Alternator Realities
Position: 38°39’32.5″N 27°12’34.5″W I called my buddy Mark in the United States from the Pirate’s Pub in Angara, Terceira. I told him that I had just met a guy named José on a street corner and handed over my Balmar …
Category: Underway
The Eagle has Landed – Azores Style
Looking out our portholes and seeing the USCGC Eagle at dock in Praia do Vitória was a nice surprise. This beautiful tall ship is the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s cadet training vessel. Based near the US Coast Guard Academy in …
Bugged by More Lightning
Praia de Victoria, Terceira, Azores, to the UK is a passage of about 1300 miles. This time of year the weather strategy is to hug a low-pressure system and take advantage of the winds. The key is to stay in …
Video: Bullfighting in the Streets of Terceira
Position: 38°41’08.0″N 27°03’44.0″W Bullfighting is a tradition on Terceira. During the summer, small festivals and village gatherings take place on a weekly basis. On any given Friday or Saturday there may be two or three bullfights going on at any …
Misneach!
Position: 44° 49.141′ N 23° 6.366′ W “Misneach! Stay afloat. Don’t drown. Don’t quit. Stay with the boat.” – Declan O Donnell, The Plover by Brian Doyle Halfway to the Azores we heard through the net that a Grand Soleil …
Shorts: Planning is Useless
It’s no secret. I’ve spent many years in strategic planning and I subscribe to Dwight Eisenhower’s view of it. D-Day’s architect once said, “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Empirically …
Photos: Faial
Position: 38°35’01″N 28°42’04″W We’ve spent the past week on Faial anchored in Horta harbor. There are three good reasons transatlantic sailors stop here on their way to Europe. First, it’s a better harbor than the island of Flores, some 150 …
A Tale of Two Passages
POSITION: 38°31’58″N 28°37’23″W It is safe to say that no two boats have the same passages across the Atlantic. Porta-botes are rare among the cruising community. Ken and Vicky from s/v Huskabean are, like us, card-carrying members of the Porta-bote …
Three Women in a Boat (to say nothing of the dog)
We are heading across the pond tomorrow. After lots of practice, planning, and repairs, we are taking the best boat built in the last 40 years (that’s Aleta) across to the Azores. From there we’ll be exploring Europe (including the …