Today Oct 28, 2019. From Lanzarote, Canary Islands. We are docked at Porto Calero and we will stay 2 weeks in the marina making additional repairs and adjustments, as well as taking care of business. This volcanic island is strangely beautiful! The marina is very international, and full of interesting restaurants, from Irish pubs, Japanese and typically Spanish tapas. We already knew 2 of the boats here, reminding me of how much we love the international sailing community and meeting up with boats (and their owners) that we know in far away places.
We will be sailing across the Atlantic with the ARC, which leaves Nov. 24 and will leave for Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, 2 weeks from today to prepare. I have several more Youtube videos to post, so please see our updates there!
October 22, 2019 – from the Atlantic ocean. This is sailing! I write this blog en route to the Canary Islands from Gibraltar. Today is what might be considered a typical day: lightening at night and storms, then no wind and we caught a nice mahi mahi for dinner. There was lots of wind over 40 knots peak – the boat was going at over 20 knots! Now, we are sailing comfortably at 11 knots on a beam reach. Sailing is not always just sailing – there are repairs. Today, the salt water pump lost its prime (due to the waves and fast sailing); the main halyard got twisted around the radar reflector when we took the main down during the nighttime storm. Luckily, we got it untwisted without having to send someone up the mast. Pierre got the pumped primed again. And I am preparing the fixings to go with the mahi, mahi (quiona cranberry salad; mashed potatoes and apple crisp).
I have not been writing blogs but I have posted a number of YouTube videos at our Biotrek-sailing channel. They topic are: our super busy two weeks in La Grande Motte, the updates and repairs to the boat before taking off for our Atlantic crossing, and our good bye party.
We had a party for the employees of Outremer and had an “American style open house” on board BioTrek. It was a drop-in for everyone, from the people who set the molds, to the fiberglass team, engineering team etc to come and sign our log book. The factory closes at noon on Friday, and most came after work and people kept dropping by until 8 pm. We had over 30 people on board at one point. As we did on BioTrek 1, we put the bar was on the bow, and the food on the table in the cockpit to keep people circulating. It was really fun.
The boat is fully provisioned, we are underway and enjoying the trip. Tiller is getting used to these longer sails and she gets special treats such as chicken broth to make sure she stays well hydrated. All is well and I will be posting several more Youtubes before I write another blog, so subscribe on YouTube to have the latest updates. I also like to reply to comments on Youtube, so please visit my Youtube site and make comments.
Another interesting blog. Sailing in high winds sounds nerve wracking to me but you seem totally at home. Enjoy your cross Atlantic Sail and keep safe ?
Hi guys … so nice to hear from you again … I somehow seem to have lost touch since an earlier post so perhaps I have … what’s that old song about “…I’ve been looking in all the wrong places” . I will watch for new posts. All the best to you Lisa and Pierre. Enjoy to the fullest that which you both worked so hard for.
Great videos. Does Pierre ever relax and let others do the work?
If they know how! Looking forward to your visit.
That’s dedication to write the blog somewhere between Gibraltar to Canary haha. Enjoyed this article, keep up the great work!