Month: July 2016

Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute Because of the way the watch schedule works, you relieve or are relieved by the same people on every watch so it’s actually very easy for 5 people to be together on a 40ft yacht for a couple of weeks and only see other crew members in passing, like ships that pass in the night…

Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute We’ve been galloping along and making such good progress it was looking like we’d get to Kanehoe earlier than expected. But then Derby showed up on the scene and it looks like he may have the upper hand on our plans. A few days ago Derby was rated as a hurricane, the good news is…

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes The sun finally came out today and we were able to do our watches in shorts and tees rather than our foulies. Squalls come through with some regularity and give us a shower but it is not unpleasant. Talking of showers, in order to conserve our precious water on board, we wash down with a…

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes Despite Mike putting a line out for days, we’d not yet hooked a fish and were growing unceasingly envious during radio check-in as many of the other boats told tales of their catches, some implying that they didn’t even need a line and that the fish we’re launching themselves onto the decks, sacrificing themselves for…

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes The perpetual movement is starting to take its toll. Everyone’s in good spirits but the sheer effort it takes to do the most basic things is simply exhausting and being constantly thrown around the boat has us all black and blue. Yesterday we passed the half way point to Hawaii (yay!) and celebrated with rum…

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes Midnight Friday night and just about to come off of a 4 hour watch when the winds really started to build and the sails were becoming overpowered. I stayed up to help Mike and Greg make some sail adjustments so that we could sail smoothly through the night. Best laid plans and all that… We…

Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute Being in the cruising division of the Pac Cup we are not racing. Well, not officially. However there were squeals of delight yesterday when we heard we’d moved up from 7th to 4th. So, imagine our excitement this morning when we found we are in 2nd place. Rapture is very definitely a cruising boat and…

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes Tuesday, July 12th 2016 Up and about early to secure the jack lines, remove the anchor and to use a land loo (life’s little luxuries so many take for granted!) There was a sense of calm among the crew of Rapture and rightfully so, a lot of hard work has gone into getting organized for…

Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute Sunday, July 10th 2016 The Bay Area couldn’t have been more beautiful this evening. As we checked off any final to-do’s and organized our personal belongings aboard Rapture, it was one of those rare, balmy nights with clear skies and a soft breeze. The sound of people all around squeezing every last drop out of…