Spirit of Diana - Transatlantic Adventure Rally 2007

the longest mile....

2007-11-20T16:50:00.001Z

With just under 150 miles to go we are making the slowest progress of this 2000 mile passage.

The finish is tantalizingly close yet we don't seem to be getting anywhere! Minerva is still just north of our starboard beam, so at least we have some company to wallow around with out here.

We are working hard at polishing off the stores, with tea time making it a personal mission; with a particular bent for tea... with over 2000 bags left he has a daunting task ahead.

Pat and Dee have sailed over 4500 miles on Diana now; with Roger, Gary and John bringing up the core team of veteran crew with over 3500 miles.

Our newest crew members; Amanda, Vicki, Mark, Nick and Adrian round out our team of sailors who have suffered the trials and tribulations of late night equipment failure, blown kites and long watches. Also they have persevered through the challenges and come out on top every time.

Just waiting for that little puff of wind to carry us the last few miles to our finish...

Hi to all those at home in sunny England!

2007-11-19T14:48:00.001Z

Well we have only got about 2 more days at sea now and we are starting to taste the Rum punch.

Yesterday we almost caught two fish but they both got away at the last second but we're trying to catch some fish today, to supplement our canned food diet. This morning we had pancakes which was a lovely surprise as we were all expecting toast.

The sparing match between Minerva and us continues with them half a mile off our starboard beam it's been a 2000 mile match race between the two of us let’s just hope Steve has a trick up his sleeve to keep us in front for the last 321 miles (not long to go now) it would be a shame to lose 2nd place now but whatever happens we've had an amazing time. Thank-you ONDECK for giving us this adventure.

I think everyone will be trying to call home as soon as we make sight of land. so on that note speak to you all in couple of days.

love to all

the crew of the love train (Spirit of Diana)

492 to go!!!

2007-11-18T14:48:00.000Z

Diana's day begins wth the usual chocoate sauce and orange breakfast accompanied by eggy bread and maple syrup - just how much more of this can we take!

But then there is a change as a happy birthday toast is made in coffee to Rebekah in York who is 18 today. Have a lovely day Bex!

Back to the sailing: Diana has every scrap of sail up and when we say scrap we mean scrap because if there is one thing we are not short of it's a supply of bit of old sail.

On we go.

To date only seen ships on whole crossing - one isolated cable layer and Shell tanker out of East Africa en route to Canada and one coconut - vast and free out here and definately a route to cover with discovery 55 in five years time if bones hold out.Text Messages received - no outgoing but telecoms should work by Weds morning - the track been good steered south of tropical squall and just hit first real doldrum bit and heat. We're averaging 6 kn now but have been up to 16 kn - still plenty of thought time with blue being power colour and shades of moriconium in the dawn sunrise - for the kindreds of this world - next message text weds as all fingers
fully working now!

Diana Blog Day 8

2007-11-17T13:35:00.001Z

697 miles to go.

Dave has had an interestng morning - he's been 'hanging' around chaning the line for the spinnaker halyard at the top of the mast.

Unfortunately for any future Mrs Dave's there is no hope of ever havng any children!!

Doing really well. Had a great party yesterday lunchtime - giving toast to Neptune as we had passed our half way point. I even have video evidence of Steve dancing to Postman Pat - any takers?

Good night too as we did not have to do any sail changes.

Keep sending text messages as they are always greatly received.

Love to everyone at home -
Amanda Parker

Diana Blog Day 7 16/11/07 1340 UTC

2007-11-16T13:45:00.000Z

Hi to all those at home in the cold it's 34 degrees down here and
glorious sunshine.

We had an interesting night last night with the spinnaker pole tripping itself so we dropped the kite and poled out a head sail and had a nice relaxing night's sail.

We also passed the halfway mark during the evening so today we are having a halfway party with everyone dressed up as scallywags.

Now we only have 870 miles to go and our adventure is starting to come to a close but we still have our sights on passing Juno even if it is just on the way to the bar in Barbados.

To those at home you are all missed but we'll be home soon.

from the scurvy crew of SOD

Diana Blog day 5

2007-11-14T12:50:00.000Z

1240 UTC 1297 miles to go!!

Well here we are and already 5th day at sea. Mother watch providing us with really great food and morale is very high despite frustrating winds and a lack of the speed we would all prefer.

Skipper Steve, Berren and Teatime (Dave) keeping us on our toes with sail handling and every watch continues with the anticipation of the call "TRIIIIIM"

Hello to all our friends and family back home and to let you know that your messages are getting through and really appreciated (thanks babe for the footy results, I love you too - lots)

Stay tuned for the next thrilling installment of the epic voyage of Diana and her intrepid crew.

Gary B :-)

Diana blog day four

2007-11-13T14:03:00.000Z

Stardate 13 November 2007 11:23 local time; 16 degrees 20 minutes north 034 degrees 30 minutes west, 1467 miles to go.

Steve woke us all up this morning with ice-cream cones and chocolate cake, it was delicious... and then I woke up, to find it dark and hot and a very light breeze! arrrghh!!

We are back to cruising along nicely again under the scorching sun and brilliant stars, feeling so very small pondering the intergalactic cosmos... the crew is keen on learning and have been giving it their all.

I did our rig check today and wish we had a proper crow's nest to just hang out up there and look across the great blue expanse. quite a spectacular sight (especially to see that we have horizoned minerva; as she was nowhere to be seen!)

Juno is our target for the moment as she is about 60 miles ahead. from all the crew of Diana, heeeelllllooooo out there!!! keep the text messages coming in and have the kettle on for my associates, (I'll have the cawfee and crawsawnts!).

Beren

1649 miles to go

2007-11-12T10:26:00.000Z

All is faring well on day 3 with 3 hour night watch 4 hour day watch
system in place.

Plenty of flying fish storm petrels and briefly pilot whale - all yachts
doing own thing now after being separated after massive wind hole on day
1.

It's all strategy and hoping spinnakers hold - only boat seen was cable
layer - no problems just plenty of open sea and sleep between watches

Hope that all in UK are ok with little blue working well.

Best wishes - Spirit of Diana

Sunday Morning

2007-11-11T11:37:00.000Z

1847 mile to go till BARBADOS

After an excitingly close start, the crew of Diana soon lost sight of land and Juno, which left us wallowing about with Minerva and Isis in some very fickle wind and feeling rather uncomfortably green from the motion.

However, things perked up through the night (all except the cabbage, which went from green to yellow to overbord once we had tracked down the source of the smell).

All was remedied by bacon butties this morning and it's looking like it's going to be another glorious day ahead.

Good spirits and best wishes to everyone from all aboard Diana.

Diana Leg 3 Start

2007-11-10T13:03:00.000Z

1246 local time 16 degrees 53 minutes north 025 degrees 00 minutes west, the crew of Diana have been waiting for this moment with great anticipation as we count down the start of the final leg of this adventure.

With less than fifteen minutes too go now, we are ready, after diiscovering a new tear in our number three we are now under full main and our newly repaired number one, just waiting to get the kite up.

Spirits are high and here comes the ten minute gun!

All the best to all our friends and family from the love train!

cheers and see you on the rum side!

Beren

2007-10-29T11:40:00.001Z

70 Miles to go

The valiant crew of the majestic Diana battle on against the odds and gigantic seas with the last srap of canvas from the sail locker flyig at her head.

Skipper Steve has whipped this crew into a hardened well-oiled machine with only flying fish to supplement our dwindling supplies, will we reach Cape Verde in any condition to join our other colleagues in a well earned beer (or several) - watch this space.

Our thoughts and well wishes go to all our friends and family who are waiting to hear from us. :-)

Speak soon

the crew of S.O.D

Diana Blog 28/10/07 0915 utc

2007-10-28T09:52:00.001Z

288 miles to go.

An interesting start to the day as the heavy spinnaker split in two leaving us the leisurely cruise option.

We know how to pass the little extra time - having invented 'yachtsman's film club' the night before. Perhaps the finest contribution being 'The Bilges of Madison County' although 'Luff Story' was well received and who could resist 'Boom with a View'. You can play this at home but by the time we are finished we will have thought of all the best ones.

Our message to all the other boats "We told you we were cruising this leg. What more do have to do to convince you?"

But is all well with Diana's crew? Of course it is!

Have we lost heart in the face of adversity? Of course not!

See you all soon the crew of S.O.D

** Editors Note: The Crew of S.O.D. are requested more text messages from home - please cheer them up and send a text starting with ondeck tar diana to 60300 **

stardate: 08:54 27/10/07 500 miles to go

2007-10-27T10:45:00.001+01:00

Just past the halfway point!

Yesterday, Roger pulled out his guitar and we had a fine sing-along until the Rod Stewart came out and the guitar was soon put away.

At the moment, Diana is cruising along nicely at 10 knots after an exciting night sail with gusts of 30 knots and surfing down waves at 17.

Things became a bit more civilised when the last night watch woke us up with scrambled eggs, toast, baked beans and a fresh pot of coffee... what's this... NO TEA!!

I've never drunk so much tea in my life... when in Rome...

Juno passed our bow by about 20 boat lengths around 7.

It's a nice little party in the Atlantic as we approach tropical latitutes.

Cabo Verde here we come! From all of us here on the love train; hasta luego we'll see you all soon!

Beren

2007-10-26T11:47:00.001+01:00

It's a beautiful sunny morning, we're working as team, quietly getting on with sailing, eating and now and then sleeping.

Last night we could see the lights and the outline of La Palma, one of the Canary Island group.

We hit a top speed of over 16 knots in a strenghtening wind and running down one of the waves.

The surpise is that as Diana picks up speed for a second or two she becomes like us, very quiet.

Speak to you all later

Spirit of Diana

Hi to everyone back at home. (916 miles to go)

2007-10-25T10:53:00.001+01:00

It has been a very fustrating night with no wind at all for most of it. But when the sun came up this morning we hoisted the light wight kite and made our way to our usual postion in front of the fleet.

All the boats are in sight of one another and it is once again very nice sailing. a bit of bad news though we ripped our number one genoa last night but we think we can fix it.

All is well on the Diana train and we have a feeling we might catch a fish today.

I guess we'll speak again tomorrow.
Regards
Spirit Of Diana (The Love Train)

Diana Blog 24/10/07

2007-10-24T13:42:00.001+01:00

We have finally left beautiful Madeira en route for the Cape Verde islands - 1035 nautical miles to go.

We had our usual sparring start with arch rivals Minerva and have some decent winds to take us on our way.

Our R & R in Madeira was as hectic at times as the watches on board when sail changes are the order of the day. We have 9 crew so this may be a more leisurely leg but somehow I doubt that!

We had good hospitality from the municipal authorities on the island and of course sampled the local beverage. We were ready to move on to pastures new and look forward to an entirely different experience on the volcanic islands ahead of us.

Hopefully we will catch sight of more wildlife like the indolent pilot whales that came into view as we crept into Madeiran waters over a week ago.

The great adventure continues and team spirits are high. Time for lunch - over and out

DIANA BLOG 15/10/07

2007-10-15T11:50:00.000+01:00

Lovley weather - the sun is out and we have some wind though we think it is dropping we can see two other boats and we think it's Minerva and Juno.

In the last 24 hours we have done countless sail changes and everyone is feeling really tired. We think we will be in around midday Tuesday if the wind holds - apart from that life onboard is good and everyone is enjoying themselves

Regards Spirit Of Diana

Sunday Morning

2007-10-14T11:23:00.001+01:00

Morning all.

It's a wonderful day here 348 miles to Madeira and sailing at 9 KTS with our 1.5 kite up and full main.

We've been trying to do a spot of fishing but not had much luck yet - I guess the boat is going too quickly.

We've only been at sea for 24 hours and already we've solved all the World's problems - we should be awarded the Nobel peace prize when we get in.

anyway beer et back up on deck trim trim trim.

Spirit of Diana

Diana Crew Leg #1

2007-10-13T14:30:00.000+01:00