It’s Showtime

Remember, I'm a man with a plan.

Also, Julie and I will have to do a lot of flying back and forth for the foreseeable future, therefore we need easy and cheap access. The Azores is neither.

Great people though.
Les Weatheritt absolutely loves it too.

Good morning all,

It's sunny, a southerly wind and I've been here 4 days, 4 hours; it's time to move on.

I wrote a blog post last night, but have to figure how to post it. Horta is full of virtual Wi-Fi. Which means that it is full is open signals, but they don't connect to anything.

Having to run the gen to charge batteries for the first time.
It's time for me to move on. I find running the gen wasteful, when I could be moving.

A few issues,
Still no luck finding someone who wants to go NE,a number of people want to go the the med though.

I'd rather go solo then hang around.

American credit cards are hardly working, much like the internet. I have to find a way to get $2000 fuel without them. What a pia.

I'm going to spend today getting dune computer stuff done and start watching the fcst.

Later

Can't wait to hear about the next leg. Will you be stopping at any more of the Azores islands? The Med would be a great experience but I know it is not where you were wanting to go. Still worried about you going solo for such a long trip but then my wife knows I create things to worry about if I don't have any. Best of seas and keep safe!

What an "epic" adventure, thank you for taking us along! I worry not one bit for you or your boat( I have faith in both). I am also an adventure seeker and the adventure trumps all Blessings to you!

Rogerh said:

The Med would be a great experience but I know it is not where you were wanting to go. Still worried about you going solo for such a long trip but then my wife knows I create things to worry about if I don't have any. !

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I worry about that too and wonder if a little stop off in Portugal or Spain or even France might not give a passenger and lessen the exhaustion of the trip without adding undue cost to it.

Once hitting the mainland then it would be easy to run just in the day the rest of the way.

Ok.
Life is good. I'm sitting in my favorite cafe, with good internet and €1 beer.

I even got two of my cc to work, so I actually have money and can post for fuel.

I'm hot to trot.

Wx map for Friday looks good, with big high extending east of Azores, almost all the way to nw tip of Iberian peninsula. I just need it to stay there for a few days and I'll be good.
I'm planning on leaving Friday. I don't like going solo, but I'm not one to hang around.
I'm sure others have done it.

I have a doc ready about Paravanes with pictures, but need better internet to post it.

I realized I just need enough fuel to get me to U.K., maybe 250 gal.

I looked again on one of three battery chargers on Dauntless and yes, one of them will take 220v and that's why I wasn't worried before I left. But in the last day or so, I had forgotten and as getting crazy as to how I was going to charge batteries.

I called Dave again (my electrical and mechanical guru), and clarified what was what and now have simple, easy and cheap, $20, solution to get 220v power to charger and extra plug.


Ok enough rambling.

Once again, best to you and Dauntless on this leg. We'll be checking in with you all along the way. Hope you're not bothered by our pesky texts. BTW, did you notify your credit card holders when you left so they could be looking for charges in the Azores?

Richard,

This is a learning exercise for me. Which weather charts are you using? I am looking at the Ocean Prediction Center - Atlantic, surface, 500 MB and the wind/wave maps.

If I could have flown out to help you crew, I would.

Thanks,
Dan

That's what I look at.
Increasingly enough, in my forecasting days, I never looked at a sfc prog, only the 500 mb.

Now, I look at the sfc prog, in this case, the 96 hr valid friday.

Actually, I'm not happy with the new update, which had the high continuing to move east.

I do want to get going though.

On the credit card issue, the story gets interesting.

Turns out it's a function of the new handheld card readers versus the old ones (which I first saw in Belgium in 1988!).
The nice lass at Mid Atlantic Yacht Ser have me the heads up and then when I went to the electric store, and we're to pay for my €20 with my cc, she excused herself and went next door to get a newer card reader and guess what, it worked fine.
I'm just going to tell these folks st the Marina to do the same, after I fuel!!!

Good night.

Richard, calm seas,fair winds to you!

I'm getting ready to leave, Friday or Saturday, if weather looks good.

Also, did I mention there is only one other U.S.Bost here? A sail boat of course.
Nice, young couple going to the med.

I'm a bit surprised how many non transient there are.

Have you determined your destination for this leg yet?

Richard: You sound satisfied with your paravanes. Who was the supplier/mfgr.?

See my other post.
I'll try to send at least text today.

Safe passage!

I'm getting excited already. I'll be watching and wish you calm seas and mild winds.

If it was me, I'd want to tool around the islands for a spell, then head to the mainland and up the coast visiting places along the way. But then, I don't know the schedule that was made, nor have I researched teh weather patterns over there. Getting to the new "home port" would take priority I suppose. Then as weather, time and money permit, go back out and visit the sights.

Rambler said:

If it was me, I'd want to tool around the islands for a spell, then head to the mainland and up the coast visiting places along the way. But then, I don't know the schedule that was made, nor have I researched teh weather patterns over there. Getting to the new "home port" would take priority I suppose. Then as weather, time and money permit, go back out and visit the sights.

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When I get to a place I like, there is a big tendency for me to tarry there. These islands look beautiful. However, it is the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a different animal when the fronts start moving quickly through. I think Richard is right to get across. Currents and waves in the E. Channel can be nasty and steep. Winter is no time to be there.

I do not know about the North Atlantic...

But the North Pacific gets really dicy starting in August. I would imagine its the same for the Atlantic.

If it were me, I'd want to get to the closest safe port on the mainland, then make decisions from there.

Sooner, rather than later.

O.k.
Ran the engine for half hour today, as I had moved one of the grounds that I had noticed was connected to itself on the block.
That's why I was getting missing numbers from the Victron.

Also, tighten fan belt since I put new one on for the first time in 1500 hours.

Lehman affirmed its ready to go, as it sounded sweeter than ever.

Probably will leave Saturday or Sunday.
First three days look great, as I go north, then wouk turn east as I get the strong westerlies. What I need to avoid is north westerlies.

1150 miles to cork.

I'm feeling good about it.

I'll update before departure.

Best wishes. I look forward to the next part of "our" journey.

Great destination...Cork. Some say the best place to pull one as well (cork, that is). I think you're right Richard, we're all feeling antsy and would like to get back to our arm chair ocean-cruising. Still, I'd feel better if you knew we were there on the midnight shift. Please feel free to text me anytime day or night. We're with ya, partner.

Don't forget to turn on the DeLorme. We will all be following you.
Who cleans up all those dots and lines you're leaving all over the ocean?

Wishing you the safest trip possible to good ol' Ireland; have fun stay while at Cork! Irish hold special spots in my mind, heart, and soul.

My family on mom's side "Gilroy" came to U.S. mid 1800's. "Cork" was the name of my 13'3" Whaler in early/mid 1960's while teenager. Great gramps Thomas F. Gilroy was Mayor of NY, NY... latter 1800's. I've some really neat things from his days as Mayor hanging on my office wall.

YEA IRISH!!!

Cheers!!!

Good luck and safe passage! Let us know if you need anything!

I'm waiting for this storm to pass.

Leaving Sunday at the earliest, probably Monday.

Wxx3 said:

I'm waiting for this storm to pass.

Leaving Sunday at the earliest, probably Monday.

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I was wondering what you thought of that low to NNW. Looks like it is weakening but there is another one low moving down from Canada. Is the plan to let the first low get N or NNE of you and then go?

Do you think you can make Cork before the second low catches up?

Later,
Dan