Sailing for the Saints Apr 20-21,09
Monday Apr 20,09
This morning was really busy.
First thing after breakfast we hoisted aboard the dory and skiff. Then we got all the sails ready to set, fired up the engine and hoisted the anchor. A little light exercise to start the day 
While we were doing that there were lots of yachts sailing by heading for the start line of the race.
We set our fore lower topsail and outer jib and backed around. Then, once facing the right way, we set all sails and headed out just to leeward of the course. We could see many of the smaller boats racing along to windward of us. There was a collision between two of them and one yacht was completely dismasted! An expensive day for them.
As we approached the “mark” we hove to and watched the fun for 20 minutes or so.
As the big “J”s were coming up we tacked and headed back along the line so we got a really good look at these magnificent thoroughbreds racing with spinnakers set. In fact we set our flying jib just as they were setting their spinnakers The two big schooners were there as well with their spinnakers set a well. Very impressive.
The big French schooner was sailing with a replacement mainsail so they mut have had a spare.
After they passed we tacked again, set all sails and are now heading South(ish) towards Guadalupe and Ile des Saints which is part of Guadalupe.
More later…
Just got off of our afternoon watch.
We sailed close hauled on the port tack towards Guadalupe all afternoon.
As we were sailing Full N Bye my trick at the helm was fun
As we approached Guadalupe it became apparent that we could not weather it and had to tack just after dinner. We are no sailing North back towards Antigua and will tack in the morning some time and try to get around the Eastern side of Guadalupe again.
Thanks for reading.
KJ
Tues Apr 21,09
Had a fairly calm night watch.
We wore ship sometime before I came on watch and have been sailing to leeward of Guadalupe. I had second lookout which was just at dawn as we approached the island. The sky slowly brightened and with a thi crescent moon low in the eastern sky it was beautiful to watch.
The Western side of Guadalupe is high, very much like Dominica and has a cap of clouds as well. As we sailed into the lee the wind dropped and we started to take in sail preparatory to motoring when the wind actually picked up again. We reset the foresail and mainsail and we are still ghosting along to the South.
If we end up motoring we should arrive at the Saints this afternoon.
More later…
We motored through the afternoon and got pasted with some really sstrong rain squalls as we passed Guadalupe.
We arrive at the Iles des Saints around 3;00pm anchored in the little harbour and got cleared in without too much fuss. Our watch is off this evening and tomorrow so we went ashore to check out the place. It is like a little chunk of France very neat and tidy and pretty laid back.
I’m going with David and our new doctor Rick to rent some scooters to see the island tomorrow. I’ll fill you all in on how it goes.
Thanks for reading.
KJ