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Published: June 23rd 2008
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Hey folks, this is Roger (aka..Dodge). The skip (Greg) has told me to do my own introduction on the travel blog and update you with some photos. So here is some news...
After contacting Greg and firming up my spot on the crew list I packed up my life in London flew to Jamaica for some kitesurfing and cricket and headed to Panama via Cuba for a few days. The canal passage date was brought forward and with Tim and Tom had already aboard I had to cut short some days in Cuba and get going. The provisioning was well on the way with Tim taking control and it was good to arrive and help out.
The day before leaving the trouble started. First the "dongle" (word of the trip so far) broke on the satelite phone, then the hydraulic seal popped on the mast back stay.
Logistically we had to raise our game to get the appropriate repairs by the right people, so I was off on an adventure to St Maartin to get Gregs friend at FKG rigging to fix the back stay. Delay .....10 days.... 😞
Unfortunately that caused some issues with Tom´s departure from Galapagos on
the 17th so he was forced to fly there and we were down to 3 men.
After careful consideration with the Skip we were all up for the challenge of sailing 3 on Cadans and were well aware of the taxing passage.. but we decided to go for it..
Tim pulled out a trip theme song for the adventure ...the "A Team" theme from the 80´s and we set sail from Panama.
Some highlights of the crossing and enjoy the photos....
Sailing through the Doldrums
Day 1 : After leaving on a dead calm and mostly motoring, we hit a 25 knt wind shift from the NW which blew for 3.5 hours. Sails up with a reefed main.
Night 2: Motoring in beautiful balmy conditions and on the lookout for ships steaming into and out of the canal.
Day 2 : Motor sailing and passing through rain clouds . Small wind pickups fronting the clouds. Wind strenghtens as we approach the Dodrums.
Night(mare) 2: Storm clouds and wind builds throughout the night on a southly tack. Seas build to 1.5 metres and cadans is flying at 7 knots. The skip decides to reef the boat as the wind
builds over 25 knts. Dodge thrown in at the deepend when asked to head the boat and hold so the skip could reef the main. Pretty tough in the dark with wind and seas and I managed to stuff that up. We managed to reef, then
Day 3: Elecrical storms galore! Lighting hitting the water about 0.5 mile away from Cadans. Rain, rain and more rain. The wind had dropped and so we motor sailed to get through this weather. Tough night finding little wind east of las Pamas islands.
Day4: Motor sailed on a 240 degree bearing heading SSW to find wind. Wind built and we finally had the sails up on a WSW tack
Night 5: Wind shifts to SW so after bearing directly west for some hours we had to put some south in the course. We tacked to South East for 60 NM and stayed on the bearing all night.
Day 5: Day light brought southerlys and we made a Americas Cup winning tack south west chich we stayed on until hitting the NE side of San Christobal. A 4 day fetch and some respite from the doldrums. We were finally through.
Day 6: Beautiful sunshine
and southerlys of 15 to 20 knts. Some sleep catch up and a good feed. Gift from the sea! 2 beautiful dorado caught on trawling lines.
Night 6: Submarines!. Pirates! No... local Equadorian fisherman chasing down Cadans for some water and food. Tim thought it was the "Red October"
Day 7: Crossing the Equator and a toast to Neptune. What a buzz and we dressed up for the occasion. See photos. A gift of vegemite, a drink of scotch and Gregs blue cowboy hat was given to Neptune to allow us safe passage and we were in our own back yard.....the south Pacific Ócean and heading for home.
Day 8: Beam seas and 30 kts Cadans was making 8.5 knots before reefing back 2 on the main and jib. Land Ahoy, San Christobal Island and now the final slog into port against head seas, 25 knts and little sleep. Time for some more sailing theory from the skip with Dodge and Tim on the helm pushing through the tired barrier to sail Cadans in.
We made Galapagos ....
Thurs 19Jun08. 12.30pm Archored in San Christobal, Galapagos Islands.
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