A Ocean in One Leap - ARC+ Leg 2

It's incredible! An experience which defies adequate description. More of a feeling of mutual acknowledgement within all of us that this is a momentus achievement in our lives and that we will never quite be the same again (in a good sense!) or look at the ocean and sky in the same way from now on.

Taking the 'Great Circle' route from the start we were caught in the light airs and the wind shadow of Santa Antao. After 24hrs we were 67th in the fleet of 72, but we wanted to sail the whole way again, which will be around 2100nm this time. As predicted by ARC+ weather and our GRIB file download, the wind duly arrived soon afterwards from the north east. From the frustrating clanking of rigging things were transformed into 25 knot winds and 9-12 knot boat speeds for nearly 48hrs. In Ray's words, it was a brutal period, but Moana looked after us and we pulled through with some UBBs, unidentified boat bruises, to show for it.

Within a few days everyone was in the groove with their watches and feeling like we were experiencing one big never ending day which simply goes light and dark over and over again. The isolation is daunting but suprisingly comforting and the endless ocean and starry nights looking up at the Milky Way, just awesome. Freddie even composed a Story Mountain and converted it into a 'shadow' play in the saloon using a bed sheet, our spotlight and some handcut characters and props. The Caribbean Rainbow is on the horizon for us now.....