We're lying in La Gomera which deserves a blog in it's own right as it was a simply stunning island, one of the highlights of the trip waiting for our crew to arrive. We actually settled on this as our jump off point as of course leading up to this trip researching where to go and I found a boat crossing on their own some years ago that "couldn't recommend La Gomera enough". Sounds legit to me. As the last place to be on land for nearly a month I have to agree. This was an incredible island and I've not long noticed that there is a fairly advanced blog sitting in drafts titled La Gomera so I'll encourage whoever wrote that to finish that off and do the joint justice.
Motoring out of La Gomera Harbour
Leaving Las Gomera
The only things La Gomera really lacked as a place to leave from was a good chandlery and large supermarkets, but enough at the fresh market to make do. I'd really bought the last of the items I wanted for the crossing in Las Palmas when we arrived there so I didn't have anything that I would have otherwise bought. I did one more oil change and coolant flush and could replace those easily, so the only 2 things were still the wind instrument and mast head light. While waiting for the crew, I met a chap living on a boat who was a sparky on the side so I asked him to come and give the VHF a quick check as the range wasn't amazing. That was a good call as my reconnecting of this when the mast went back on was "a good first attempt" as he quickly put it. That was redone, we had a beer then I winched him up the mast to look at the antenna which he also fiddled with and that made things better, but while he was up there I asked him to check my wiring on the mast head light that wasn't working. To my surprise when I turned it on and before the multimeter was connected to it he called down to say it was on. I informed him it wasn't working, to which he said it's on, to which I replied it can't be, then he said he didn't want to play this game anymore. It was on.
You see on the Bavaria panel that turns things on and off, it has a little light beside each function. When it's on, it stays lit, but when it's turned on but it's not working it flashes to tell you there's a problem. Genuis. Except that the boat was made in 2013, and things have moved on in the last 10 years. I installed a new LED sealed light while the rig was down in Spain which was the start of the issues and to cut a rather long story short the new light wasn't on the fritz, it was simply using such a small amount of power that the board thought it was broken. Sweet, that's fixed, just the wind instrument to go and the new one is arriving with the crew! this is all going to plan.
I do not remember the cold that required foulies. Seems like an age ago I wore even 1 layer. Rocking the barefeet though.
Our amazing crew arrived 3 days before we departed. Time for an amazing tramp up on La Gomera while the skipper fretted over a few things, namely the wind instrument. As soon as it arrived I knew I'd cocked it up. I thought I'd just replace the thing but in between versions of the new one to our old one it needed a new, completely different wire to be run down the mast, a converter to the standard the boat's electronics talked in and a different bracket. These didn't exist in the Canaries and in looking at options of flying back to Las Palmas to buy something completely different, the very expensive wind instrument was quickly an unaffordable wind instrument once it was all added up. Solution? A 20 Euro hand held wind anemometer that I still can't pronounce and we used once on the first day. I bought the other bits required in Martinique once we got there and installed them with Nikau a month after that.
Alright team, we are ready and very excited to get underway! Our crew was my Auntie Penny and her 2 children / my cousins Ollie and Maddy. Couldn't ask for a better team.
Slipping lines and heading out there was a lot of excitement on board. We ran through the safety briefing and assigned roles and back up roles should it hit the fan. No plan survives first contact with the enemy but still, prepare as best you can :)
Ocean safety chat
In the extended forecast there was a large system heading down above the Canaries so we really wanted to jump off and get ahead of that. We knew we'd be into some really mild conditions after the first day but that would be ok. This really was the short hop of just 800nm which is hilarious to say out loud but ultimately a good testing ground and a chance for us to get in a groove with a break to look forward to before the big trip across the Atlantic.
We definitely left La Gomera with a his and a roar. Absolutely smoking away from land doing over 10knots solidly with massive long period rollers coming in from the side. Penny on the helm was having a great time, showing Ollie the ropes while Maddy and I hung out on the bow with fresh wind in our faces. Some Dolphins escorted us away from La Gomera and before long a pod of Pilot whales came in for a look too. Days like these!
Penny rocking along over 10knots
Ollie enjoying his time on the helm
The wind then backed in time for dinner so our first meal was on a flat boat doing 8.5 knots, then it died off just afterwards so we had to motor for a short while. Happily though, the wind picked up to a nice 15 knots so with reefed sails our crew sailed through the night in teams slipping along at a very controlled 6 knots. Perfect conditions for the crew and couldn't have asked for better conditions to build some confidence. The morning was more of the same. We shook out the sails and while we were swishing along, penny made some amazing scrambled eggs had on toast. Pretty sweet way to start a voyage.
First night at sea, perfect conditions
Shame it didn't last longer! Some messy conditions picked up and turned the sea state into a bit of a shocker. Maddy and Ollie turned green but then Ollie got his colour back by donating his previously consumed sandwich to the sea. Maddy though plowed on through and with some outstanding will power and breathing fiercely, managed to ward off the sea gods and keep the Hazard name in good stead.
The soon to be in the ocean DIY sandwiches
Fortunately though, it was a fairly controlled night and by the morning the swell had gone. Sadly though so had the breeze so the motor came on and formed probably 90% of our propulsion for the remainder of the trip. Maddy though was stoked. No longer needing to research flights from Cape Verde to Barbados, the calm weather brought out the a la carte menu so we ate very well. The BBQ was rocking, Ant's well guarded 5kgs of Swiss chocolate in the bilge was starting to get a look in and it was beers and Aperol Spritz's at sunset.
Dinner on the way
After a few days the sea turned into the glassy never-ending horizon I'd been dreaming about so we were very lucky to experience this. Stopping for a daily swim became the norm. To labour the point, I LOVE swimming in the ocean. Swimming with nothing but 4km of ocean directly below you in perfect, crystal clear water is just the most magical thing. We had flip and bomb competitions from the front deck, formal back diving demostrations from Helen and Colette off the swim platform, dove down as deep as we could - actually wish we could have done that a little better as on his first jump off the boat Ollie lost his brand new mask off his head and they sunk - trailed lines behind the boat and towed everyone along.
Ollie's elegant head first entry style
Formal back diving off the swim platform - there are god lines out the back don't worry
Bit of oversteer on that effort
Towing behind the boat ocean style
We also managed quite a bit of fishing on this trip. On the second day we hooked something absolutely enormous but unfortunately we were doing 9 plus knots and getting slowed down with decent wind around takes time, we weren't able to manage that one and we lost that fish. But sure enough over the next days, we hooked several Mahi Mahi and we were having ceviche, sashimi, fish burgers and sushi, plus just plain old amazing fish. We had an incredible menu for the trip but this really added to it, and was loads of fun!
Helen also had her birthday on this trip, so presents were bought out and I managed a good sized Mahi Mahi as a bonus. It was a super calm day so perfect conditions for swimming and a bottle of bubbly at lunch then a beautiful breeze turned up so ended up sailing along in champagne conditions doing 7knots.
The one that got away
Birthday lunch
birthday dolphins
Birthday bombs
Birthday presents
Birthday fish
The wind would never last for long on this trip though so as we motored towards Cape Verde, we had an unexpected visitor in the form of a blue beaked boobie (mmpphhh) who decided a great perch would be the solar panels. This provided much amusement as it hung out for a bit to recharge, and predictably crap all over the panels which cleaning off was fun. Still, cool bird
Some of the most epic scenes of the trip were the moonrise and moonset, and the colours at sunrise and sunset. With such calm conditions the moon had absolutely stunning colours and the size was just incredible. The shifts that landed on these ones were the most coveted.
Bit of bow time in flat conditions
One of the many colours at sunrise
I mean, come on!
Colette getting some bow and beanbag time in near sunset
Motoring into the sunset
Sunset bow time
Rail meat
To finish off we motored along into Cape Verde getting in about 2am. We were trying to avoid this but could only go so slow. We found a good spot to anchor then everyone had a great 5 or 6 hours sleep before we got up and moseyed around. Way too much motoring for our liking but on the flip side it's incredibly special to experience the most remote you are likely to be in surreal, calm conditions. I have always wanted to do that so consider myself very lucky.
Safely anchored and after a well deserved night's sleep.