[PUP] Bluewater Noon Report - July 3, 2007 - Goodbye Horta

[Georgs Kolesnikovs]

Noon Report July 3, 2007

Position 38-22.9 N 28-22.8 W as of 12:00 Azores time (GMT - 0 hrs) 
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Course 116 deg M
Speed 7.1 kts @ 1800 RPM
Distance to go: 1106 NM to Gibraltar
Distance made good past 24 hours:  16 NM (6.8 kts)
Distance made good since Horta: 16 NM
Total fuel consumed (2.5 engine hours) 10 gals, average 4.0 GPH 
(incl. genset), fuel remaining 1470 gal.
Conditions: Wind SW 10 kts, swells WSW 1-3, partly cloudy, visibility excellent
Barometer 1032.7 mb and steady
Sea water temp 70 deg F, air temp 78 deg F.
ETA Gibraltar: PM July 10

Judy said over lunch today that so far on this Atlantic crossing 
adventure we've had 18 days underway and 18 days in port, and that 
seems a nice balance.  It's good to be back at sea with our 
housekeeping chores done: oil changed, fuel tanks full, fuel filter 
changed, fully provisioned with fresh meat and produce, and a clean 
boat inside and out.  Alas we were not able to repair the stabilizer 
problem in Horta.  Bernie and I worked on it for several hours, with 
diagnostic help by phone from Vic Kuzmovich at Naiad.  The present 
diagnosis is that we have a faulty servo, and Vic promises to have 
"Naiad Phil" meet us in Gibraltar to make repairs.  (Phil visited the 
NAR boats in Bermuda, Horta and Gibraltar, so he's like an old 
friend.)  We did so well with a single fin and our paravanes for the 
last half of the trip from Bermuda to Horta that this is not a 
hardship for us and suggested to Vic that Gib might be a better place 
for the repairs.

Our small Med Bound fleet was 45 minutes late getting underway this 
morning, thanks to a tardy government official who needed to stamp 
our passports and issue the clearance papers, then our next-door 
neighbor to port found he could not start his engine and move away 
and allow us to to clear the seawall.  In time our agent 
extraordinaire Marco Quadros of the Bensaude Agency showed up with 
the passports and the next-door yacht was manhandled off, and 
Bluewater was underway followed quickly by Moana Kuewa and Salty Dawg.

Weather router Bob Jones promised a lovely day for departure and has 
delivered on his promise.  Seas are flat as we cruise  the south 
coast of Pico in search of whales.  Duncan Sweet of Mid Atlantic 
Yacht services recommended this route, and Marco obtained the whale 
watch VHF channels (67 and 69) used by spotters high on Pico to 
direct small boats to whales spotted offshore.  We've seen a couple 
of whale-watching boats, RIBs packed with a dozen life-jacketed 
tourists.  George spotted a single whale tale and dolphins, but Judy 
and I saw only the dolphins.  We're about two miles offshore, almost 
literally in the shadow of 7,700-foot Mount Pico, the "caldera"  or 
volcanic cauldron that is the highest point in the Azores.  The Med 
Bound group toured the island of Pico on Saturday, including a visit 
about halfway up to the top.

This marked my fourth visit to the Azores Islands.  Duncan, who has 
lived there for close to 20 years, says he lives in paradise, and 
there's a strong argument to be made they he's right.  The islands 
are so scenic, much like Hawaii with high mountains, lush green 
valleys, dark volcanic rock everywhere, and such warm, friendly 
people. We Americans can learn a lot from the slow pace of life in 
these islands!   Horta is looking more prosperous than on our last 
visit--many new homes, new cars, and new businesses.  We had the good 
fortune in Horta to visit with Duncan and other friends who call 
Faial home: Joao Carlos Fraga, Pat Smith, and Tim and Paula Colwell. 
Joao and Pat joined us for a drink last night--Pat coming laden with 
fresh bounty from her garden, and Tim and Paula took us to dinner the 
night before.

And so we're off on Leg Three of Med Bound 2007.  Gibraltar is about 
seven days away, and we're looking forward to another terrific 
passage.

--Milt, Judy, George and Schipperke Katy
-- 
Milt Baker
Bluewater
Nordhavn 47 #32
http://www.bluewaternav.com

A compilation of reports from Med Bound 2007 may be viewed at 
<http://www.nordhavn.com>. Click on Med Bound 2007.