Saturday 30 June 2012

Crossing the Atlantic on Runaway Bunny

 

Carribean 112

Crossing the Atlantic ocean for the first time was a big step on our sailing career. Luckily we had a large sound boat, lots of good food and plenty of chefs.

With our experienced Captain Gindi checking the weather every day we managed a very smooth ride never too much wind, sometime too little.

 

 

Carribean 123We soon got into our daily routine of 2 person 4 hour watches, with then 8 hours off to sleep or relax. If you came off watch at 12 or 6 you cooked a meal, which kept the duties rotating and the diet varied. We ate very well from the well stocked galley supplemented with the occasional fish.

Gindi was joined by a Spanish sailing chef Niko who was enthusiastic about all things, including hand steering for hours on end in any weather.

Carribean 113The second watch was an American and Bulgarian couple Bridget and Yanni who added east and west flavours to our diet.

Finally of course there was myself and Di enjoying drifting in luxury over the ocean.

 

 

Carribean 111The first stop on the way was Horta in the Azores, difficult to see from a distance as the islands seem to be permanently covered by cloud, but this gives the fertile islands the climate to be beautiful and green in the middle of the naked blue ocean.

 

 

 

May-Sept2012 031We didnt stay long, but luckily the stop fell on my Birthday, so just time to drink too many beers and have a day of rest to recover. Bidget managed to quickly paint our names and yacht logo on a paving slab in the harbour as is the tradition for passing sailors.

 

 

 

July 2012 048We were quickly off, back to sea with full fuel tanks and a renewed vow to never drink again. Through the busy straights of Gibraltar and on to Palma.

Runaway Bunny was then to be on charter, so after a few days work getting her looking respectable again, we were off on the next adventure, taking us around Europe for the summer.