The Original Plan.
Our original plan years previous to Brexit, was to sail Ocean Strider south along the West coast of the UK. Then over the Channel to France, and head South across the Bay of Biscay to North Spain. Continuing to Portugal and East along the Algarve. Then the Atlantic coast of Spain. Through the Straits of Gibraltar, heading into the Mediterranean. Stay in the Med for a year or 2, then onto the Caribbean.
Schengen, COVID and Orcas took the smooth and relaxed out of sailing Europe.
Our carefully made plan, which took years to finalise, was now null and void. We had a number of choices, that I didn’t want to make.
1st choice. Head for Gibraltar. It was the start of 2022, January.
Our first choice was to head for Gibraltar. Stop in one of the 2 marinas and wait for good weather. Then through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean.
Hearsay on social media was posting, Manilla an Enclave of Spain may allow us in without signing into Schengen. We could stay for 3 months, restart Schengen time and carry on to Tunisia and further into the Med.
No available visitors’ moorings in Gibraltar.
It was January 2022, our restricted time of 90 days in the Schengen area, was now down to 5 days, we had to set sail. One of the marinas in Gibraltar had closed for refurbishment, and wouldn’t be opening until March 2022 at the earliest. The other marina had no visitors’ moorings available.
COVID restrictions in Morocco.
COVID restrictions in Morocco, meant no pleasure craft allowed in the marinas. We had almost no time left in Europe and Morocco was not an option.
Manilla is a long way and a gamble, not 100%. There was also a gale blowing into the Atlantic, which seamed to be stuck in the Straits of Gibraltar. This was not good for an electric or a diesel engine. First choice is dead and berried.
I had to cross the Atlantic.
I had to head to the Canaries with the 5 days Schengen I had remaining. Then cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean,.
The journey to Antigua in the Caribbean beguines.
The journey from Lagos to Antigua was 3,600 nautical miles with 2 stops. Canary Islands and Cape Vere Islands, following the African coast, sailing on the Atlantic Ocean.
Me and the 3 crew, onboard Ocean Strider, just about to leave Lagos in Portugal. Me relaxing on the Atlantic. Ocean Strider doing her job without a care. 2 Atlantic rowers , Muntz and Sorren from Sweden.
Sailing single-handed wasn’t for me. I was going to need a crew. Luckily, there were lots of people looking for Transatlantic crossings on sailboats. It was popular in Lagos and Portimão.
I soon found 1 German “Moe”, 1 English “Clare” and 1 Ukrainian “Yuliya”. A few weeks of getting to know each other, we were all happy to start our epic journey.
2 Atlantic rowers from Sweden.
I’ve got to mention the 2 Atlantic rowers, Soren and Muntz from Sweden. We had Christmas dinner together with Muntz’s wife Yuliya.
That’s me on the left, Soren next, then Muntz and Yuliya.
Yuliya made the journey on Ocean Strider from Lagos to Gran Canaria. It was a last minute decision, she wanted to watch her husband and Soren arrive in the Canaries and know what it was like on the Atlantic. She could then relate to her husbands (Muntz) memories as he crossed the Atlantic ocean.
The first leg of our Atlantic crossing, is to Gran Canaria. About 630 nautical miles, South.
Our first leg to Gran Canaria is approximately 630nm. The shortest leg of the Atlantic crossing to Antigua. The sail would take about 6 full days. I knew in my mind, once I’d completed this leg, there was no turning back for me. I hope it helped Yuliya? As this was the shortest leg, I could also make a more informed decisions on the crew in the Canaries, before the long voyages.
Completing the maintenance and checking the boat over was my next job, there was a lot to check over. I’ll write a complete blog about pre-checks at a later date.
Whilst I was busy with maintenance, the crew had the task of purchasing supplies and storing them on the boat.
The voyage to Gran Canaria had been delayed for over a month.
The voyage to Gran Canaria had been delayed for over a month, but finally, a weather window appeared at the beginning of January. I let the crew know to be ready for the 4th of Jan. My weather app showed the wind changing to a Northerly that afternoon.
The wind was looking fairly strong at 30-38kts but mellowing a touch as the week progressed. It was the best chance we’d had for a long time. The Portuguese Trade Winds were back and it looked like they would be staying for the foreseeable future.
Atlantic crossing to be continued.
