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