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 13 – “Life of Pi … lite”?!?

Posted on November 15th, 2013

life of pi 2Alongside Bear and the occasional passing bird, the other passenger on board is Ellie, a little tiger that my daughter gave me from her collection of animals to keep me company onboard. Haskapa is starting to look a bit like a CBeebies version of Life of Pi, but I can assure you we’re all getting along fine!!

Ellie is a fine choice of companion, as she came into our lives after a visit to Ellingham (hence ‘Ellie’), which is where Liz & I were married.

Progress has been rather slow over the last day, as the dreaded calm patches have reappeared again. This has lead me to actively seek out naughty clouds, where there is at least the guarantee of some wind! I was treated to the most spectacular sunset as a result when, as I sailed into the setting sun running along the southern flank of a line of rain clouds, a line of rainbows appeared. It was almost like driving down a rainbow lined avenue!!

These sort of sights help offset the gloomy feelings caused by slow progress. This is now the fifth full day since leaving La Gomera, and I’m averaging way less than a 100 miles per day – mainly because of the painfully slow progress on day 1 and 2. Haskapa doesn’t have a big engine that I can use if there is no wind, so I’m entirely dependent of the sails for momentum.

In these light wind conditions, most of the drive comes from the spinnakers, which are both the prettiest and the most temperamental sails onboard. Perhaps it because they spend a lot of their lives stuffed in bags below decks, but when they make an appearance they are very needy!! My white spinnaker seems particularly spineless and has developed what seems like a dependence on the forestay for support, grabbing every opportunity to cling on to it – hence the moonlit spinnaker wraps!!

I don’t mind admitting that I find the lack of progress hard. I have the fortune to be able to control most things in my normal life (or at least am allowed to feel like I’m in control!!!), and I guess part of the attraction of these types of challenges is that I no longer have the ability to shape events in the same way. I know I cannot expect things to turn out exactly how I planned them, and dealing with the difficulties and changes is all part of it! It also helps me to remember that I put myself here primarily to help those who do not have a choice about the circumstances in which they find themselves.

Today’s sailing is dedicated to kind donators, David Davies and Mavis Dobson