Passages are hard work. Each night we would rotate through our 3-hour solo shifts. This meant each person had a 6-hour block of time to sleep…if that was possible. We spent about 7 of our 10 days fairly close to the wind; it is a very loud ride below as you pound through waves approaching the boat. One night we just turned downwind to get some rest, however, for 5 hours we were heading toward Puerto Rico instead of Antigua.
In the end, we continuously corrected our course and made our way East and South to Antigua. After 10 days at sea, we are at rest. We have made many new friends through this shared experience. Special thanks to our two crew, Rob and Lionel. Their help and experience made the trip easier for us, and it was greatly appreciated. I never worried the crew handling a solo watch. I hope they found the challenges rewarding and we look forward to seeing them sail up in some foreign land in the future. I did worry about the boat and the pounding Neptune was putting her through. But as a fellow sailor told us, "Valiants are built like a brick shit house." It's a strong boat.
Overall, Iolair came through well. Other boats, suffered rig failures, major leaks from thru-hulls, etc, and we were happy with all the less complicated issues we ran into on this trip. Almost a week after we arrived, there were still boats in route to the Caribbean, but now everyone has safely reached their destination.
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| English Harbor, Antigua |
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| Private snorkeling spot |
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| Underwater Art #1 |
Antigua is a great place to make landfall. It has everything we need, and is a perfect launch point for the more remote islands to the south. We’ll be here exploring this island a month. Internet connections are slow, but Internet cafes allow us to connect….not to mention enjoy a local rum punch or beer.
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| Floating and Rolling in Jolly Harbor, Antigua |
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