Monthly Archives: November 2015

Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) – It’s Party Time :-)

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Today our ARC program was officially los. We sail namely not quite utterly alone across the Atlantic, we participate in the ARC – “Atlantik Rally for Cruisers” part. Da starten am 22. November about 250 Ships together to 13 Clock in the direction of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. Ahead there are seminars and events, but also a lot of parties, where you can meet like-minded people. On the Atlantic However, you then of course put back on itself, for the ships sailing not in a crowd or on sight :-). At the latest after one or two days, the last sailing disappears on the horizon. But in Saint Lucia you can meet all again again and there are even prizes for the fastest, largest, most beautiful or the most exotic ships in different categories. You know so our captain, but I can assure you, that our “Racing ambitions” are negligible in the large and not particularly intimate ship on this tour. Most importantly to us, dass wir heil und wohlbehalten drüben ankommen 🙂

Jetzt freuen wir uns erst einmal auf die spannende Zeit in Las Palmas und viele neue Bekannte 🙂 . After yesterday evening already for happy hour the ARC + (The sail still a dangling over the Cape Verde) who had infiltrated and we know there is a lot of nice people learned, was for tonight, our first, planned official party in the Tao bar near the Marina:

Welcome ARC – Farewell ARC+

Aber das Leben besteht ja leider nicht nur aus Partys 🙂 und wir hatten über Tag noch einige andere Dinge zu erledigen. Around noon we officially checked us in ARC office. In addition to lots of information about Gran Canaria and the capital Las Palmas we got our ARC Passports, the start number for our CESARINA (60) for the Rally and other important documents, affecting our Atlantic crossing.

In the afternoon we had a visit on board the ARC organization. The security check was at. The inspector was aboard was Anne. She does the job for many years and is incidentally also the wife of the responsible “Weather frog” the ARC. Even before we had received an entire folder full of information and requirements, which are placed on the boats of the ARC. Now it was time to check on the spot, if we had done our homework properly.

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We had to answer questions and let the equipment show on board and inspect more than an hour. For both of us it was a meaningful and educational event. Sure, a few things were on the list, about whose meaning you could certainly argue, but on the other hand, we also found a few small weaknesses in our security concept, die wir bisher übersehen hatten 🙂

Satisfied, to have successfully completed the first item on our To-To-List now behind us, konnten wir am Abend zur Party aufbrechen 🙂 Mit Jörg Drexhagen von Yachtfunk.com zogen wir los. The event was organized by the ARC in cooperation with the city of Las Palmas and had lain down properly to the wheel. Even the welcome was spectacular :-). As part of the Carnival here in Gran Canaria not only a carnival queen is crowned, but also a drag queen. And this beauty was standing with two elaborately decorated, young ladies at the entrance. Both my male companion were the whole somewhat skeptical and were not ready for a joint Foot Shooting. I liked the sight but actually quite good. Impressive were the almost 50 cm high heels, auf denen der junge Herr sehr elegant durch die Gegend spazierte 🙂

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Inside, we were generously entertained with drinks and tapas. After a short speech it went funny and at ease. Las Palmas is probably the carnival capital of the Canaries and so we got a few insights, had been celebrated like this early in the year.

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During the evening, our Round had significantly increased: Martin were now of the SY FIRST STEP and Frank and Julius of the SY jucunda also one of the party. Because actually missing only Dirk and Bettina from the SY ain't FANCY?! But they were probably too much in stress. My boat was actually still on land and on Sunday it was going to go in the direction of Cap Verde. Da wäre mir wahrscheinlich auch nicht nach Feiern zumute gewesen 🙂

Long after midnight went this splashy evening to end. Back on the CESARINA I was impressed, how much swell suddenly prevails in the port. Somehow turned my bunk?! Well, quickly and sleep eyes. Tapas sind einfach keine gute Grundlage für eine lustige Party 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the capital of the creepy crawlies

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When we had rested the next morning, we are on the way, nice to the harbor to eat breakfast. During our walk over the bridge towards Promenade, we believe not to believe our eyes. Three dead cockroaches were on the road before we reach the entrance gate. Das ist ein Alptraum für jeden Segler 🙁

Although we had heard in advance of it, that the Marina from Las Palmas to be an absolute highlight in terms of cockroaches, but too bad we were now not yet imagined. We have also received reports on the web, that sometimes even mice would come through the lines to the ship. A sailor had it even a proof photo. We both wanted About larger rodents but rather not even think. So we forged diligently during breakfast plans, how we could protect our CESARINA before stowaways.

For our hatches we brought from Germany Insect protection hoods. The mother had sewn my girlfriend Stephie for us. It only lacked the lead tape, the protective hoods over the hatches to securely fix on deck. I did not want to buy in Germany, because I did not want to burden them with three kilos of lead tape our luggage. So I set off in the city, um Bleiband zu besorgen 🙂 Gegen Abend hatte ich Gewissheit, that although there is lead tape in Las Palmas, but not in the weight I want to stay (150 g/Meter). For that I had after a day a fairly good overview of the entire business in the downtown area :-)……. and flat feet! Now the hoods are once without weighing on the hatches and we eagerly await the next weekend. There comes an acquaintance from Kiel. Hopefully then our lead tape in the luggage.

The second point of our safety concept foresaw, easy “on-board come” to prohibit blind pass through the lines. Consistently there are two different methods. Have proved probably halved plastic bottles, which are threaded over the lines or simple, round slices. The simplest and cheapest solution also, which struck me in the supermarket in your hands, waren Plastikteller 🙂

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Back on the CESARINA then began Bastelstunde. With a bit of electrical tape could easily tinker a stable construction together. So watch it with us on the ship mooring lines from.

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The shoes have to stay ashore from now consistently. Who knows, what else promoted among the shoe If everything on board.

The last entry opportunity for the disgusting fellows aboard our CESARINA we had identified our purchases. So we will previously control, as in recent months even exactly, which travels to the shopping bag on board. Wir haben unsere Altantiküberquerung mit drei Personen geplant und mehr wollen wir auch gar nicht dabei haben 🙂

 

 

 

Without Wind aim – Day 4 and 5 nach Gran Canaria

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Apparently we had consumed over the last three days our entire contingent of wind for this crossing. Eventually it was then no longer be prevented: we had to recover the genoa and start the machine. At 2 to 5 Knoten Wind brauchten wir uns auch über unsere Leichtwindsegel keine Gedanken zu machen 🙂 Das ist sogar für diese zu wenig Wind.

Since our autopilot with no wind so can steer a course close to the wind, we had now time to think of something again. Somehow, our good Hydra yet again be convincing, to steer a compass course?! And really, after a reset of the system and wagemutigem Click through the entire menu (we had nothing to lose) standen plötzlich 225° Steuerkurs auf der Anzeige 🙂 Somit waren wir für die restliche Strecke von 300 Nautical miles from “Rowing-go” befreit 🙂 Jetzt konnten wir uns wieder ein bisschen entspannen.

But inaction is nothing for my captain. So finally the watermaker was tested. Without murmuring and Zicken this began work and produced about 55 Liters best drinking water per hour. Just as we had expected even when the long time proven H2O Factory quality. Soon our tanks were all refilled and wearing the 5-liter water cans from the supermarket now has an end.

On the evening of the fourth day we had then finally land in sight: Lanzarote was found just before sunset.

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Die Temperatur in der Nacht war angenehm warm und der Himmel klar mit vielen Sternschnuppen 🙂 Trotzdem war es keine ganz ruhige Wache, because the land near took the amount of tankers and freighters again clearly. One last time we had on this trip carefully keep your eyes open. Our installed in Vilamoura AIS course had us a great help. It's great, wenn die Technik funktioniert 🙂

We were pleased both very, as the next morning Gran Canaria appeared in the haze ahead. We also passed another large group of dolphins, which could not be disturbed at her breakfast.

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Around noon we moored at the reception jetty. For the 698 Nautical miles, we have pretty much used five days. When we left the boat, traf uns der heftige Seegang an Land doch recht unvorbereitet 🙂 Solche Seebeine hatte ich noch nie gehabt. Since I was happy, when I finally safe sitting in the chair during the registration. The crew of the marina in Las Palmas was very friendly and helpful. We had requested in advance, if it would be possible, to get a place alongside on a web or Hammerhead. With the narrow yacht stern and the windvane it is very, very difficult, to come back from board. Unfortunately, our mail went missing somewhere in the system and so had to be now searched for a solution spontaneously. There was finally still a nice spot for CESARINA short Sidebridge to A- und Aussteigen für uns 🙂 Souverän bugsierte Dietmar unser Schiff zum ersten Mal rückwärts in die doch recht enge Box. Endlich angekommen 🙂

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After we had the CESARINA desalted extensively, it was time for a snack in the Sailor Bar.

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On the way we ran Jörg Drexhagen from maritime radio stations on the way. He was also reached grade, to his work from tomorrow (Installation of SSB radio equipment) take to the ARC and ARC + boats. Aber heute hatte er noch Zeit für ein gemütliches Bierchen 🙂 Und nächste Woche stehen wir ja sowieso auf seiner Liste. It really is time, dass wir wieder eine funktionierende Kurswellenanlage an Bord haben 🙂

 

 

Next on track close to the wind – Day 3 nach Gran Canaria

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During the day the wind shifted further and further towards the west and later even towards southwest. So we had our CESARINA go to the wind always higher, but up to 35 ° which really was quite possible. So far, we are only half-Wind- sailed or downwind courses. Of the good sailing qualities of our new “At home” we were very impressed.

The wind blew all day with pleasant 15-20 Node, but it was not a quiet and relaxed sailing day. In the early afternoon of the first Squall pulled with more than 35 Knot winds over us. It should simply be no nice crossing. After our Kutterfock got a long crack in the early afternoon because of fatigue, we ran only under Genoa. After all, we were making good progress. Also, the second and third Squall let us rather cold. Leider segnete unser Pinnenpilot vor Anbruch der dritten Nacht das Zeitliche 🙂 Die Squalls sind wohl doch zu viel für den Guten gewesen. Now we stood there without autopilot and still had two and a half days and over 300 Nautical miles in front of us. A nightmare !!!

But necessity is the mother of invention. Somehow we had to carry our “Hydra” (new pet name for the autopilot)get back up and running. After the first reset Dietmar was able to convince them again, to steer a course close to the wind. For a map course but we could not persuade them. For the coming night so we were on the safe side. How it should go further, when from noon tomorrow no wind would blow and we'd be on the road with machine, We were waiting to happen.

Neat Wind from behind – Day 2 nach Gran Canaria

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Finally it went peppy in the right direction. In pleasant 15 Knots of wind we continued in the afternoon also the mainsail and ran with seven knots towards our goal.

Our Tiller was quite strained throughout the day. Again and again he got from ordinary seawater showers, he coped with not very good. So Dietmar had twice already need to replace a fuse after a short circuit. Particularly annoying was, that the Good simply silently quit the service, to give one last alarm signal from without yet. As our CESARINA actually sails at good trim of the sails almost by itself as if on rails straight, the withdrawal of Tillerpilot was noticed until the next violent gust. Das war immer etwas stressig 🙁

Gegen Abend durfte ich wieder als Erste in die Koje 🙂 Sehr zuvorkommend, the captain. But against twelve I was by myself awake again. Outside, the wind howled in the rigging. That sounded not good and we had the mainsail still above. After some back-and-forth, we decided, it to recover despite the adverse conditions. So we packed our fast and waterproof in our oilskins and equipped with lifejacket and lifeline we started to work.

The problem in our mainsail is firstly the size and on the other hand, the broken Lazy-Jacks. (For non-sailors: Lazy-Jacks serve, to keep the sail after the lowering in more or less folded form the top of the mast, so it does not blow around on the entire deck.) So the sail must be considered when CESARINA after lowering necessarily be fixed with sail bands on the tree. That's when a lot of wave a not quite simple and also not hazardous undertaking. Normally I can support Dietmar from the cockpit, when the reliable Hydra (our autopilot) the controller acquires. But that was not possible this time yes, since the Good somehow still spit out error messages. So Dietmar had to fend for themselves and he did his job very well. Nevertheless, we were both safely, that we did not want to experience a second time. On Gran Canaria new Lazy-Jacks or better yet a Lazy-Bag are high on the to-do list. And even as our beloved Hydra would receive a check through their paces.

The rest of the night was marked by several thunderstorms, which fortunately passed by but around us. Clearly you could see on the horizon the lightning and the lightning. At home on my couch with a nice cup of tea, I find storm really very nice to look at, hier draußen aber gehören sie nicht zu den von mir bevorzugten Wetterphänomenen 🙁 Gegen Morgen war der Spuk dann aber endlich vorbei und der Tag begann deutlich friedlicher mit einem tollen Sonnenaufgang.