One Man, One Boat, 4000 Miles!!!

Tropic 4 Cancer Trans Atlantic challenge is an expedition to sail single-handed 4000 miles across the Atlantic, from the western seaboard of Africa to Antigua. The route follows a defined course along the Tropic of Cancer, which is a circle of latitude running around the Earth at approximately 23 degrees north, and which marks the most northerly position at which the sun may appear directly overhead. Find Out More

Day 5 – Tricky ‘Business’!

Posted on October 30th, 2013

RoughSeasThe last 24 hours have been pretty rough weather, with 30 knot winds and 3-4m waves. The wave pattern is very confused with waves mainly coming from the north east, but with a few from the west, and it seems some from the east!! As a result every now and again a wave breaks over the cockpit. This usually happens when I’m least expecting it, or at the most inconvenient moment – like when I’ve just dried out from the last one and am about to head into the cabin!!

Life on-board is hard work when it’s like this. Every little task needs planning out to avoid dropping, spilling or banging something!! But I’ve successfully made it through without breaking anything else!!

It also has made things like going to the loo very tricky. The loo is a bucket, and to give you an idea of what it’s like, imagine putting a bucket on one of the bucking bronco machines that you see it fun-fairs and then trying to perch on it!!!! I won’t add any more details, but it’s challenging – and further complicated by needing to complete the act whilst strapped to the boat!! If you do get the urge to try this at home, a chest harness configuration will yield better results than a climbing harness set up when doing the strapping on bit!!! ‘Cirque de Soleil’ would seem easy in comparison!!

I’m making good progress towards La Gomera and should arrive there sometime Thursday night/Friday morning.

Hopefully with a bit of help I can get things sorted quickly and be on my way again!!