{"id":3993,"date":"2019-01-13T15:47:04","date_gmt":"2019-01-13T15:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firstclasssailing.com\/blog\/?p=3993"},"modified":"2019-01-13T15:47:04","modified_gmt":"2019-01-13T15:47:04","slug":"antigua-to-portsmouth-day-3-afternoon-tea-on-the-atlantic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firstclasssailing.com\/blog\/antigua-to-portsmouth-day-3-afternoon-tea-on-the-atlantic\/","title":{"rendered":"Antigua to Portsmouth Day 3: Afternoon Tea On The Atlantic"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Antigua<\/div>\n

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You can send a blog from almost anywhere on the planet and in this case it is 547 Nm from Antigua sailing to the Azores. A perfect spot for a British tradition…<\/p>\n

The Crew Is Becoming Shipshape<\/h2>\n

It’s been a busy day! I started off at 7am with a three hour watch on deck, the wind picked up at sunrise so we raised the staysail and turned off the engine.<\/p>\n

This led to about twenty minutes of good sailing before the wind dropped away completely and it was back on with the engine. Another beautiful sunrise and it started to get very hot very quickly!<\/p>\n

I clocked off watch at 10am and went straight into motherwatch (it’s the 21st century, surely in the age of equality a new name needs to be found –
\nanswers on a postcard please.)<\/p>\n

The other 2 mothers had been hard at work cleaning since 8 so I came down to find that the heads had already been cleaned as had all the breakfast
\nthings, thank you Mike and William.<\/p>\n

We finished off the rest of the cleaning jobs – sweeping and mopping, pumping the grey tank, wiping down surfaces, before we started with lunch prep. Coleslaw, tuna mayo rolls and left over stew were made and consumed eagerly by the hungry crew.<\/p>\n

The Great Atlantic Bake Off<\/h2>\n

We also started on the baking tasks for the day, fresh bread and a chocolate cake for afternoon tea. We kept up with the requests for hot drinks from the on watch crew and seemingly endless washing up, I once again have developed zombie boat hands – it looks like I have spent a couple of days in a swimming pool!<\/p>\n

After lunch we had some down time so were able to relax on deck, read and chat whilst the occasional run on the fishing line provided excitement – short lived as it was pretty much always another patch of Sargasso weed although one ‘genuine’ bite was claimed!!<\/p>\n

Afternoon tea and cake were served on deck at 4pm and this was well received by all. Making cake whilst heeled over is no easy task but Mike managed this admirably and although slightly lopsided, the chocolate fudge cake was excellent. Dinner was the next task and we made jerk chicken, rice & peas and fried plantain. After dinner, another round of washing up and cleaning before the mothers were done for the day.<\/p>\n

It was hot and tiring work but enjoyable as it gives a break from the usual routine of three hour watches and we are rewarded with a full night’s sleep.<\/p>\n

As I write this blog the engine is off and we are making a steady 6 knots. The wind has been good to us today and after the mornings lull we have had a decent breeze all day – a nice surprise after forecasts of pretty much nothing.<\/p>\n

Everyone has settled in well to life on board and we are making good progress towards the Azores. 547 Nm run so only another 1600 or so to go
\nuntil we reach Horta.<\/p>\n

Tom (WL)<\/p>\n

You can read more blogs from this voyage<\/a> or other Atlantic Sailing Adventures here <\/a><\/p>\n

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