale watching trip Falmouth – Weymouth Atlantic Whale Watching tours Inc. email us on WhaleWatchingWithoutAlex.com just £5
Conditions apply.
Neil
All our staff are well trained to ensure you have a truly unique and enjoyable experience
Staff include
Whale Watch Leader – Leo
1st Floresen’ Helm – Chris S
Captain Findus – Chris T
Sleep Instructor – Howard
Busy B – Ben
Rice King – Ian
For those back home, just to confirm that I will NOT be doing the second trip back, the situation has been resolved. Hope my Moon Watchers are seeing the same thing I am.
Nick XXXX
Mate
Hey Lesley
2498nm + 964nm so far. We started at 17.10N 61.55W and are now at 47.14N 10.24W. Chart 4103 (North Atlantic Ocean – English Channel to Strait of Gibraltar and the Arquipelago Dos Acoers)
4 currencies in my wallet, currently 4 layers on to keep warm, we have sailed from a land where Pina colada’s make sense and are heading to where warm beer is normal. Adventures big, and small, when you can only see to the horizon the world can seem small, and yet when you look on a map and see how much of the planet we have just crossed in a smallish boat, all of a sudden the size of what we have just done becomes apparent, and it is now a thing that can’t be taken away from us.
Food, Sleep, and Waking and Holding course up are the main concerns.
Daydreaming about conversations I will have when I get home, what will people think about what we have just done, will it be interesting, what sort of questions will they have ?
How many people have been reading this blog, 5, 10, 100, 500? I want to see the page hit counts please Charlie, but does it really matter how many, as long as my blog posts have been of interest to a few people, but I really hope I’ve made a few people chuckle.
Not living and cooking for 15 other people in the space of flat, and being able to choose what I want to eat when I want it. Not sleeping in a cabin with 4 other men, but in my own bed with my wife of less than a year.
The Azores high has become a real thing to me now, will I hear about it on weather forecasts?
We have adapted, and we will adapt again.
Are the Oceans done with me, they are indifferent.
Am I done with the Oceans? Half way across I’d have said yes, now… who knows, ask me
again in six months, when I’m out sailing on the north sea, and I’ll share some stories, probably get a faraway look in my eyes, and tell you what I think about Oceans. Until then I can’t tell you I’m done with Oceans.
So come Falmouth and England, and here’s to the Crew, my watch, my friends, and my wife.
Budgie
Iain Blair, 0620 UTC, 0520 boat time, 0300-0700 watch
Barrelling along towards Falmouth, 225 miles to go. ETA late afternoon on Wednesday. Wind is promised, so hoping to sail the final 24 hrs. 2-3 whales passed within 50 mtrs of us today. They didn’t linger, lots of tail slapping, didn’t appear pleased to see us. Then shortly afterwards dolphins spotted, also heading south, they didn’t stop. All is well aboard. Regards IB
The arrival into Falmouth is definitely in the air. The countdown of the miles to go and the thought of the thousands of miles travelled, sit well in the mind. There is excitement building for that hot shower in the marina and the first pint in the Pub called the Chainlocker. Quite a few have voiced the yearning for fish and chips for that first evening meal ashore.
All are so looking forward to checking in with loved ones.
I’m also looking forward to catching a glimpse of Bishops Rock lighthouse – that amazing and iconic tower of light that stands a perpetual watch over the seas to the south west of Scilly Isles. A sight that has steadfastly lightened many a weary traveller’s soul as they have escaped the grip of the mighty Atlantic on their way to more sheltered waters and home,
Howard
Life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that made you smile. Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)
Wring it out. Me
