31’23.9S 015’05.1E course 305′ speed 8,4kn
We have left Cape Town almost 36 hours ago and have over 230 miles between us and the quayside.
In Cape Town we had a short handover of 3 days and a few hours, before setting of on this spectacular adventure, 7.300 miles from Cape Town to Den Helder. And we are off with a good start. The first 6 hours, we had to do under engine as the Table Mountain left no wind in the bay, so we had to make our way out before being able to set sail. This did mean, we had to set sail in the dark, for the first time with a new crew on board.. With small mistakes made while attaching the ocean passage sail set, we had to re-do some of the work.. and so it took us nearly 1,5 hour to set it.. But once we were done, we shot away with 7 knots!

Last night after dinner we lowered the mainsail and so now we are under reefed mizzen, staysail and nr2 jib, racing away down wind. The wind has slowly increased to a force 6 sometimes 7, with an uncomfortable sea running.. but this wind is predicted to stay from the South East, being strong, for a few days, so hopefully this will mellow out the waves a little.

Our new crew is eager and happy to get started on our adventure. Two our down with either cold or seasickness, but the rest of us is feeling good. Hopefully we did not take a flue bug with us!
As we departed from Cape Town, we spotted a beautiful Humpbackwhale. Max was able to get an amazing shot in and thus winning the Picture of the day contest of the 3rd of April, today we did not decide on a winner as two were sick and we had to take down the mainsail just before dinner. Maybe two winners tomorrow!

We have also spotted almost all the bird species we will be seeing during this voyage, on just one morning! Albatrosses, great wanderer, yellow billed and black browed, a brown booby, some white chin petrels, wilsons petrel, one that looked a lot like a normal gannet, skua’s and shearwaters! Amazing! What a sight, it was teaming with life all around us! But unfortunately no more whales sighted.
Ok time to get outside, this watch is a person short, so Stella might want to be relieved from the helm for a bit.. although, she is going at 9,1 knots right now, so maybe she is just having the time of her life.
All is well on board!
Jet