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| Eclipse Crew preps for final leg of ARC |
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View the pictures of the Eclipse crew preparing Eclipse for the final leg of ARC from Ponta Delgada, Portugal to Cowes, England.
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| DAY 11 - Royal Yacht Squadron, 11:38 UTC.... |
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Well, we're in! I write this post arrival party so a bit a later than planned. We crossed the "finish line" at the Royal Yacht Squadron on Cowes at 11:38 UTC! As a bit of bravado we even had the full main up in 25knots of wind from behind - doing 270 degree tacks and making 9 to 10 knots with a favourable tide up the Solent. What a great way to end the transat! Read more.
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| DAY 10 - Heads, the Lizard and the toys.... |
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Despite lack of wind, today was a perfect day calm seas and sunshine, and a day of lovely food, Tuna again for evening meal, with hindsight Chablis should have been purchased in the Azores. The most taxing part of the day was working out what tunes to play on the iPod. Read more.
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| DAY 9 - Celtic swells, new chart, Soundings and blocked heads! |
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Day nine and progress - We've left the gnomic chart and are now using the chart for the Western Approaches. A big deal after 8 days of plotting daily positions which show up as about an inch of movement on a large chart of the Atlantic! Read more.
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| DAY 8 - Exceeded Quotas |
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Well, we're making 6.7 knots in 14 knots of wind amidst large rolling swells and a beautiful cloud-free sky. 'Nigella' (Vince) has hooked up his iPod to the sound system, and we now have 60's tunes blasting out into the cockpit. Greg just mentioned he'd seen the Beach Boys in concert, and I asked if it was the first time around. The prospect of being the subject of a man-overboard drill was subsequently raised; I thought this might be a prudent time to head to the nav-station and write today's blog... Read more.
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| Day 7 - Tuna, Tuna, Tuna!!! |
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Success at last on the fishing side and none too soon. Yesterday the crew nearly mutinied as the skipper hooked and then lost a large tuna just at the transom on Eclipse as he was too eager to reel it in. The crew had been nervously eyeing the stores of emergency spam rations and the disappointment was palatable. At 15 days between strikes no further fish were expected for a while, but then Liam showed us how to do it by landing a very nice 16 lb tuna yesterday. What a surprise then when Spike landed a 26 lb tuna this morning at about 0600 and even the skipper managed another 16 pounder by 0900.
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| Day 6 - New friends found and old friends lost |
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One of the best aspects of sailing is the friends you meet along the way. So it was with shock and deep sadness that we learned yesterday of the sudden death of a dear friend and crew of Eclipse. Terry Digges, 59, died of a heart attack while driving his own boat in Scotland earlier this week. We dedicate today's log entry to Terry's memory and wish him fair winds, calm seas and God speed on the next leg of his journey.
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| DAY 5 : Raining Seagulls |
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Overnight saw less than perfect sailing conditions. Light air and a reasonable swell made for a bumpy ride and poor sleeping conditions below. A bit of rigging creativity allowed us to carry 5 knots of speed from 8 knots of wind speed. Overnight showers and heavier rain meant we all got to fully test our foul weather gear. Day light brought the end to the showers and more positive winds, so we are now making about 6 to 7 knots on a ENE direction.
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| DAY FOUR |
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What a difference a day makes - and a few degrees of Longitude...
Wind had dropped to 10 to 12 knots from just West of South. We've spent the early hours of the morning in a glorious broad reach getting up to 8 knots as we played through the dying winds of yesterday. Earlier we tried the 1.5oz kite, but the sea swells knocked the air out of it so we've resorted to putting up the oldest, largest headsail on Eclipse - a 152%, it's debut for the crossing! Something for the apus foredekus lot to do.
Read more . . .
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| DAY THREE : Champagne Sailing (?) |
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"We expect light airs for a day or two more..." So here we are in fairly rough seas, with Vince at the helm making 7.5 in 25-30 knot winds on a double-reefed main. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
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| DAY TWO : We've got company... |
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Greetings from Eclipse! Well, we're on our second day and the crew has settled into its watch system quite happily. Liam & Vince, Fran & 'Spike' and Greg & myself. Those of used to a 2-watch race system are seriously appreciating the extra bunktime this affords! Read more . . .
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| Eclipse Boat |
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The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers:
After 10 years of commuting from England, to Houston to visit his beloved Eclipse, boat owner Greg Conary has now decided it is time to move her to a new home in England. Aided on this adventure by a crew of willing volunteers, Eclipse will leave Kemah on Saturday April 26th , first stop St Augustine, Florida. Once in Florida Eclipse will join the European ARC.
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| Eclipse Crew |
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Greg Conary, Shirley Hunter (alias "Q"), Robert Govier, Anna Wharton, Terry Digges, Dean and Lucy Frost, David Mason, Michael Clark, Rick Henegar, Rachel Spearing, Liam Weston, Alastair Fraser, Giles Thomas
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| Eclipse Interary |
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See the full interary for the 2008 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.
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| Tracking the Eclipse |
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Tack the Eclipse voyage in the Atlantic Rally to Europe. The boat location is updated daily.
Track the Eclipse . . .
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| The Departure |
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View pictures of the Eclipse departure from Galveston, TX.
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| Galveston to Key West |
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View the pictures of the Eclipse voyage from Galveston, TX to
Key West, FL to join others in Leg 1 of the Atlantic Rally to Europe.
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