Atlantic Crossing Nov – Dec 2021

With fuel and water tanks full, bilges bulging with produce, and with the arrival of the NE’ly winds, we were all set for departure from La Palma on 24th November. We sailed South for a week (until the butter melted), turning westward once we’d reached 20ºN, approx 250nm to the NW of Cape Verde. Rather than risk Christmas at sea, an idea embargoed by the boys, we opted to bypass Cape Verde and instead head straight for the Caribbean.

Unusually strong trade winds, combined with a large cross swell from a weather system to the north, made for a ‘challenging’ crossing. Zoe had crossed the Atlantic on three occasions previously and 2021 was without question, the gnarliest. We were not alone in having a tricky crossing with the ARC rally fleet also taking a thrashing (with one fatality and two boats abandoned).

Our Atlantic Crossing in numbers:

• Departure date from La Palma: 24^th November 2021
• Miles sailed (as the crow flies) : 2,850 nautical miles (1nm = 1.15 mile)
• Days at sea: 18 days, 19 hours
• Engine hours: 5
• Fastest speed recorded: 12kn surfing off a wave
• Strongest wind gust (knots): mid 30’s most days for the first ten days
• Squalls encountered: enough to keep us on our toes day and night
• Average wave height: 3-4m
• Waves taken into the cockpit: 2
• Nights at anchor: none, there is approx 4000m of water below the keel, we sailed 24/7
• Watch system: 3 hours on, 3 hours off, and repeat….
• Packets of Stugeron consumed: 2
• School hours completed: precisely zero – staying upright consumed ALL of our energy
• Low points: See average wave height and strongest wind gusts above…
• High points: making to Martinique with Mowzer intact, and crew all still on speaking terms
• Flying fish smacking Angus around his head: one
• Whales and dolphins spotted: None! Presumably, they had better weather forecasting and opted for more civilised conditions elsewhere
• Other boats sited: only one in the 19 days – a sailing boat called Bikini 
• Chess games played: several zillion (almost exclusively won by Barnaby)
• Temperature on arrival in Martinique – a glorious 28C 

Breakages…

• It wouldn’t be a proper ocean crossing without racking up an assortment of gear failures! Nineteen days in very hostile conditions took their toll on Mowzer, as well as her crew, though thankfully none were too serious.
• Busted vang (thinamajig that holds the boom down) – but amazingly we had a spare.
• Our wind instruments became temperamental, not ideal when sailing dead downwind in 35knots, being regularly whacked by squalls.
• Our Hydrovane, mechanical self-steering system began to work itself loose (try tightening bolts hanging off the stern in 4m waves…). 
• Our gas solenoid failed 10 days out of Martinique – thankfully successfully bypassed as otherwise, it would have been cold tinned food for the rest of the trip. 
• Our whisker pole (used for poling out our genoa when sailing downwind), partially failed during a squall when one of the blocks exploded.
• Our satellite communication system developed an intermittent fault, meaning that we were unable to receive weather forecasts.
• Our resolve (almost!)….

A short interview with Zennor as we approached the end of our trans-Atlantic journey, here

On the morning of 13th December, just under 19 days since leaving La Palma, we sailed into Martinique and dropped our anchor off the town of Sainte Anne. Surrounded by palm trees and white sandy beaches, on arrival we were greeted by a turtle, surfacing alongside the boat. Exhausted and relieved, we were ecstatic to have made it safely to the Caribbean. We are ridiculously proud of Barnaby and Zennor, for rising to the challenge of such an ambitious undertaking with enthusiasm, grit and with their senses of humour intact. Cheers boys! x