Starting Atlantic crossing today

We are leaving today for the Azores, a leg of about 1800 nm. If we choose a more northerly route, it will be about 1900 nm, but also more wind and a faster passage. We will decide when we see how it looks like out there. We think we will use about 18 days, an average of about 100nm a day. Our computer passage planner says 13 days, but we don't believe him. We will keep you updated with satellite messages as usual.

We had to order the rigging parts, four shroud exit plates, from USA, but it took only three days with FedEx. We are very happy that we could do this repair now and that we have a rigg we can trust. The old plates were cracked and it felt very bad to set sail with them not changed.

We had a uncomfortable night when the cold front passed us on Wednesday. We had wind of 25-30 knots, gusting 35 knots, and the rain was very heavy. It was impossible to take the dinghy ashore without getting soaked because of the spray. But anyway, better to be in harbour than at sea when the weather is bad.

Now everything is ready, we only have to check out, buy some fruits and vegetables, stow the dinghy on deck and fill diesel and water. We will now bring about 250 liters of diesel, more than ever before. But this is also the longest passage so far on our trip. But we look forward to go to sea now, and we are well prepared.

PS! We bought ourselves some new DVD's, among them the complete "24 hours" TV-series. That means it is no problem if the passage take us up to 24 days...., we will still have one episode a day!