Waiting in the BVI's

For the last week or so we have been hanging around the BVI’s taking it easy and relaxing before the Atlantic crossing.  We have been visiting some spots we went to last year with Pete and Claire and then looking into some new places.

We left Virgin Gorda during the last Loro Piana race and saw the boats powering up and down the Sir Francis Drake Pasage between Virgin Gorda and Tortola.  Quite an awesome spectacle and one we did not want to get too close to for fear of getting in the way.  We slowly made our way to the islands off Tortola and spent a few glorious days anchored off Salt Cay.  While we were there Scott and Sam managed a couple of dives on the RMS Rhone which is a famous wreck here.  For all you old timers it was the scene for the diving in the film “The Deep’ - remember big eel, Jacqueline Bisset etc.

We picked up Gayle for a couple of days and showed her one or two of the sights in the islands.  These ranged from the sublime (the Baths at Virgin Gorda) to the ridiculous (a floating restaurant called the William Thornton which seemed to to be more of a floating drunk tank).  Anyway we did managed to get in some wonderful sailing before she had to return home.  We are always really thankful when friends make the effort to come out and see us as it can be quite out of the way and usually involves some degree of difficulty in finding the boat.

BVI Bouganvillea

So a little bit on the plan for the Atlantic crossing for those not in the know - five friends/relations will join Dulcinea as crew in just over a weeks time.  Together with Scott and Sam they will sail first from the BVI’s to Bermuda (approx 5 days) then from Bermuda to the Azores (approx 11 days) and then from the Azores to Gibraltar (approx 6 days).  There will be a rest day at each location and obviously departure will be subject to weather forecasts at the time.  Departure from the BVI’s is planned for the 15th April dependent on weather.  This is a wee bit earlier than the recommended start of the 1st May but will make sure we have a good weather window.  

While Sam and Scott sail, Nicole and Calley will leave the boat on the 13th April and fly to the US and then Denmark and London.  After that they will train it down to Gibraltar hopefully meeting up with Heather, a friend of Nic’s, enroute.  This will be the first time any of the family will have been apart for longer than a few hours for almost two years!

Nic dreaming of a life at sea

So it is a week until the first of the Atlantic crew join the vessel and preparations are ongoing.  The biggest headache seems to be the victualling and Nic has been busy with food lists, storage, meal plans and provisioning while Scott has been trying to pre cook a few meals.  Its only when you have to anticipate how much food and drink a party of seven will require for a month with limited resupply and storage options that you realise there is quite a bit to it.  The galley oven has been running hot as we try to optimise the perfect loaf and new recipes are being tried out for use on the trip.  Believe we are on top of it though and am sure many a sailor before us has thought the same thing prior to running out of sugar halfway across.

We are booked into Village Cay Marina in Road Town, the capital of Tortola, next week and will do a final provision there.

Not sure what this is

As far as other preparations apart from food go things seem to be pretty much in hand for the Atlantic crossing.  The boat is in good order and the only worrying thing is not having anything to worry about!  Scott potters around with odd jobs trying to fix a few of the bits and pieces that need fixed.  We have some work to do in Road Town such as cleaning, restowing all the equipment and digging out sails for the crossing.  We will pick up a few bits and pieces in Road Town before we go and but that should be about all.  

We all watched the film “All is Lost” a few nights ago which while probably not the best choice of film prior to an ocean voyage did raise a few questions and made Scott look at some more of the details a bit closer.  Generally though we are ready or will be by the 15th and the only real concerns are the unknowns whether they be known or unknown.

Needless to say the schoolwork continues apace whilst we enjoy the remaining days we have left in the BVI’s.  We ran into Leopard 3 again in Jost Van Dyke and Chris was good enough to give the family a tour of the boat.  Everyone was suitable impressed; Scott with the sailing systems, Nic with the interior and the kids with the dingy.

Tortola