Thursday, 04 February 2010 10:45 | By Richard Bolt
Our 2009-11 rally has been meandering happily across the Caribbean as yachts made their own way towards the Panama Canal. It has not all been plain sailing. Some rough weather caused a bit of havoc as they swept from the ABC islands towards the San Blas archipelago. Wind steering equipment suffered damage in the rough, steep seas and strong squalls. As I write, we are awaiting the arrival of Scott Free, who has fitted a new autohelm in San Blas, and Island Kea, who broke her mast in Antigua; She is about to instigate a mad dash direct to Cristobal Port at Colon.
Monday, 07 December 2009 14:51 | By Richard Bolt in Antigua
Yesterday Chsalonina became the 14th rally yacht to arrive safely in Antigua. Our photo shows a moment of great elation for every yacht that gets in. Jeremy, with rum- punch in one hand and beer in the other is celebrating to the full. Although he had made one Atlantic crossing 10 years before, for many this is their first adventure across an open ocean. So it is a great mixture of relief, a sense of achievement and well-deserved pride that each crew member enjoys as he touches solid land for the first time in 3 weeks.
The fleet have been going through a difficult patch of very varied weather. We sent out a severe weather warning that advised they were in an area where thunder squalls could occur, with short periods of very strong winds.
Now the forecast is better, but there is danger of too little wind to keep them romping along. This is very apparent because there has been a great flush of lengthy blogs telling the world of the excitement on board. Here are excerpts for a couple of the blogs to give you a flavour of the action. I would like to have included some from Fai Tira, where John has waxed lyrical, but you can go there yourselves.
Thursday, 26 November 2009 21:38 | By Tony Diment, Rally Director
Many yachts are now beyond the half way point to Antigua. In fact Miss Tippy has less than 1000 miles to run. Having said that the fleet is well spread out with 500 miles between the front runners and those at the rear of the fleet. This is creating some radio problems and the daily roll call is taking a considerable time. It is good to read from the personal logs that yachts appear to be having a good passage and everyone appears to be in good spirits. The weather forecast continues to give favourable winds but with typically squally conditions from time to time. The sea state is also a little confused with a cross swell sometimes tipping the gin and tonics beyond acceptable limits. Richard Bolt is now on route to Antigua the hard way - by air!
On Saturday, 6th February, the rally regrouped at Portobelo for a transit briefing and lunch. Eleven yachts joined the rally in Panama making it a very sociable occasion, with new faces to meet and new tales to tell of adventures sailing to Panama and around the San Blas Islands. The sun shone, the beer was cold and the frigate birds put on a display of aerobatic flying next to the sea wall.
Saturday, 12 December 2009 01:10 | By Richard Bolt
At last all our yachts are safely in from their crossing of the Atlantic. Yesterday (Thursday 11th December), our last yacht, Ursula, a Spanish yacht which has crossed via Cape Verde on her own, arrived in Antigua to join the rally. She arrived just in time for the departure party! This morning, our first yachts left for other parts of Antigua and further afield in the Caribbean. The first off was Chsalonina (or 'Chisel' as she has affectionately become known) who was heading for Bird Island, a lovely secluded beauty spot with a well protected anchorage, the other side of Antigua Island from Jolly Harbour.
Wednesday, 02 December 2009 03:19 | By Richard Bolt in Antigua
We are expecting our first yacht in tomorrow. Miss Tippy has continued to head the fleet and hopes to be in sunny Antigua before nightfall. A number of yachts who are joining the fleet in Antigua have also made an appearance. Katrin and Steve, on Island Kea, are having some final repair touches done in Falmouth Harbour. Scot Free, with Deborah and Eileen, is down in English Harbour and Aqualuna, with captain Jonathan aboard has arrived in Jolly Harbour.
Saturday, 28 November 2009 17:53 | By Richard Bolt
Whilst I am now sitting in the sunshine, waiting for yachts to arrive in Jolly Harbour, I have a chance to update you on how the fleet are faring. Poor old Bali Blue, is limping along with a torn mainsail and bent whisker pole, after a couple of mishaps. But she is doing quite well, nonetheless, and is managing to keep fairly well up with the fleet. Mercury Rising took a small detour to Cape Verdes and were swiftly back on track. They are the last ones in the fleet at present, but are catching up slowly. Miss Tippy leads the charge.
Our Swedish yacht, Natibou, sends today's report. They wrote it in Swedish, so I asked Mr. Google to translate it. I thought I might tidy it up, but it's more fun trying to decypher it yourself! Yesterday the fleet put their clocks back 2 hours, so they now get up 2 hours later than we do in UK. They will stay on this time zone until next Saturday, when they go back 2 more hours.
Monday, 08 February 2010 14:49 | 
By Richard Bolt
