Champagne Sailing: Day 6-7 Biscay ’19

1,776 views | November 7th, 2019

Champagne sailing

Many sailors would probably say their very best experience on the water is sailing fast, downwind, with the headsail poled out surfing down the waves, in bright sunshine. Without doubt a fair definition of champagne sailing.

Today, after more than a week of hard sailing, with the wind on our nose, past France, Spain and Portugal we had our first taste of champagne sailing. The wind and waves swung behind us, the sky cleared, and we poled out the Yankee to surf the waves.

To be honest, it’s still all a little modest at this stage, perhaps not quite champagne sailing but certainly a good Prosecco imitation and it’s certainly very exhilarating.

More importantly, at our latitude there is the promise of even better to come. Trade Winds sailing has begun; roll on Champagne Mumm Sailing (all readers should note that other brands are available…).

Ian Jenkinson, Carsington Sailing Club Derbyshire

Skipper’s Log

Date : 07/11/19

Time : 12:00 UT

Position :39.43 N 11.9W

Position :85nm West of Lisbon

Destination : Rubicon, Lanzarote

ETA : 10th November 2019

DTD: 606NM

Fuel : 3 full, 1 in use.

Water : 3 full, 1 in use

Gas : 4 full, 1 in use,

Notes and comments :

A pleasant 24hrs with some good sailing and motor sailing on the way, light winds in the morning but stronger last night with plenty of squalls to test my team. All good experience though as crew got to handle squalls when under sail. Plenty of shipping around us last night making for Lisbon TSS to keep us occupied. All crew in good spirit and looking forward to time ashore. Making good now behind us. Good meal last night with Thai green curry and today we have started with scrambled eggs on toast and dinner will be pork chops and veg etc.

Planning our deck jobs to do in Lanzarote and to start our deep clean so making our arrival in Las Palmas easier for all. We have a crew meal booked at the famous Las Palmas Argentina steak house on Thursday evening for our final evening as a crew.

More blogs about this Atlantic Adventure can be read here: Portsmouth to Gran Canaria

Book Your Own Atlantic Adventure

If this blog has inspired you to voyage across an ocean then start speaking to the team in the office. They can assess which Atlantic voyage will be good for you and what course would take you to that level.

Fill in the form below and they will call you back.