Doufins too Africa

Hello guys, girls
Just finished a trip from Cadiz to Ceuta, aprox 88 miles. It was a night passage and there was a beautiful moon out.Ceuta is the northern most tip of the African continent. It belongs to Spain, to Morocco shagreens. Here you can see a few compatriots playing around in our bow wake. They are amazing creatures. One of them jumped four meters out of the water and looked at us from above. I´m not lieing, it was wild.

.We encountered a think fog back on our way across the straits returning to Gibraltar. This is a very busy shipping area with tankers, fast speed ferries, fishing vessels, you name it. Thank god for radar. I would strongly advise anybody that is serious about safety at sea to get familiar with this valuable piece of kit

Sailing on rainbows....god dam hippies.

Mother nature is a spectacular lady. First she beets us around like a toy and then paints the sky with every color of the spectrum...twice.Head sail is busted so we ducked into Villa mora to get it looked at. That is not going to happen so we are off toward Gib. We have to make the straits before Wednesday. Had a good nights rest and ready to head out. But this time it looks like we have to pull a 24 hour strait sail....tiring stuff but cool.

The chipper skipper

Now that´s a happy dude. Wipe that smile off your face Paul. What a gorgeous sail we had on our way over from Porti Mao. Close reached with 2 meter swells blowing around 21 knots. Two reefs, the geni and a small storm jib up, cutter rigged, fantastic. More latter...

Along for the ride.....and the cookies.

Hi amigos de tiera firma. It has been a few days from my last update. Internet connection is a bit sporadic up this coast. At the moment we are holed up in the marina of Lagos, southern Portugal. This little fellow joined us on our sail over from Spain. I don´t know how or why he was that far off the coast. I´m sure he is not a sea bird, his sail plan is all wrong. He could say the same about us I guess. We have had good weather apart from a near gale that made us alter coarse yesterday night and shoot for safe haven in Porti Mao. The crew are a good bunch of people. It can get a bit tight on this boat but we are managing it well. I am 2 and O on my cooking. So far it´s been mac and cheese and pesto pasta. I have promised the crew a paella........no prob.

No monkey bizz, it´s time to get a bit serious.

So much for the rocks and the monkeys. It looks like I have too get down too some studying. In response to the question Helena had, how can I sail and blog, I blog as soon as I get to port. I have a wifi connection but I need to be near bitland for it to work. I am very happy to be setting out for two weeks. I have done lot of theory work and it´s time to put all this into practice. Math is not my strong suit. To be honest, this is quite challenging, there is no room for error. We have some fishing gear with us. I think we will have some luck, perhaps a little Bonito or some fresh mackerel for lunch mañana.

Getting ready before a storm

Here we are back in Gibraltar port getting all our grub on board for the trip up to Portugal. The weather man gives us a 48 hour window before gale force winds barrel down on us from the East. Three people failed their Yachtmaster practicals today and more are expected to crack. The pressure is on.

If you want to know what´s in the bags,
chocolate biscuits

potato chips

more chocolates
Tomorrow I´m up the rock to meet the famous Gib monkeys.

Behind you Toney

I don´t know what Tony is looking at but I do know that behind him is the northern most point of the African continent, Ceuta. It was a beautiful days sail today across the straits of Gibraltar. Our friends the gray Mediterranean dolphins decided to come by and show us how it was done. The plays in out bow wave for a while and then took of in search of other adoring humanoids. Funny how grown hardy men can turn into squealing little kids at the site of one of these guys. Got quite fresh out there blowing a force 7. We put three reefs in the sail and shot across, everybody teatherd in and safe. On Monday we are off up the coast to Portugal. Our mission is to play in some heavy tidal areas. How dose sailing backward in a 42 footer sound too you. I will let you know but it sounds fun too me.

Mooring in Morroco

Here is a shot of Port Smir and one of our boats moored alongside the waiting dock. Lets hope they don´t give me too much greef over my rather tatty old US passport. It was a nice fresh day on a run from the Spanish port of Ceuta. I will come back here in the future and climb up those hills in the background, beautiful. Was not too impressed with the Lamb tajine. It gives me a reason too come back, perhaps to Fez, I heard that it´s the capital of Morrocan cuisine. Walked around the market, what a great selection of fresh vegg, better than Spain.

Hello all you guys and girls out there that share a passion for the sea. Here begins my adventure and conquest of the coveted Yachtmaster certificate. Not being one to know my own limits I have decided too shoot for both sail and power endorsement. I can tell you now that the ego is being reduced with every day that goes by. So much too learn to be considered a yachtmaster that the mind boggles. That said, lets have a bit off fun while we do it. By the way, never done this blog stuff either. If I ramble on you always have the pretty pics to look at.