Fish & Beautiful Skyscapes

Rainbow after a squall

Ryan Hughes with the catch of the day - Mahi Mahi

Full Moon over the Atlantic

Rui Guedes from Horta - Faial, our resident Marine Biologist and Master Fisherman with a "Wahoo"

Finish Line Photos



Rounding Pigeon Island to the Finish

 

 

 

 

What a crew!

 

 

 

 

1/4 mile from the Finish

 

 

 

 

 

The Columbus Hat!

Maravilha crossed the finish line on Thursday, December 11, 2014 at 06:24:44 completing the 2800 mile passage in 16 days, 23 hours, 24 minutes, and 44 seconds. We were the 63rd boat to finish out of 192 boats in the fleet. Today is Sunday,  December 14, 2014, and at present 36 boats are still at sea. Our actual finish position within our division will not be determined until all boats are in and corrected time calculations are completed. All is well on board....no significant breakage. Some damage to the spinnaker pole and some other very minor items but all in all not bad.

 

I will be posting more pictures in the next few days from onboard during the trip ..... so check back in!

 

Maravilha in St Lucia

A Happy Crew in St Lucia

Done...Pronto...Finito...No Mas...Sayonara!

We have arrived....Thursday, December 11, 2014, 06:24:44 am, after 16 days, 23 hours, 24 minutes, and 44 seconds of sailing across the Atlantic from Gran Canaria to St Lucia, Maravilha slipped around Pigeon Island and crossed the finish line in Rodney Bay. A very happy moment for the crew.

We were greeted at the dock by ARC staff who took our lines and handed us rum punches and a welcome basket from St Lucia....Wow...what a feeling!

Then came some champagne and a visit by Mom & Dad who arrived in St Lucia last Sunday.

Only a few minor chores this morning and then some well deserved R&R....and ofcourse that cheese burger and ice cold beer. Tomorrow morning we will tackle our to do list and get Maravilha back in top shape.

Stay tuned as over the next few days I will be posting pictures of the crossing.

We hope you've enjoyed following along as much as we enjoyed sharing this adventure with you.

Until tomorrow.

vcp

Day 16, December 10, 2014

Position   14 31.6N    59 07.4W

Distance to go:   109 miles

All is well and the end is near. Our expected arrival time is around daybreak tomorrow. The wind has held, albeit, on the lighter side but still enough to keep boat speed in the 6 kt range. It is very hot…oppressively hot…with the wind from astern there is little cooling efect from the breeze on deck. Any shadey spot has become prime real estate on deck. We have begun some pre-arrival chores such as completing individual as well as vessel customs declarations; health declarations, etc.. Also completed a minor chafe repair to the mainsail at  the lower spreader. Once we round the northern tip of St Lucia, the last few miles will be upwind. In preparation for that we have also removed the staysail and the inner forestay to make tacking upwind more efficient. This afternoon we will be doing some housekeeping to get the interior spruced up for arrival. Basically we are keeping busy so we're not watching the clock tick down. Tonight we will set our watches back one more hour to St Lucia time (1 hour ahead of EST).

Dinner last night was roasted chicken with spanish rice….very nice!

We presently have three boats in sight.

Looking forward to a nice juicey bacon cheese burger with a tall cold beer for lunch tomorrow!

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 15, December 9, 2014

Position    15 08.1N     56 19.3W

Distance to go:  276 miles

All is well. A bit slow going yesterday. Lost the wind from late morning to early evening with wind speed dropping to 6 kts from astern (East). Not a lot of forward movement in those conditions. That pretty much ended our fantasy of a Wednesday arrival. The wind came back up late last night and has remained in the 13 - 16 kt range. Although it has backed to ESE we have not yet seen the forecasted ENE which should remain for the next few days. I do hope the shift happens as we have positioned ourselves south of the rhumb line in anticipation of the NE shift giving us a better -faster sailing angle to approach the finish.

The weather is quite nice…clear skies…sunny…80 degrees. No new fish to report, however, much heavier bird activity as we approach land. The seabird book is out as we do our best to indentify the species we are looking at. It is interesting to note that the birds seem as interested in us as we are in them. They approach and will do several laps overhead around the boat as if curiously assessing "what is this?", as we sit below looking up at them asking the same question…curious creatures we are.

Started working on a "to do" list of repairs/maintenance projects to complete once we arrive. Thankfully it is a short and rather simple list.

Last night for dinner was "Yahoo Beans" and brown bread from a can. Now you're probably asking what are "Yahoo Beans"? So…I'll tell you...

When my daughter, Victoria and Mia were much younger and Maria was working at the hospital I often found myself making a mid day snack for the girls and I on Sunday afternoons. So the three of us would go into the kitchen and pull down a couple of cans of B&M Baked beans and then procede to jazz them up a bit. We start by sauteeing diced onions;green peppers; and garlic. Add to that some diced chourico and hot dogs. Once that’s all browned add in the beans….then add a splash of ketsup; dijon mustard; molasses; honey; worcestershire sauce; and minces dried ancho chili peppers (just a pinch -potent stuff)….hence the "Yahoo".

There you have it…Baked beans with a kick. They were never quite the same twice as often ingredients were substituded but generally this is it. The girls loved the spontanaity of this cooking adventure as did I.

I believe the crew enjoyed it as the bowls were wiped clean…very nice!

So for the next 36 to 48 hours we will vigilantly continue the useless and non-productive exercise of watching the remaining miles count down on the GPS screen. I don't know why we do it but it happens everytime …. maybe by watching…the miles tick away faster?

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 14, December 8, 2014

Position  15 44.8N     54 10.2W

Distance to go:   405 miles

All is well. Interesting day yesterday as we dealt with heavy squall activity all afternoon. We had been advised that once we cross longitude 52 30 that this was likely, and so it was. Unlike other isolated squall activity we've encountered along the way, this was a well organized large system with no hope of being able to slip between squalls. Within 3 minutes the wind went from 12 kts SE to 27 kts NE. The sky turned dark gray as though it was dusk but it was only 1:30PM. Then came the rain…Oh the rain! It was the hardest and longest period of rainfall I've ever seen. The force of the rainfall was such that it had a flattening effect on the seas turning the ocean surface into a marble looking surface. The splash of the rain on the ocean surface created a low lying mist which was whisked away in sheets by the wind. In hindsight, a rather spectacular display of nature. However at the present time we weren’t so impressed. Unlike other less organized squalls which we've encountered which last 20 minutes or so, this one went on for one hour and forty-five minutes with lighter rain lasting for another hour after that. Fortunately, the wind never became excessive and we stayed in control by dropping the mainsail and pressing on with a reduced jib. After that, the rest of the night was beautiful. The wind returned to the SE 13 -15 kts and behind us we enjoyed the view of a bright rainbow arching across a golden colored sky.

Sailing was good through out the night with good speed maintained. At present the wind remains from the SE and the spinnaker is flying. We expect one more windshift later tonight to the NE where it is forecasted to remain for the next few days.

Dinner last night ws roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and brown gravey…very nice.

While we can't see them there are four boats near us showing up on our instruments (AIS). As we approach the island over the next two days I expect more boats be converging on the destination now only a couple of days away.

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 13, December 7, 2014

Position   16 16.6N     51 43.6W

Distance to go:  550 miles

All is well. Nice run over the las 24 hours, we covered 184 miles. The wind remains with us at about 15kts from the SE. It has been cloudy with frequent showers. Thunder and lightening is around but off to our north.

So…we continue to make good progress towards St Lucia. Arrival day still looks like Wednesday/Thursday, although recent progress has made Wednesday a bit more possible. Today is week two of the mustache contest so it is a mandatory shave day. I would say Ryan still holds a slim lead with Rui in second, I a close third, and Brad a distant fourth.

Caught another Mahi - Mahi this morning (80cm).

High-lite of the day was a visit from two Mink Whales approximately 15 feet in length, greenish/gray in color. They surfaced behind us and then played in our bow wake for five minutes or so. They spouted and exposed their dorsal fins several times and rolled to show us the white of their bellies. Its as if they know they are entertaining us…magnificant!

Dinner last night was spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce…very nice

Until tomorrow

vcp 

Day 11, December 5, 2014

Position   18 11.7N     45 59.3W

Distance to go:   897 miles

All is well. Another nice day. Sunny and clear. The rain squalls have ceased at least for now. Wind is a bit lighter from the SE today. At present the spinnaker is up and we're moving along at 7+ knots…quite nice. Starting to see some sargasso weed floating which is typical of this area…also a bird or two where they have up until now been non-existant. Very pleasnt night last night running down wind in 13 -16 kts of wind with a near full moon. The deck was fully illuminated…no flashlights needed. All is well on board, no problems to report.

Another fish onboard about an hour ago. A Mahi-Mahi measuring one meter (the big one). Presently being filleted and into the freezer it goes.

Dinner last night was pan seared pork loin with a red wine and balsamic vinegar sauce accompanied with roasted potatoes and carrots with fresh melon for desert…very nice.

One boat in sight today.

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 10, December 4, 2014

Position  18 55.2N   43 33.9W

Distance to Go:  1041 miles

All is well. Enjoying nice weather and sunshine after a less than pleasant night last night. Rain squall after rain squall and irradic winds made for a long wet night. Winds veered from south to northeast in short time spans. Velocity was also up and down, requiring constant sail adjustment, amidst the pelting rain…not so nice. However, that's over for now and we're drying everything out from the interior of the boat to clothing. Sailing along at good speed now down wind ofcourse. We expect to pass the 1000 mile mark this evening…very exciting.

Caught another fish earlier today….A Wahoo this time (70cm). Very pretty creature…resembles a mackeral with its zebra skin pattern but much larger. It is already filleted and in the freezer for a future dinner.

Last night's dinner was Baked Mahi-Mahi with a garlic butter sauce (prepared by Rui) and pasta marinara, followed by a chocolate cake baked by Brad…very nice.

Two boats in sight today.

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 9, December 3, 2014

Position   20 11.5N   40 57.7W

Distance to Go:  1203 miles

All is well. Breaking news: "Leopard of Finland" finished today smashing the course record by 2 days, finishing in 8 days 14 hours. Quite impressive. Onboard "Maravilha" we continue to push along. Had a good day yesterday, 179 miles in 24 hours. We expected to cross the 1000 mile mark on Friday but now it looks as though that may happen tomorrow. Weather conditions have been very stable and consistent. Winds in the 15 -20 kt range…abit lighter during the day and a bit stronger at night. We are now experiencing fewer squalls then just a few days ago which is nice. At present there are two boats in sight with several others on AIS. No new fish to report. The wind direction has been veering from east to southeast so we keep adjusting from a broad reach to a down wind wing/wing run. It is expected to back to the northeast in the coming days with similar velocities. Aside from the dailly chores and maintenance not too much more to report. When not on watch time is occupied by reading, watching movies, staring endlessly into the vast blue horizon and thinking of all sorts of things, etc. I'm well into my second book (Christianity - an illustrated history by Time Life Books), very interesting.

Dinner last night was Lasagna with steamed zuchinni….very nice. Looks like the Mahi-Mahi is on the menu for tonight!

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 8, December 2, 2014

Position   21 34.2N    38 15.2W

Distance to finish:  1371 miles

All is well. Earlier today we crossed the half way mark. Now counting down not up and days remaining are (should be) in the single digits. Very encouraging. The next milestone is to break the 1000 mile mark, which should occur sometime early Friday. Psychologically it is much more soothing not to consider this one very long trip but instead a series of shorter ones. We continue to sail in the very typical trade-wind conditions… Easterlies 15 - 20 kts with an occasional squal to keep it interesting. Sunny and hot today (82 degrees).

Mahi-Mahi onboard….yes we landedour seconf fish today (60cm), Already filletted and ready for tomorrow nights dinner (conditions permitting).

At present there are no boats in sight but do have two showing up on the AIS.

Diinner last night was roasted chicken with pesto pasta and roasted fresh carrots…very nice.

We crossed the 37th meridian today so we once again set out watches back. We are now only 3 hours from EST.

We heard the Patriots lost…too bad…but Benfica won….nice!

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 7, December 1, 2014

Position   22 41.17N     35 03.36W

Distance to Finish:  1559 miles

All is well. The wind shifted due East so we ran a bit North of the rhumb line thru the night. At dawn we jibed over and are now running downwind along the rhumb line in 15kts of wind. The skies are clear and it getting warmer (78 degrees). Another day of solid progress. We expect to cross the half way point tomorrow morning….YAHOO! We can soon begin to count down days in single digits. Some lighter winds are expected the next two days so we will try to position ourselves over the next 24 hours to in the stronger wind bands….we'll see how that goes. Everything aboard is good…the mustache contest is progressing well.

Dinner last night was spaghetti and meatballs with grape tomato and cucumber salid….very nice.

No new fish catches to report….except for a little fishing prank. While Ryan and Rui were down below doing dishes, Brad and I pulled in the lore and hooked on a pair of sandles and underwear and let the line back out. When it set it popped the baloon and we yelled "fish on". Out came Rui and Ryan to tend the line. Comments like: "oh it’s a big one"…as it got closer…"maybe a Tuna"….as it got even closer…."jee, this is different"…."Oh look it's someones shoes"….Imagine that!  Yes I have it on film…very…very funny. Hey there's not a lot to do out here!

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 6, November 30, 2014

Position   22 46.6 N       32 44.8 W

All is well. Another beautiful day in paradise…probably the nicest weather day yet. Sunny, blue skies, following cobalt blue seas, and getting noticably warmer…quite pleasant. We had a nice run yesterday, not as many miles as earlier days, but still above our dailly goal 150 miles per day. Winds got lite last night making it a bit uncomfortable…when the wind is gone and the ocean swell remains things just tend to rock and roll with little forward progress. However, it's back up today around 15kts from ENE. We flew the spinnaker for a while today which gave us a nice little push. Two boats are still in site. We continue to change positions with a Hanse 505 which has been near us since the start. After the first two days we were 6 miles ahead of her. Two days ago she was 13 miles ahead of us. At dawn this morning she was only 3 miles ahead. We both put up spinnakers and we slid past her. At present she is two miles behind us. This keeps it interesting.

I've finished my first book of the trip "Killing Patton" by Bill Oreilly, now starting the second one which I haven't chosen yet.

All is well onboard. No new fish catches to report.

Dinner last night was pan seared cod fillets with roasted fresh carrots and potatoes…very nice!

1685 miles to go…we are zeroing in on the half way mark.

Until tomorrow,

vcp

Day 5, November 29, 2014

Position  23 08.38 N      29 43.15W

All is well. As forecasted the wind has backed to the NE and we are sailing along comfortably and quickly in 18 -21 kts of wind. The skies are overcast so not to much sun today. Thus far a very easy and relaxing day. We ran into large schools of flying fish earlier today. While we have seen them before, never, in this abundance. Quite beautiful silvery-blue creatures zipping along from wave crest to wave crest. Some were not so lucky as they ran into the boat while zipping along. Some were rescued…others we found hours later dried up on deck.

We have a mustache growing contest onboard. Ryan is in the lead but he did have a several day headstart. I suspect Rui and I will make a run for this coveted title during the next week and a half. Brad's mustache….we'll, let's just say that it's struggling to get noticed.

Dinner last night was Lasagna; garlic bread; and fresh grape tomato and cucumber salad with balsamic dressing…very nice. If the weather stays cooperative we may try some pan seared cod filets tonight!

Until tomorrow

vcp

Day 4, November 28, 2014

Position:    23 53.66 N      26 51.23 W

All is well. The weather remains about the same with winds in the 16 -20 kt range. The wind direction did move to the North - Northwest (as forecasted) late last night and for a good part of the day today. This forced us to sail a course a bit more Southerly. The direction is expected to move back to the Northeast late toady and tomorrow.  All in all some good sailing and the miles are adding up. Within the next few hours we will break thru the 2000 mile to go mark which will be nice. Two boats are sill in sight.

Our Thanks Giving Dinner was nice. The highlight was the stuffing made from scratch by Brad. Very Nice.

Until Tomorrow

VCP

Day 3, November 27, 2014

Position  25 20.25N        24 12.4W

Hello all, and a happy blessed Thanksgiving Celebration from all of us aboard Maravilha. Another day of good progress. Winds remained in the 16 - 22 knot range with a few brief periods of lighter winds. Finally we have a fish onboard…a small Mahi-Mahi. Probably to be served as appetizer to our Thanksgiving Dinner. Did some normal maintainence yesterday and some house cleaning…all is good aboard. Brad was busy this morning preparing his stuffing recipe.

We still have two boats visually on either side of us as we sail along towards St Lucia.

Dinner last night spaghetti and meatballs.

Until Tomorrow…Have a Happy and Blessed Thanks Giving!

VCP

Day 2 November 26, 2014

Position   26 29.9 N     21 09.9 W

After some lite wind conditions yesterday afternoon, the wind picked up to 16 - 20 kts and remained there until now. We are making good progress along the rhumb line. Skies are clear and the sun is shining. The highlight of yesterday afternoon was a spectular show by some spotted dolphins. At first there were three or four…then dozens surrounding the boat. These aboslutely beautiful creatures entertained us for twenty minutes as the leaped acrobatically into the air and charged the boat's wake so close we could look into their eyes. It's as if they know they're entertaing us. Incredible!

Early this morning while I was napping…Brad, Rui, and Ryan spotted a sperm whale (15 -20 feet in length). No new fish catches to report. Dinner last night was Spanish Chourizo with green peppers and onions on a bed of Mediterrainean Rice. Desert was fresh Pineapple.

Later today we will reset our clocks as we pass thru a time zone. We will be one hour closer to time back home. At present we are five hours later and soon that will change to four (same time zone as the Azores).

All is well on board. We still have two boats in sight and six on the AIS screen.

Until Tomorrow.

VCP

Day 1, November 25, 2014

position:  26 46.02N    18 14.87W

Had a good start yesterday. Started off in 18kts of wind. It was quite a scene starting with 200 other boats ranging in size from 32 feet to 100 feet. The folks of Las Palmas put on quite a "bon voayge" send-off complete with a marching band at the end of the breakwater as we exited the marina and an anouncer calling out the names of the boats and nationality as we passed by the reviewing stand.

As we sailed south down the west side of the island the wind increased briefly to 30kts and then settled down to 20 -25 NE where it remained for the rest of the day and night. We made good progress over the last 24 hours but are bit slow now as the wind has lowered to 10-12 kts. It is predicted to come back to 20kts tonight…let's hope so!

All is well on board. Dinner last night was spinach lasagna with green beans and garlic bread.

Rui did catch a Mahi-Mahi (70cm), but after slapping around the cockpit floor it slid its way back into the water. I know….you're thinking this is another fish story, but I've got the pictures…unfortunately, no pan seared Mahi-Mahi just yet.

Until tomorrow

vcp

Big and Fast

Leopard - Farr 100

Pictured above is the largest and fastest boat in ARC 2014. Crewed by twenty Finnish sailors, she is expected to make a serious run at smashing the record which stands at 10 days, 21 hours. To put it in perspective we, aboard Maravilha, would be thrilled with a 18 day passage. I was up close to Leopard a few days ago....WOW!

Also in the go-fast division is "Monster Project", a recent vintage Volvo 70 Ocean Racer.

POSTPONED

Due to high winds and heavy squalls in the port this morning the ARC Committee has postponed all starts until tomorrow morning. So...we hurry up and wait!

I believe the decision was based on  the difficulties presented when two hundred boats
tightly packed into the marina try to leave their berths in wind gusts exceeding 30kts and rain coming down sideways and then get organized for five individual starts. A strong potential for accidents and possible damage....not a good way to start a 2700 mile passage.

The wind is expected to diminish a bit over night, but more importantly the front associated with the squalls will drift east towards the Sahara....a more pleasant situation. Once we get clear of these islands the weather and wind direction looks to be favorable.

Aboard...we are ready, we can't think of anything else to check...recheck...store...secure....etc. Catching up on my emails and other important items such how the Celtics are doing; trying to find a way to watch the Patriots game a bit later and the BU Hockey standings....Go Terriers!

That's all for now

Christian Eduardo Elias

 

 

Meet Chris Elias. Chris took care of "Maravilha" while she sat idle in Pasito Blanco for two months. He did a fine job. Chris also prepared for us, fourteen pre-cooked (home cooked) dinners and froze them. We just took delivery of those and packed our freezer. We pull one out in the morning and let it thaw all day. Throw it in the oven for 45 minutes at dinner time...add some pasta and a vegetable and you have a nice warm dinner. My bride, Maria, and my mom prepared the same for our crossing to the Azores and my Cousin Fernanda (Faial) did so for our passage from the Azores to the Canaries and this system has worked out well insuring nice warm dinners without any serious cooking onboard.

 

We are now to GO!

 

The weather forecast will have us leave in some brisk conditions which will abate as we move south and west. At least for the next week it looks pretty good. St Lucia...here we come!



Final Details

This is how I spent my 50th birthday!

 

 

Went up the rig the rig yesterday to check things out. Everything looks good. Added some foam padding to the top spreaders to minimize chafing of the mainsail, a problem we experienced when sailing over to the Azores. Also addressed other chafe points on deck and inspected the steering system...all good. Received our grocery delivery today a were busy making it all disappear into the various storage locations. Tomorrow we put on the fresh and frozen goods and we're good to go. 



A boat full of groceries.
Ryan, Rui, and Brad at the ready

Collegio Hispano Ingles De Las Palmas
10th grade students

We had a nice visit today from some 10th grade students from the Collegio Hispano Inlges de Las Palmas (a private high school where the students are immersed in English...imagine that!). They were around the docks interviewing crews for a class project and they stopped and chatted with us for a while. While they had a script, it didn't take long to get off script as they had many questions about life in America. There are 25 countries represented in the entries in this rally, however, relatively few U.S. entries...so they stayed for a while. Most of their questions regarding music etc. were over my head but we had a very interesting conversation none the less. They came aboard and got a full tour of our preparations for the crossing. Before parting we shared some Oreo Cookies....much to their delight and ours as well.

Also went grocery shopping today....what an adventure. Everything gets delivered tomorrow, so that will keep us busy for a while.

Corwith Cramer leaving Las Palmas

"Corwith Cramer"

Pictured above is the Corwith Cramer, one of the training ships from SEA - Semester at Sea. Ironically, its homeport is Woodshole, Massachusetts. Even more ironic is that it is the ship that my daughters, Victoria and Mia, did several semesters aboard and here we are crossing paths 3000 miles from home. As we crossed we prominently displayed our American Flags. When we got within ear shot I shouted "Woodshole, Massachusetts"....loud cheers were returned from the deck...very cool!

 

We passed our safety inspection yesterday. Today we are working on provisioning details. Getting close!

A Sea of Boats

LasPalmas Marina, Gran Canaria

The docks are busy with over two hundred boats doing final repairs and provisioning for the start next Sunday. We have our inspection tomorrow so we're checking and rechecking our lists. The weather is nice although a front is expected to pass through Thursday/Friday....better than Sunday!

Coming Soon

                                                           Start November 23, 2014

Until next time

Typical Gran Canaria Mountain-scape

We've wrapped up this leg of the journey and we're back in the U.S.. In the final two days on the island we did a bit more exploring by car. A drive thru the center of the island and up over the top (1950 meters), followed the next day to the Pueblo of Agaete, a small fishing village in the northwest corner of the island. Both of these excursions were 3 to 3 1/2 hour car rides including mountain top hair-pin turns and cliff side carved roads with 400 meter vertical drops.Quite spectacular. Couldn't help but wonder how some of these roads were built.

The landscape is mostly dry and brown, although it does get a bit greener to the north. A few very small villages within these mountains and valleys but mostly desolate. Certainly not the most inviting place I've seen.

We will return in mid November to prepare "Maravilha" for the East to West Atlantic crossing to St Lucia in the company of 200+ boats participating in the World Cruising Club's ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) which is schedule to start on November 23, 2014. This is a 2700 mile passage and is expected to take from 18 to 21 days.

Buenos dias Pasito Blanco, Gran Canaria

Arrived in Pasito Blanco - Gran Canaria yesterday at sunrise after a two day ride from Madeira. Started out Thursday morning sailing in 13 - 17 kts WSW breeze...a nice beam reach. For most of the day we blasted along at 7.5 to 8.5 kts on a course of 177 degrees towards Gran Canaria, 311 mile away. We left the "Islas Desertas" to our west. A day later the "Islas Selvagems" came into view about 15 miles to our west. Also a territory of Portugal (although much closer to the Canaries), these two islands have population of 6. Two wildlife wardens and 4 lighthouse keepers. Both land and surrounding sea are protected habitats for a variety of species (some endangered) both land and marine. After night fall on this first night the wind began to fade as predicted. By 2300 GMT on Thursday we were under power where we remained for the next 26 hours. The wind picked back up from the NE as we approached Gran Canaria, the last forty miles. All in all a very pleasant ride. Some really nice sailing with a less nice motorboat ride sandwiched in between.
Upon arrival we did some maintenance and housekeeping, cleared customs with the "Guarda Civil" and went to Las Palmas, the capitol of Gran Canaria (850,000 population).  First impression: grand resort community after grand resort community separated by dry, dusty - brown desert like landscape all spread out from a large densely populated city...very interesting. More exploring ahead...will report later.

Another beautiful mid-ocean sunset

 

Brad Curtis - having a tough day at the office

Good Morning Madeira

After 655 miles of sailing we arrived in Madeira this morning at day break and docked Maravilha in Quinta do Lorde Marina at the eastern end of Madeira...a spectacular place! Some sight seeing, some good food (Espetada) and a sampling of "poncha" and Madeira wine...we are now about to get some rest before departing in the morning for Gran Canaria...311 mile to the south. The sail here was a mixed bag of conditions. Beautiful downwind sailing with moon lit skies. A day later a parade of squalls....followed by sunny skies, cobalt blue seas, and gentle following breezes.

Sun Rise on the approach to Madeira

Funchal under a rainbow

Squall....hold on to your hat!

The Crew: Victor Pinheiro, Ryan Hughes,Brad Curtis, John Pinheiro

Leaving a special place



Pico as seen from high above the harbor in Horta

While it is very satisfying to be starting this second leg of our journey around the North Atlantic it is a bit melancholic at the same time. Sailing away from Faial brings to a close an experience I've thought so long about. It is not just another island, yes it is beautiful, but it is much more than that. It's where my family came from...it's where some of my family still lives. It is an iconic location with regard to trans-atlantic sailing and I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to complete this passage and share this experience with family and friends. A special thanks to all our friends and family on this gem of an island for all that you did to make this visit so special and memorable....Muito Obrigado...Um Abraco!

Going South

Madeira, Portugal

Gran Canaria, Spain








In a few more days we head back to the Azores - Horta, to begin the next phase of the journey south to the Island of Gran Canaria, part of the Canary Islands - a territory of Spain. This Island is situated approximately 900 miles from Horta, 250 miles from Madeira, and 70 miles off the coast of Morocco in north western Africa. Las Palmas, Gran Canaria is the launching point for the World Cruising Club's "Atlantic Rally" which steps off in late November taking us and approximately 200 other boats west accross the Atlantic to the Caribbean Island of St Lucia - a 2900 mile trade wind ride.

 

If all goes accroding to plan we will say good-bye to Horta late Friday, September 5, 2014. If the weather prediction is favorable we will slip out of the harbor and  head south -southeast leaving Pico to our left and our bow pointed towards Funchal, Madeira, 650 miles away. If time allows we will have a brief stop in Madeira (1 day) and then onto Gran Canaria. The crew aside from myself is my father, John Pinheiro along with Ryan Hughes and Brad Curtis.

Exploring the Azores

The following are photos of the last two weeks. We sailed between four islands: Faial, Sao Miguel, Santa Maria, and Terceira. Some great sailing with spectacular views, and of-course, every day of sailing was followed by fabulous food and conversation with friends...new and old.

With Tony Soares in Ponta Delgada



Getting ready for Race 1 of the Atlantis Cup from Santa Maria to Ponta Delgada. We've had a lovely few days in Santa Maria...complete with lots of good food....some boat prep....a few practice sessions...and  even a bull fight and a pig roast!

In Tereceira

On the Island of Terceira today. We arrived at 2:30am after sailing 94 miles from Ponta Delgada. Nice downwind ride. We had a really nice time in Ponta Delgada with the Farias Family. Also met up with Tony Soares from Inner Bay who gave us a personalized tour of the city. We picked up two more crew members in Ponta Delgada (Helio and Sylvia). They're participating in the regatta and there boat developed a leak so they were not going to go beyond Ponta Delgada. We inviting them to hitch a ride with us to Terceira so here they are.

Marco!

 

Visit with Marco Dutra, our single side band radio link in Faial. We communicated with Marco everyday at 2200 UTC. He gave us weather information as well as news from Faial and relayed information to family back home via email. Every day we looked forward to speaking with him.
All aboard are very appreciative of the service he provided....Thank you Marco and Claudia!

Dinner Parade

Dinner at Canto Da Doca

Dinner at Clube Naval Da Horta

Lunch with Jose Carlos and Bella and Joao

 Lunch at Arvore

Dinner with Maria and Zezinha

Burgee Exchange

Exchanging burgees with Jose Azevedo, owner of Peter's Café Sport.

We all got some exercise yesterday in a hike around the "Caldeira". An 8km hike around the crater of a 730,000  year old volcano crater in the center of Faial. The views from the top are spectacular and the site looking into the crater is mesmerizing...awesome....like into thru the pages of a National Geographic Magazine...except it's real!

All looking forward to  a reception dinner at the Yacht Club (CNH) tonight.

Cheers

Upon arriving in Horta, it is customary (as well as good luck) to paint a mural along the waterfront.  Today we completed our mural.  What do you think?

Arrival!

What a reception!

Wow...we were escorted in by a flotilla of boats from the CNH (clube naval da Horta) from Castello Branco all the way in to Horta. As we came around the tip of the breakwater the horns started sounding. Once tied to the pier we were greeted by the Mayor (Presidente da Camara) Leandro amidst a group of "Chamarita Dancers" and traditional music over the loud speakers. I was handed bouquets of flowers by two young ladies and many kisses and hugs were exchanged. To say we were a bit overwhelmed would be an understatement! After enjoying this moment off to Peter's we went for a well deserved Gin & Tonic.

Day 12   Saturday, May 31, 2014

As predicted the winds got really light as we approached the Azores High which had settled over Faial. So at about 0530 we fired up the diesel and began motoring the las 80 miles. At this point the Island of Flores is abeam to port, however, 50 miles away so we could only imagine how it must appear. The sun is out in force and the seas are a beautiful blue and calm. With about 40 miles left to go off the starboard bow the silhouette of a mountain peak begins to rise above the horizon…It is Pico! About 15 miles later another silhouette off the port bow…it is Faial!

The reality that we've made it sets in.

 

 

Only 331 miles to go. We are just about to enter Portuguese National Waters. At present we are moving really well at 9kts towards Horta. We expect landfall late Saturday or early Sunday. Tomorro night we will pass within 50 miles of the Island of Flores, the western most Azorean Island. The weather these last few days has been great….sunny, warm, and favorable southwest winds. We also had another great dolphin show…in and out of our bow wake and then leaping straight up in to the air…absolutley amazing creatures. Ryan has been video taping many of thes events so we can share them with you when we return. Great dinner tonight…Chourico w/green peppers & onions along with oven baked potato fries and green beens…fresh pineapple for desert!

 

Special shout out to the Roosevelt MIddle School sixth students who have been following along. We've enjoyed your notes and snicker's bars and we are looking forward to showing you all of our pictures

Letters from Roosevelt Middle School

Calm seas and pleasant winds has allowed me to read the letters from the students at Roosevelt. For those who don`t know SV Maravilha`s journey is being followed by the students at Roosevelt Middle School, for a real-life learning experience in the fields of navigation, marine life, weather and climate etc. At the end of the journey to the Azores I will return to Roosevelt with photographs, stories and more experiences to share. I want to say thank you to the students for writing to us while we are out to sea, it is so nice to have some contact from those on land while out here. To answer some of the students questions, we have seen mako sharks and an enormous whale, more info to come upon our arrival!
Thatʻs all for now... fair winds...vcp

Day 9 05/28/14 1616 hours local time

Only 527 miles to go. At present we have been enjoying near perfect sailing conditions….SW winds at 18 -22 knots. The sun is out and the water is that beautiful deep cobalt blue. Sailing fast down the rhumb line on a broad reach. These conditions are predicted to be with us until mid Friday as we approach the Azores high where winds will lighten significantly as we approach Horta. In all likelyhood we will do some significant motoring during the final day. Yesterday and today we've some fantastic dolphin acrobatic displays. The ride in our bow wake and then dart away and leap into the air twisting as they return to the sea. Late yesterday afternoon a very large sperm whale surfaced within 150 feet of starboard quarter…spouted twice and dove with the flick of the tail….almost as though she just wanted to say hello…quite a site.

We've taken adavntage of the nice weather to dry the boat out as well as our gear. It's also significantly warmer at night so we no longer have suit up in full gear….another welcome change. Remarkably there quite a bit of traffic out here, much if which is not visible, but shows up on the AIS tracker. That system has turned out to be very valuable from a safety perspective.

Dinner tonight is Beef Chili with white rice and black beans…fresh pineapple for desert.

That's all for now…Fairwinds…vcp

Greetings from Maravilha. Our present position is 38.5 north by 47.7 west. We have sailed 1100 miles and presently 880 miles from Horta. We are moving along nicely at 8 knots on a course of 100 degrees which will bring right into Horta. We had a great first three days sailing out of Buzzards Bay in a nice North West breeze. We headed a bit south to position ourselves on the right side of a developing Low Pressure system. Turns out that system moved north faster then anticipated and we sailed into a windless hole. As a result we motored for 36 hours through the gulf stream, which was made bumpy and confused by the passing low. Not particularly comfortable or productive in terms of forward progress. The next few days saw some exhilarating sailing in winds speeds as high 34 knots and sustained 28 - 32 from the southwest. Seas built up over this period making things interesting. Add to this heavy rain and lightening activity and you get the picture. We're glad that's over…at least for now. Presently the sailing is near perfect…wind from the southwest at 17 knots and Maravilha moving along at 8+ knots, occasionally catching a wave and surfing to the 12's…nice. A little sun would top it off. We haven't seen much sun since the first few days.

The crew is in good spirits….now that we're past the half mark and aimed at Horta…much of the conversation is centered around our arrival.  Still lots of sailing to do between now and then….but the prospect of the arrival is starting to build some excitement. Meals have been great. Tonight is Herb Encrusted Cod Fillets with butternut squash and peas. Last few days we skipped off the planned menu due to weather condtions…so were looking forward to  a nice meal. That's all for now….Fair winds…vcp

One Day to Go!

Spending the day reviewing check lists...stocking the boat with our perishable food items...packing our bags...etc. Maravilha is ready go as are we. The weather forcast is favorable, now we just eagerly wait to cast off the dock lines tomorrow.

Ready to Go

On May 19, 2014, Victor Pinheiro along with crew members: Dr George Nelson, Ted Gaidelis, and Ryan Hughes will embark on the first leg of a four leg voyage circumnavigating the North Atlantic Ocean aboard the forty-three foot sailboat "Maravilha". We will leave New Bedford and sail east to the Island of Faial in the Azores. Approximately two weeks and two thousand miles later we will make landfall on this volcanic archipelago two thirds of the way across the Atlantic Ocean.

 

From there, in September we will sail South to the Canary Islands. In November we sail west to  St Lucia (Caribbean) and then home in May of 2015.