The Ocean is finally giving us some rest!

Break! The Ocean this morning gave Cape Arrow a break after long days of rough sea and lots of wind! 

Yesterday has been very windy, 20-25 kts from North East-North and this night has been really humid. The horizon, until midday, was surrounded with squalls and some of them passed on us: the lucky watchers made free showers! 

We are still in the back of a depression that made the wind we had last days. According to the forecast, another big depression will come down from the Acores in the next three/four days...we'll see!

Cape Arrow is behaving really well, offering us a cozy shelter from the rain and the hard sun and giving us soft beds to sleep and to dream of the ocean! Everything's fine on board, we are making Cape Arrow going as fast as possible: we sleep, we eat, we laugh staring at the horizon's infinity.

Cape Arrow's crew

Ahoy, a ghost story in the middle of the Ocean

Yesterday and today have been really tough for Cape Arrow: the wind doesn't whisper anymore but it screams instead. Since Friday night the sea has become higher, this morning waves were up to 4 mt. 

They are "messy", coming from everywhere and steering it's quite challenging! The wind has increased yesterday evening up until 25 kts and we sail under mainsail with two reefs and foresail. 

Tonight, when we passed under a squal, we reached 35 kts. In the middle of the Atlantic, with no moonlight, no stars, just water everywhere, the panorama it's quite spectacular! And tiring: the watches require the greatest level of concentration and at the end of them we are quite shacked.

But let me tell you what happened yesterday morning! We were sailing, when we saw from far away a sailing boat with no sails on it: we called them at the VHF but no one answered... 

It was an abandoned sailing boat!! The main sail was roughly plied, there were ropes in the sea and the sides of the boat were scratchy, as if there have been a contact with another boat. It was pretty scary, a ghost abandoned ship in the middle of the Ocean.

Hence the Captain promptly reported the wreck to the authorities: they confirmed that the wreck was known as they rescued the crew not so long time ago!!

Stay tuned for the next adventures!

Cape Arrow's crew

Position: 26,49.92N , 47,21.50W

Shiver me timbers...a whale!!

Yesterday and this morning Aeolus and Neptune have been really kind to Cape Arrow, giving her a perfect 15-18 kts from East and almost a flat sea.

Since midday, the situation has become a bit stronger, with 2 mt waves and 20-22 kts, but the sun shines and everything is fine on board. In the early afternoon we tacked, so now we are sailing for good towards home!

In the afternoon we also saw the second animal since we left St Marteen: yesterday a little flying fish...this afternoon a whale!!

We saw her when she was very close to us, she was chilling on a side and we saw her eye! Unfortunately everything happened really fast, so that we didn't have the time to take any picture. Next one, promised!

Inside the boat is still a rollercoaster but it's fun! We are seeing beautiful skies at sunset and at sunrise, and the temperature is still warm, which is always good!

Ciao!

Cape Arrow's crew

Goodbye Caribbean...we are coming back to Europe!

The first 24 hours of ocean have passed smoothly and gently.

We left our berth in St Marteen yesterday at 16h30, local time, passing the bridge of Simpson’s bay. We moored outside the bay for a little hour and Captain Andrea made the safety briefing, giving everyone a role in case of emergencies on board.

The wind outside the island was what we expected, 18-20 kts from East, so we put on the mainsail with one reef and the foresail, heading for 30° towards the Acores.

The Ocean rhythm is already guiding all of us on board. We have been sailing for 24 hours while we are beating and it’s quite sport! Cape Arrow is speeding at 8-10 kts and you can really feel it inside the boat..!! Doing anything requires a lot of balance!

We have watches of three hours, of two people. After the watch we will be in “stand by” for three more hours in case additional support on deck would be needed, then finally we'll have three hours “free”. 

Most of all, we can say everything on board is fine, the crew is happy and the sun shines on Cape Arrow!

keep staying tuned!!

Cape Arrow’s crew

Ready to go back home in Med!

The pantry is full, the postcards have been sent and the new foresail is onboard. Cape Arrow is about to leave St Marteen for Europe: after a great season of races, charter and holidays in the Caribbean, it is time to go back “home” and dress up for the Mediterranean summer.

The expected conditions during this Atlantic crossing are quite tough and challenging. Cape Arrow will leave this afternoon, and for the first couple of days she will sail under 20 kts from east, to north east. Then the situation should become rougher… we will see!

Keep following us,

Cape Arrow crew

Cape Arrow moral winner of St Barth Bucket 2013

Today "Les Gazelle de mer" class gave the best story of the event.

After the first two races, Cape Arrow, Visione and P2, were all tied with six points going into today's race: a "Wrong Way Around" race of 24.5 nm.

Francesco De Angelis' clever tactic was well responding against Unfurled, which was our direct competitor of this final race: Cape Arrow leaded the fleet for almost the first half of the race.

Ph. Carlo Borlenghi/Sea Way

The first place overall was just few miles in front of us, when a silly but fatal damage to the Genoa, forced us to dramatically slow down our run to the podium!

The bitter taste of our final forth place is nothing if compared to the performance and results gained by Cape Arrow during these two weeks, both at Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta and here at St Barth.

Ph. Carlo Borlenghi/Sea Way

Now it is time to turn page, set the boat to welcome our next customers for the last charter of the season and then to leave the Caribbean for the Med.

A racing and charter summer season is waiting for us and we are really looking forward to sharing Cape Arrow's performance and comfort with new guests.

See you all,

Cape Arrow crew

Waiting for the overall results

The race just finished: third place after Unfurled and Rebecca. Let's wait for the results after two races. Yesterday, Unfurled did not well... Maybe some good news will come! 

Fingers crossed!