We're Here!!!

I'm drunk, we're all drunk. We arrived! And what a beautiful place to
land. Barbados is a jewel rising out of the sea to greet us.

Much from us tomorrow....

Happy birthday Mum! Glad you like the chocs - I'll have a drink for you
xxxx Keri

Minerva out!

Good morning, can you smell it?

 

No it’s not the crew it’s the smell of land ahoy.

 

Due to the requirement of signing in at customs on the NW side of island we are doing a tour of Barbados going up the east side and stopping at Port St Charles then sailing down west coast to Carlisle Bay. distance to north of island, 233.9 miles to go. we are aiming to be signed in and at the bay around midday. meanwhile we have our paddling pool set up on deck and doing 9.0kts with medium spinnaker up and on course. soon the chaos will reign as we come within mobile phone range. It’s a sad day.

 

lots of love Minerva. monkey

156 miles to go,and doing 9.2 knots.

All losing weight fast, thank God for the Admiral's Brownies.
We have had Dolphins at twilight yet again, sparkling with phospheresence. Sail Repair shop is very active and orders are now being taken. Should be a nice little earner. We have become EXPERTS at kite hoisting, packing, wooling etc.,

Generator has been repaired - water supplies safe - in fact, the boat is now ready for a Transatlantic Crossing!

Toodle Pip,

LOVE AND KISSES Sion

314nm Exciting times!

We are neck and  neck with Diana having made a dramatic leap forward in the last 12 hours. 

 

Some are saying we have overtaken her!

 

Phosphorescent dolphins at 4am, streaks of silver swimming alongside the boat - an amazing sight.

 

More spinnaker problems but going well now with staysail up too. 

 

Sion hit in face by flying fish but he’s fine.  Adrian W says happy b'day to Carla.

 

Best Wishes

Mary

 

All was happy aboard the Minerva train ...

until we had a very special visit last night from our own personal monsoon cloud which not only drowned us but kindly shifted the wind 90 degrees suddenly resulting in a spectacular kite wrap - not that we could see it in the torrential rain in the dark!

Anna then took up her usual position on the floor bearly visible, surrounded by wet kite, needle and thread in hand, working through the pain with The Prodigy drowning out the reality of the rain and Monkey's desperation to step off the back.

After the 6th hole had been mended we discovered another where someone had kindly kicked it in the night.

Finally, exhausted, we had a very exciting moment rehoisting our precious kite to discover 3 new holes- it is a tale of woe!!

On a good note we're finally catching up with Diana with our lightweight- wahoo!!

We can almost catch them with our deadly waterbaloons!!

The race isn't over till the fat lady sings, and she's been in her bunk most of the afternoon.

Keri and Anna XX

Distance to go: 680nm

The moon keeps appearing for longer each evening meaning we no longer have such a fantastic view of ten a v. rude comment that my sea shanties would make good fish bait.

Mary

Friday Dawns

Having spent 5.5 hours yesterday repairing the HW so beautifully my mother would be proud. Sion finally got his wish of the lhe half way party.

Anna x

PS There is something so wrong about doing a night watch in boardies & t-shirt!