It's going to happen, we're leaving for Suriname today! A crossing of about 2000 miles that will take us somewhere between 13 and 15 days. So we arrive in Paramaribo either just before or on Christmas. Do we have departure stress? No, not at all. On the contrary, we feel like going and we don't look up to 14 days at sea. The weather forecast looks good - from the beginning of December there is a stable trade wind that will blow us well from the back to the other side with wind force 3.4 or 5.
The past few days it has been very exciting whether the Barbarossa was allowed to leave. The insurance company is first on the line that they want the repair done here. If you see the situation here it is really not an option. After some back-and-forth phone calls and e-mails they gave the green light yesterday morning to sail to the other side covered by the insurance to have the repair done somewhere in the Caribbean. That is a huge relief for everyone!
Despite this uncertainty, the past few days have also been dominated by preparations to be able to leave. Toine checks the whole boat, checks the engine, sucks away the dirty layer of diesel (residues of Gambiadiesel), changes the water filter, etc. I clean the boat, take the laundry to the launderette and then pick it up again, and do some shopping. The children do school in the morning and play back and forth on the Brandaan, Barbarossa or Valentine's Day in the afternoon. So it's just a very domestic purpose. Then it's nice to lie in a harbour instead of anchoring. We don't feel the need to explore the island and make tourist trips. We just have to take care of the place and clean the ship.
On Sunday evening December 6th we have a very nice Sinterklaas evening with the adults of the three boats. Everybody did their best on a poem and surprise and that turned out very well! Enormous laughter! So Toine (from Ellen) gets a surprise where he has to get the gift out of a box of sand (and Toine loves them a lot, ahum). I get (from Daniel) a pilot with all kinds of handy facts; always easy for the 'guide' of the company (who I am quite often).
We're one of the last boats to leave Mindelo. The last couple of days we have seen a lot of other boats going with the good custom of blowing ship's horns, waving each other goodbye and wishing for a safe trip. Very nice! This month there are hundreds of sailing boats sailing across the ocean to 'the other side'. We will not encounter many on the way because we all sail in the same direction.
Somewhere during this crossing Eline (wife of Pieter, brother of Toine) will give birth to their first one. Exciting! Via satellite phone or SSB we will undoubtedly find out.
Follow us on the road via the position and the latest news lines on the homepage. We give a new position several times a day, but it is possible that the satellite reception during the crossing will be a bit less, so don't worry if no position follows for a few days! Where possible, we will also post a short daily update with the latest news on the homepage.
See you in two weeks!
Exciting!
Have a good trip and to your horns!
Jos Anouska Jeske Milou Fenne