Preparation for Atlantic Crossing (23rd November)

I am typing this note in a bit of a hurry in a small Internet cafe in Santa Cruz, Tenerife. Apologies for the slight hiatus in our updating the blog but as the departure date for Barbados has neared we have become increasingly preoccupied with our imminent trip and the 101 things that need (or seem to need) to be done before departure. It´s an interesting challenge dealing with the conflicting pressures that we will need to be entirely self-sufficient for close to a month but only have space on board for the bare essentials, even beer has been replaced by milk!

Our intention is to depart tomorrow bound towards Barbados and with a fair wind we hope to cover the 2800 miles in somewhere between 25 and 30 days. We have water and food (1.5 litres per person per day) for 30 days and washing is banned from tomorrow except in rain showers or over the side.

At the back end of last week we completed ´dry food´provisioning, engine servicing, boat checks etc. and we have just been to the market to buy 4 weeks worth of fruit and vegetables. The last week or so has generally been spent getting the boat ready and as ever the list of jobs feels never-ending despite the fact that we have done nothing else but work on her for the last 3 months ... still that´s boating for you. We installed a rather groovy radar transponder that Big Papa Yunus brought over and which makes sure that the sleak GSB is picked up on radar by other ships, it also notifies us audibly if we are being tracked on radar. With this invaluable bit of kit I have been able to confirm to Selma and the kids (repeatedly) that, as we sit in the marina, there are definitely vessels within 30 miles of us with radar on, they seem a little unimpressed!

As you can imagine we´re all excited and nervous at the same time and raring to go ... talk to you in a month.