Axel
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S/V FREEFALL Circumnavigation 2004 - 2007 -- Atlantic Crossing 2009
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And the end day is looming. We have our flights booked from Miami to Europe, thanks to our sisters. The end of the epic voyage is nigh!!
Hope you´re all keeping well.
Em xx
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Our new plan:
Yesterday we decided that we would give Cuba a skip on this occasion. It´s a big and interesting country for only a 3/4 day visit, after which we would end up beating in a NNE direction against NE Trades to get up to Key West. Instead we are going to stop at a couple of the uninhabited southern Bahama islands in Sal Cays Bank namely Aguila Cay and Cay Sal, only accessible by boat, for a last taste of paradise before hitting the real world and the Florida crowds. From these islands we will have a much nicer sailing angle to Key West where we will have our official Round The World party. Who´s coming??? Ahhh go on, go on, go on...! ;-)
The wind has dropped from around 20k yesterday to about 10k today and we have slowed to 5k speed, its going to be a partially sunny one and feeling smoother...
Ciao for now
Em xx
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Everybody how wants to come to Key West on the 5th or 6th of May is happily invited to stay on Freefall and to join us for our
"Around the World Party".
I hope to see some of you guys,
Axel and Emma
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Yesterday we had a nice day at Smuggler´s Cove beach. Believe it or not, its unusual for us to laze on a beach so it actually felt like a novelty! Got chatting with a Brazilian lady who was able to help remind us of how to cook some of the traditional Brazilian dishes we loved when in Brazil so when we came home we cooked a yummy Black Bean dish with pork ribs.
Must go and take the old ripped mainsail off in preparation for the arrival of the new one...
Em x
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70nm to go to the British Virgin Islands so we expect to make landfall in Tortola early tomorrow. After a slow night the wind is good today and we´ve been doing about 6k goose-winging with genoa and cutter sails. lots of sunshine and no squalls. The wind varies from S to E so is over aft quarter which is great when we only have foresails to sail with. Thanks to Sid we´ll collect the mainsail in the US Virgin Islands soon...
We have just sailed over Sabba Bank where the depth dropped to 30m so the fishing line was out in hopeful expectation! ... we caught a 3 foot Mahi Mahi (Dorado)! With sailing coming to an end soon I´m feeling very adventurous and feel the need to ´push the boat out´ on this one. Having spoken to local Caribbean fishermen and a couple of cruisers I´ve decided to cook the roe and the eyes! Ben on Gypsy Soul told us the roe is delicious and is apparently a delicacy in some expensive fish restaurants especially in the Med., so its shameful that we have wasted it up until now. As for the eyes, well the local fishermen have also assured us they are delicious pan-fried... hmmmmmmm!!! I´m not sure I will be able to persuade Axel to give the eyes a try! Will let you know...
Em xx
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Yes we had a fun week with the family - 4 days at the beautiful Pitons (unique volcanic cones - a World Heritage Site) and then all aboard for a nice sail to Rodney Bay for a 3 day stay there. All the kids made excellent crew altho´ Siddy and Emily slept alot but Zoe was busy for the whole trip pulling & coiling ropes, blowing the boat horn (giant Conch shell) and making a Scoubidoo ankle chain! We were able to anchor Freefall off the beach at both hotels so it was easy to get to and from the boat for onboard breakfasts, sundowners and BBQs. As the week progressed the kids gradually got use to Freefall and in the end Zoe and Siddy were happy to jump from the yacht into the sea. Both even climbed 1/2 mast! Future sailors in the making!
Axel and I had a trip into the mountains and did a hike through a beautiful rainforest. We stayed one extra night in St Lucia to get the boat ready for sailing and to have a final night out in the YC with our friends from the Bequia Regatta. They´re all heading to Antigua Sailing Week so best of luck to them.
And we´ve recently learnt that our friends on Eagle Wing, Petrell, La Familia, Cisnecito and Pamina are not far behind us (Tobago Cays etc) but we will not get to see them (boohoo!) again as they (ex La F) head for Antigua Sailing Week to race Cisnecito! Its a pity we miss the fun and reunion at ASW but Cuba is calling so we´re fast-tracking to there...
Em xx & Axel
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The Pitons are 2 steep volcanic cones, so unique they´ve been declared a world heritage site and we are on a mooring nestled between the two! The scenary from our cockpit is breathtaking! Its also a Marine Reserve here so snorkelling is good - lots of different fish.
Axel´s sister, brother-in-law and 3 kids arrived on Tuesday and have been staying in the Jalouise Plantation Resort which is on the shore about 100 meters from us! Very convenient, its great to see everyone and we´ve been having lots of fun and games. As of yet, none of the family have ventured to sleep overnight on Freefall but its been breakfast onboard for all every morning. Tonight Axel & I did BBQ´ed Mahi Mahi dinner on Freefall (unfortunately not caught by us - we had to go to the market to get this one!).
Hope to climb a Piton tomorrow...
Em xx
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Easter Sunday in Bequia was a day off for most of the racers - just aswell after the celebrations on Saturday night. There was a huge party on the beach with sandcastle and ´build your own crazy boat´ competitions and lots of locals pumping out calypso and soca music from gigantic mega speakers.
We are now approaching St Lucia. Much to the disappointment of Andreas, X Factor captain and other 3 crew who sail their final race tomorrow (Monday) we have had to leave Bequia on Sunday evening to get to St Lucia, so have left them behind looking for new crew...The best of luck to them!
Axel´s sister Susanne and the 3 nieces Zoe, Syddi and Emily fly into St Lucia tomorrow for a week so there´ll be great excitement on Freefall - its been a long time since we´ve had guests.
Em xx
PS There were no chocolate eggs this year for Emmie and Axi!
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We left Tobago Cays at 6am this morning after a lovely stay there. We spent alot of our time in the water and saw great marine life- huge Spotted Eagle Ray, big Sting Ray, sea snake (and land snake!), heaps of turtles and lots & lots of different little & large colorful fish. Its nice that we´ve already caught our dinner this morning by trolling - a Travelly.
So its Bequia in a few hours where we will spend the Easter weekend...
We got an email from our Norwegian friends on Petrell this morning who are VERY happy to have made landfall. They recently arrived in Grenada after 33 days at sea from St Helena, 7 of which were no wind days in the Doldrums! Ohhhh that´s a very long passage!
Ciao
Em xx
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Now we are anchored for the night behind Horseshoe Reef near World´s End reef, with about 50 other boats!! Its such a beautiful spot here only accessible by boat. Tomorrow we´ll kayak through the narrow pass in Horseshoe Reef and explore its windward side.
We plan to spend our Easter at Bequia Island which has a regatta and lots festivities planned.
Em xx
...and I found the rum treasure on the island...cheers, Axel
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Now we are anchored for the night behind Horseshoe Reef near World´s End reef, with about 50 other boats!! Its such a beautiful spot here only accessible by boat. Tomorrow we´ll kayak through the narrow pass in Horseshoe Reef and explore its windward side.
We plan to spend our Easter at Bequia Island which has a regatta and lots festivities planned.
Em xx
...and I found the rum treasure on the island...cheers, Axel
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Axel
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