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"The last day is always the longest – there is no way to make a boat go fast. Any way one looks at it – six to eight miles an hour is slow. We make it through the straights of Dover – at night with four knot tide swings every hour, tankers and ferries and now shallow water – green spots on the charts. A green spot signifies rocks from the bottom of the sea that extend above water at low tide and make holes in boats at high tide. At night there are lights showing where and where not sail. I could write a book on what different lights at sea mean and still miss a couple. We are up all night spotting lights and marks – finally day light. We weave across the shipping lanes now in the North sea towards to Holland.
As a newbie to shipping lanes I wonder how all the tankers miss each other. When a cargo ship enters a major shipping lane or is heading into a big harbor – a small mosquito like pilot boat zooms out to drop off a pilot on the cargo ship (the word is zoom, the cargo ship is doing 15 knots and the pilot boat does a drive by – while the cargo ship is moving at 15 knots, the pilot boat saddles up next to the cargo ship and the pilot jumps from one boat to the next – hmmmmm). The pilot provides the cargo boat captain advice and navigation experience on this particular shipping canal and when the ship arrives at dock or leaves the congested area the pilot is again picked up by the pilot boat. There are no newbies in the straits of Dover except fools like us.
Of course we arrive at Ijmuden – the marina for Amsterdam and also the canal entrance for big ships going to the interior of Holland – at midnight and the crew has had a number of celebratory beverages. Again lights, markers, buoys, jetties, boats and lots of wind. We are under motor, spotlight out and really thirsty for the first on dock beer. About one am – we are tied up at a slip in Holland. Before one can say “land ho” the crew has a cab and is headed for the Corner Bar (my favorite Amsterdam bar – first went there in ’77), Dam square, coffee shops and the red light district. As the captain for the leg five – the last leg – Amsterdam to Oslo. I stay on ship – plan is to leave with a new crew, new forestay, new batteries and fresh beer on Monday evening. Next leg includes the Kiel canal – longest commercial canal in Europe and my first canal experience. Revved up.
Dover Straights here they come! and Ken Update
Land-crew comments:
While we, land-crew, friends and family go about our day-to-day routines, watching tv, (well some) eating out, visiting friends, working, alittle garden work, shopping, and sleeping in cozy beds at night, our faithful crew of the Grateful Red have been dodging the vast quantity of ships and barges and ferries in the English Channel. If you go to http://www.iboattrack/ and find GratefulRed, you can select "google earth". Zooming in enough you will see this site! The mast amount of shipping lanes. Another site will show you the historical road map of sunken U-boats. Remember our history lessons!
Cissy is now in Amsterdam and I leave today to meet up with the boat. Progress has been better than we had expected, and as you will read, Ken and crew will hit shore (not literally) sometime early Saturday AM.
Kens Thursday Update Below: Another Reason For Beer!
"rolling down the english coast - spinnaker out sailing six knots. When the tide is going out, the boat is sailing at six knots across the water but only two knots over land as the tide out is four knots. Of course tides change every eight hours when the tide is coming in six over water and ten over land. We are learning how to sail with tides and with these huge cargo carriers streaming by - the straights of Dover are only 17 miles across - France to England.
The straights are also one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. If a lonely sailboat happens to wander into a shipping lane, a cargo ship motoring along at 15 to 20 knots has the right to run you over - no questions asked. In fact the cargo ship won't even notice the bing as they crush us (i am not even going to discuss the high speed ferries that blow by at 40 knots plus lit up like a Christmas tree). The whole crew is learning how to read bow, stern and navigation lights to determine if a cargo ship is passing you or crushing you. A most valuable skill at night. In less then six hours we will be in the straights of Dover .... and we will have crossed the prime meriian ..... leaving the west side of world and into the East. Worth a round of beers
While we, land-crew, friends and family go about our day-to-day routines, watching tv, (well some) eating out, visiting friends, working, alittle garden work, shopping, and sleeping in cozy beds at night, our faithful crew of the Grateful Red have been dodging the vast quantity of ships and barges and ferries in the English Channel. If you go to http://www.iboattrack/ and find GratefulRed, you can select "google earth". Zooming in enough you will see this site! The mast amount of shipping lanes. Another site will show you the historical road map of sunken U-boats. Remember our history lessons!
Cissy is now in Amsterdam and I leave today to meet up with the boat. Progress has been better than we had expected, and as you will read, Ken and crew will hit shore (not literally) sometime early Saturday AM.
Kens Thursday Update Below: Another Reason For Beer!
"rolling down the english coast - spinnaker out sailing six knots. When the tide is going out, the boat is sailing at six knots across the water but only two knots over land as the tide out is four knots. Of course tides change every eight hours when the tide is coming in six over water and ten over land. We are learning how to sail with tides and with these huge cargo carriers streaming by - the straights of Dover are only 17 miles across - France to England.
The straights are also one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. If a lonely sailboat happens to wander into a shipping lane, a cargo ship motoring along at 15 to 20 knots has the right to run you over - no questions asked. In fact the cargo ship won't even notice the bing as they crush us (i am not even going to discuss the high speed ferries that blow by at 40 knots plus lit up like a Christmas tree). The whole crew is learning how to read bow, stern and navigation lights to determine if a cargo ship is passing you or crushing you. A most valuable skill at night. In less then six hours we will be in the straights of Dover .... and we will have crossed the prime meriian ..... leaving the west side of world and into the East. Worth a round of beers
Wednesday Update - English Chanel At Last !
Ken writes,
"all forces have met - the wet, warm, windy low front just passed us (winds blowing counter clock-wise) followed by a high with lighter cooler, sunny weather (blowing clockwise) - the winds meshed nicely for a clear 65 degree, Sunny day with winds of 20 to 25. a British beach day- perfect.
Passed the lighthouse at Lizard point - this lighthouse has been welcoming returning British ships
from the sea for centuries. You cannot see England but the light house tells the seaman returning from looting in the Caribbean, fighting the Spanish Armada, discovering the Americas, returning from the first circumnavigation or - the Grateful Red sailing in from Horta that you are now in British waters. Will pass the Isle of Wright on to the Dover straits tomorrow. The depth will go from 12,000 feet to 30 feet. In the by-gone days a boat would drop a line with a rock to determine depth, the mud on the rock would help decide if the boat was in the channel or heading into the rocks (no mud). yes there are many wrecks in the area. electronics are the way to go. our AIS radar shows 5 to 15 cargo ships in our 48 radius all the time. dippin' and dodging our way to the Dover straits. Should see England lighthouses and land tomorrow. " This e-mail was delivered via satellite phone and was "embellished" with picture by Kristine
Note:Lizard Lighthouse link and info
Lizard Point in Cornwall is the southernmost tip of the Lizard Peninsula. It is the southernmost tip of Great Britain, at 49°57' N, and, with the exception of parts of the Isles of Scilly is the southernmost part of England.
Grateful Reds Location on Tuesday
Compliments of Google Earth
As land crew, Cissy Yoes and I are on constant watch for news and do the best transfering the news to the blog. The last update from Ken could make a reasonable person twitch, but hopefully this image will comfort us all. LAND IS ALMOST IN SIGHT!
As land crew, Cissy Yoes and I are on constant watch for news and do the best transfering the news to the blog. The last update from Ken could make a reasonable person twitch, but hopefully this image will comfort us all. LAND IS ALMOST IN SIGHT!
Tuesday update from Ken
Grateful Red : Trans Atlantic - Europe
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Latest reading
21 Jul 2009 05:08:08 UTC-05
Vessel speed
7.2 kts
Location
49.37 N 7.99 Wview in MapTech or Google maps
Nearest city
Brest, France (150.08 nm
Update from Ken
"sailing is hours of hoping to go faster followed by spurts of pure chaos. "
The 12 steps of sailing are:
1. elaton,
2. excitement,
3. nervousness,
4. doubt,
5. regret,
6. fear,
7. pressure,
8. panic,
9. assurance,
10. confidence,
11. acceptance
and...
12. appreciation.
In the last 48 hours we have been thru all steps. Only 48 hours age we were sailing at maybe three knots - throwing out the spinnaker for more sail area. But out of the corner of our eye were watching the pressure going down - a big-o' high was moving in. Winds started to pick up, speed increase. Nice, but in a couple of hours winds were 15 and the sun was setting. Reef the sail for safety - take away 30% of the sail area for the night time sail. But no, by midnight the winds are howling at 30 plus - all hands on deck and do a second reef at night, in the rain - blackness every where.
The boat and winds are screamin'. Pretty exciting as we are tethered to the boat (attached to the boat by metal cleats with large nylon straps). Boom! a huge rogue wave covers the boat & the binimi and makes the cockpit a swimming pool. Any item in the cockpit not physically attached to the boat is gone - but the tethered-in crew is wet but still around.
Lucky for us we are above the Cadot line. ( for those of you not familiar with Wisconsin Cadot, Wis has a sign telling all visitors that Cadot is half way between the equator and the north pole or 45 degree latitude). We are now closer to the North pole then the equator - the days are long and the nights are short (in the summer anyways). By 3am one can start to see the horizon and by four the sunlight is apparent. The sun is now up and the pressure is starting to rise - winds are still 25 plus, but after darkness and 30 plus - a day in the park!
Ken
Sunday Update from Skipper Ken
Buttered popcorn and Whales - oh my!
"first low wind day on this leg. Winds have been less the ten mph all day. Used the spinnaker to keep boat speed up - averaged maybe five knots and then finally the wind disappeared as the high passes over us.
Of course a high means sunshine and clear skies. Paula cooked up some salt and butter to be applied on popcorn with beers in the cockpit. We saw whales not once, but twice today. For over twenty minutes two large whales and a calf roamed around the boat spouting. We have excellent pictures. Very large animals!
In about a day we should arrive at the English channel entrance - water depth goes from 12,000 plus feet to 350 fit in few miles with winds expected from the southwest - waves could be generated. Planning our strategy. While winds are low now, we are watching a low moving up from the south with winds of 30 plus. We would like to be in the channel prior to the front arriving. Of course the plus side is we will be cookin' in winds of 20 plus. From the entrance of the channel to Amsterdam is only 500 miles - four nice sailing days maybe three in winds of 20 plus or forever in today's "breeze".
For now it is sunshine and beers in the cockpit.... tomorrow is another day.
Ken
"first low wind day on this leg. Winds have been less the ten mph all day. Used the spinnaker to keep boat speed up - averaged maybe five knots and then finally the wind disappeared as the high passes over us.
Of course a high means sunshine and clear skies. Paula cooked up some salt and butter to be applied on popcorn with beers in the cockpit. We saw whales not once, but twice today. For over twenty minutes two large whales and a calf roamed around the boat spouting. We have excellent pictures. Very large animals!
In about a day we should arrive at the English channel entrance - water depth goes from 12,000 plus feet to 350 fit in few miles with winds expected from the southwest - waves could be generated. Planning our strategy. While winds are low now, we are watching a low moving up from the south with winds of 30 plus. We would like to be in the channel prior to the front arriving. Of course the plus side is we will be cookin' in winds of 20 plus. From the entrance of the channel to Amsterdam is only 500 miles - four nice sailing days maybe three in winds of 20 plus or forever in today's "breeze".
For now it is sunshine and beers in the cockpit.... tomorrow is another day.
Ken
Skippers Update - Saturday, 7/18/09
"over then half way to Amsterdam within hailing distance of the English channel. another wild night. no moon, haze and mist - can't find a horizon , solely depending on instrument in winds of 25 mph and .......... instrument failure. Two unexpected gybes at 25. Blew the traveler blocks in to pieces, parts everywhere. Chaos at midnight - whole crew is on the deck. Rigged the traveler to work but no movement. We were sailing within an hour - still nervous on the instruments. They always work well during the day - lucky for us the nights are getting shorter as we head north. Weather download looks spotty - nice windy low is moving north and high below is falling to pieces. Today a nice Bryce and Matt rig on the traveler - movement has returned. kinda .
After all the troubles on the Bermuda-Horta leg with power generation, loss of refrigeration and warm beer. We mastered the power system - we have electrons everywhere. Boat oozes with power. Used less then two gallons of diesel and the beer is still icy cold on day six. Life can be good on the seas. As the British navy learned long ago - if the crew has grog and beer morale will be high.
Mix in some terrific seal-a-meals, we are fat and sassy looking forward to the English channel - one of the busiest, if not the busiest shipping channel in the world. Four lanes of boat traffic currents that change with the tides and all commerical traffic has the right to run over low-life pleasure craft that wander inadvertently into their shipping lanes. We are already studying the charts in anticipation. "Ken
And the "Beat" goes on....!
or, "Drama on the high-seas"
From the skipper...
“with one loud ping the trip ambiance changed. The pin holding the forestay to the boat hull either sheared or came out. The forestay was broken. a boat forestay serves two main functions - holds up the mast and is where the front sail is attached. Both relatively important. wind was blowing high teens, we were beating so the mast was being pushed to the aft of the boat - lots of tension on the forestay.
Scrambled on deck - immediately if not sooner starting tying halyards to deck cleats to keep the mast from breaking. Genoa was flying like a flag to starboard side still on the forestay which attached only at the top of the mast. Whole crew rallied to pull the sail in without having it fill with water and pulling the boat with it. Using a couple of old shackles reattached the forestay minus the roller furler which was destroyed never to be found. Forestay was non functional but not banging around. top boat speed was maybe four knots - no more eight knots. After a quick round of beers - crew looked at methods to improve boat performance.
Took the main storm sail (is designed to be used when winds exceed 40 to 45 in place of the main sail - in four years of boat ownership we had never used - was brand new). Crew rigged the storm sail as a foresail using the spinnaker topping lift and the spinnaker foreguy for lines. looks weird as the storm sail has a big orange spot in the middle since it's purpose is high wind conditions but....boat performance improved. We can do five to six knots on a beat and a beat we are on. The successful re-rig was followed by a round of ports and back to shifts - only 1200 miles to go."
For all of us left behind it will be a LONG 1200 miles. But our confidence in this fine crew out-weighs this "minor" setback!
From the skipper...
“with one loud ping the trip ambiance changed. The pin holding the forestay to the boat hull either sheared or came out. The forestay was broken. a boat forestay serves two main functions - holds up the mast and is where the front sail is attached. Both relatively important. wind was blowing high teens, we were beating so the mast was being pushed to the aft of the boat - lots of tension on the forestay.
Scrambled on deck - immediately if not sooner starting tying halyards to deck cleats to keep the mast from breaking. Genoa was flying like a flag to starboard side still on the forestay which attached only at the top of the mast. Whole crew rallied to pull the sail in without having it fill with water and pulling the boat with it. Using a couple of old shackles reattached the forestay minus the roller furler which was destroyed never to be found. Forestay was non functional but not banging around. top boat speed was maybe four knots - no more eight knots. After a quick round of beers - crew looked at methods to improve boat performance.
Took the main storm sail (is designed to be used when winds exceed 40 to 45 in place of the main sail - in four years of boat ownership we had never used - was brand new). Crew rigged the storm sail as a foresail using the spinnaker topping lift and the spinnaker foreguy for lines. looks weird as the storm sail has a big orange spot in the middle since it's purpose is high wind conditions but....boat performance improved. We can do five to six knots on a beat and a beat we are on. The successful re-rig was followed by a round of ports and back to shifts - only 1200 miles to go."
For all of us left behind it will be a LONG 1200 miles. But our confidence in this fine crew out-weighs this "minor" setback!
First News from the Skipper - Tuesday
Ken's First Update...
Jack and I arrived in Horta on the same flight from Lisbon. the pilot came down to land on runway not once, not twice but three times. The third time he turned the plane around and landed on the runway from the opposite direction. Didn't build moral in the plane. the guy next me was starting to say "hail marys'. once down (and kissing the runway) we figured the sail couldn't be any worse.
We filled with water and diesel. Loaded food and moved the boat to the custom dock for checkout. Since Matt wasn't due in to after customs closed we decided not disclose his existence. Matt arrived on time he were waiting for him at Pete's bar. A round of beers, walk to the boat and we were off by nine in the evening - Matt was only in Horta for an hour so no customs was necessary.
Winds were good, sun was out and we weaved thru the Azores islands and out to the Atlantic sailing north. Winds have been a solid 15 to 20 beamish from the west. Always sailing seven plus knots - day was sunny and nice. No foul weather gear for this crew. Working on three hours, off three hours, new person every hour and hot bedding - three sleeping quarters each shared by two crew members who never work the same shift. morning of day two wind is still solid but from the south east - drizzle and sailing seven. No boats, no shore only a few dolphin every now and then. let "otto" do the sailing.
Jack and I arrived in Horta on the same flight from Lisbon. the pilot came down to land on runway not once, not twice but three times. The third time he turned the plane around and landed on the runway from the opposite direction. Didn't build moral in the plane. the guy next me was starting to say "hail marys'. once down (and kissing the runway) we figured the sail couldn't be any worse.
We filled with water and diesel. Loaded food and moved the boat to the custom dock for checkout. Since Matt wasn't due in to after customs closed we decided not disclose his existence. Matt arrived on time he were waiting for him at Pete's bar. A round of beers, walk to the boat and we were off by nine in the evening - Matt was only in Horta for an hour so no customs was necessary.
Winds were good, sun was out and we weaved thru the Azores islands and out to the Atlantic sailing north. Winds have been a solid 15 to 20 beamish from the west. Always sailing seven plus knots - day was sunny and nice. No foul weather gear for this crew. Working on three hours, off three hours, new person every hour and hot bedding - three sleeping quarters each shared by two crew members who never work the same shift. morning of day two wind is still solid but from the south east - drizzle and sailing seven. No boats, no shore only a few dolphin every now and then. let "otto" do the sailing.
Departure from Horta!
Well, long & busy 2 weeks. But Ken, and crew (Jack, Jason, Matt, Bryce and Paula) are on the boat, and from iboattrack, the blue dot is movin'! Paula had 8 days of prep time in Horta and her blog shows she "met the neighbors" and seems to have fit in. (were we surprised? NOT!)
Jason and Bryce got there in time for some sunny days in order to get the boat logo painted on 
the seawall. Long standing tradition for the sailors that come and go. Jason was ambitious enough to get the logo in stencils before he left and lets just say, "VERY IMPRESSIVE". Don't think it will be a while before the paint fades and another sailor paints over it
the seawall. Long standing tradition for the sailors that come and go. Jason was ambitious enough to get the logo in stencils before he left and lets just say, "VERY IMPRESSIVE". Don't think it will be a while before the paint fades and another sailor paints over it
Enjoy the few pictures I got from them. I begged and made them promise to send pic's of Horta before they launched. Hoping for a crew picture, but it hasn't arrived, and I doubt we will see "the crew" until Amsterdam.
As I get updates from the boat, I will post them. Remember, http://www.iboattrack.com/, and Paula's blog. (not sure will get it updated while she is at sea, but you never know). http://www.gratefulcook.com/
Parting words from Ken (aside from the personal ones) were predictions of winds of 20-25knots for the next several days. He was confident that they would be "rippin'". 
How many of you have heard him say that before!
How many of you have heard him say that before!Happy Sailing all!
Horta to Amsterdam - One day away from Departure
"At Madison airport a couple hours early for the flight back to Horta. Why you might ask. In my carry on I have one alternator, a glue gun, a Poly planar speaker, a mast head circuit board, four tubes of stainless steel carbon adhesive, ten feet of mast tape – an al Queda checkers dream. We were in a deep discussion on the rules of liquids and tubes and ……. it is seven am or more locally known at the airport as “shift change”. Bingo the glue tubes are a go and my friendly checker is off! Sixty pounds of carry on boat parts are thru the checking process.
I now am one qualified boat guy. Passed the first part of my VHF licensing process (yes in international waters one person on the boat must have a USA FCC Section 80 VHF license. I now know more radio acronyms then you can possibly imagine) and I took the section 7R license test for radiotelephony in international waters. Passed my offshore, cruising boat and bareboat tests and on the water training (thanks to Matt). US Sail awarded me my international proficiency passport for offshore European waters (should be an international competency passport but those dirty dogs in the US senate refuse to sign the UN resolution on offshore water requirements). Previously I thought the only requirement for offshore water driving was plenty of rum but no there are many more requirements. Leaving the sixth and final license – the well known CEVNI test – to be still passed. The CEVNI is needed supposedly to navigate inland European waterways – like for instance canals. The test takes thirty minutes and is given in English only in the very convenient country of England. Since the CEVNI is an acronym for four French words and the French love only two things – wine and bureaucracy – I best obtain my own CEVNI license before entering French inland waters. England is now on my return itinerary.
Hopefully the six legs of my frequent flier ticket will go smoothly and I will be Horta at Pete’s bar by noon tomorrow. The plan is to leave one beer after Matt the last of the crew to arrive in Horta. Next update will be from the water! Ken
I now am one qualified boat guy. Passed the first part of my VHF licensing process (yes in international waters one person on the boat must have a USA FCC Section 80 VHF license. I now know more radio acronyms then you can possibly imagine) and I took the section 7R license test for radiotelephony in international waters. Passed my offshore, cruising boat and bareboat tests and on the water training (thanks to Matt). US Sail awarded me my international proficiency passport for offshore European waters (should be an international competency passport but those dirty dogs in the US senate refuse to sign the UN resolution on offshore water requirements). Previously I thought the only requirement for offshore water driving was plenty of rum but no there are many more requirements. Leaving the sixth and final license – the well known CEVNI test – to be still passed. The CEVNI is needed supposedly to navigate inland European waterways – like for instance canals. The test takes thirty minutes and is given in English only in the very convenient country of England. Since the CEVNI is an acronym for four French words and the French love only two things – wine and bureaucracy – I best obtain my own CEVNI license before entering French inland waters. England is now on my return itinerary.
Hopefully the six legs of my frequent flier ticket will go smoothly and I will be Horta at Pete’s bar by noon tomorrow. The plan is to leave one beer after Matt the last of the crew to arrive in Horta. Next update will be from the water! Ken
High Alert for new blogs to start!!!
Hey Followers, Ken will be arriving back in Horta to continue the sail with Jack and new crew. Check out the new blogspot from Paula. She is in Horta now, making the food for the next leg utilizing the amazing seal-a-meal! Read about her adventures discovering Horta and all its charm. Go Paula!
Paula's blogspot is www.gratefulcook.blogspot.com
Paula's blogspot is www.gratefulcook.blogspot.com
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