Atlantic crossing Cannaries to Antigua 2006
Here is a sample of logs written by our crewmembers:
The Limerick Log by Francis with contributions from Sandi and Steve:
28th November 2006
Black Arrow is the name of our yacht
being steel, she can cope with a lot.
She'll hold firm in a gale;
There'll be no need to bale,
and we'll try for that last extra knot.
Our skipper is called Simon Smith;
for safe sailing, he has quite a gift.
His sense of childish fun
makes him ever so young.
When 'tis rough, he gives us a lift.
Gosia, the Bosun, from Poland,
is glad to be out of the Solent.
In her little black dress,
She can dress to impress
We get weather from Dad in the Poland.
And Steve, he flew in last week
with three weeks off work as a treat.
He bought us steak in a tin,
nine cans he got in
but his baggage was not at all cheap!
We hope that we will all survive,
and remain a full crew of five.
Now we're pushing on time,
and stretching the rhyme
There'll be more before we arrive.
Log by Sandi:
4th December 2006
19.40'889N 29.46' 696W
11 days to go at this speed, touchwood.
Black Arrow has spent the last 3 days in mod to rough seas F4-5 doing 7kts
down wind. We understand we have taken the more southerly route compared too
much of the fleet.
I saw my first flying fish yesterday and overnight, two-committed hari-kari
on deck. Gosia is anti live fish and can scream loud enough to wake us, we
are trying not to imagine what will happen if one hits her. They land like
lead balloons and flap desperately trying to get back to the sea. Steve and
I think they are like self-seeking missiles homing in on the cockpit.
We received an email from the Arc office; Mustang has been dismasted about
400 miles ahead of us and has the mast hanging over the side. The requests
have been for an angle grinder and fuel. We will assist if we can.
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''Sailing Today'', published May 2004
"Family Story", article about Simon teaching 3 generations family seemaship skills.
''Saturday afternoon in the Solent and divorce was in the air. Across the pontoon, a couple had made a pig's ear of mooring their Bavaria. Raised voices, red faces and the neighbouring boat's gelcoat at risk.
Our crew puttered up in the tender, offered their help and were told to 'clear awff'. Put yourself in the Bavaria owners' deckshoes. The offer of help had come from a tender with an average crew age of 9.8 years. David, aged 10, spun the dinghy round like a pro and continued the tour of the marina.
These infants had just moored their Oyster 406 with more efficiency and less fuss than many a crew stiff with yachtmasters....'
An account of Simon teaching a mother and her five children aged 4-14 to sail the family yacht. Read the full article. (Written by freelance writer and author Peter McGrath).
Below: The skipper and young crew of Matriarch prepare to come alongside under Simon's guidance:
