Rosie & Nick Sail Round The World (RTW)

K8 Round the World Itinerary

here is a complete itinerary for the world arc so you can see where we are going - please come and see us if you can get away from your corporate desks - see you in the pacific Download world_arc_0809_route_v2_070214.pdf

Back Home in Hamble ...

It is great to be back , living in Hamble ,having space and been near our friends - many of whom we have seen in the last 3 weeks since we arrived . Rosie believed the garden was over grown set to work on that , I have a huge list of DIY tasks, but we are happy to be spending time in the country. 

Within a week of returning Rosie has secured a great part time job , supporting and sourcing images for Kuoni the travel group. I just love commuting to London and sleeping in different places every night  In general I go up 3 days a week to meet folks regarding roles in Corporate Real Estate & Facilities :  its early days yet - but we will update the blog . 

Lots of people have commented on our lack of tans  -  the reality is we were very good with using sunscreen ( factor 50 most of the time ) and wearing wide brimmed hats ( trying to avoid 11.30 - 14.00 in the sun ) . 

Many have asked for copies of the old newsletters , so these are here to save you looking through the blog 

RTW Q1 Newsletter - March 2008

RTW Q2 Newsletter - August 2008

RTW Q3 Newsletter - December 2008

RTW Q4 Newsletter - April 2009

We''ll keep our readers posted on progress. At present Rosie is getting the garden back to all its' glory, a wedding to plan for November, there is no escaping we feel different, we know have accomplished a fantastic journey and are very happy and pleased that we did did this trip together. Not a day goes by when we don't think back to where we were "this time last year" 

Rosie is talking about a new blog for our wedding and life there after  -  oh no ! 

 

Final Newsletter

Below is the last of our quarterly newsletters , we will keep the blog going for a little while to keep you posted of our return to the UK  -  we are very excited about getting back to work and seeing friends and family in person.

For now we have just finished the BVI spring regatta , on board another Oyster 72  - and won our class convincingly  with 4  firsts !

Hope to see you back in the UK in April

Download RTW Q4 Newsletter Final April

1st in Class and 1st Overall - Sailing Round the World

Now we always said it was not the Volvo Ocean Race  -  but there were prizes to be had  . As the final results were added up for the 30 odd legs of our lap arround the world  -  the final prize giving turned into a long night - as we were presented with a selection of trophies for Winning overall and Winning our class - Suffice to say the emotion of completing our circumnavigation , and winning took over , as we partied into the next day .  

Lots more Photos added today look through the recently added albums

End of world arc...what now?

Well its all over red rover, 1 years planning and 18 months sailing - I have shot over 6,000 pictures and have the wonderful job of editing that down to around 80 - 100 for our final book. Looking back over the last year is incredible - we were so green in the beginning. We didn't know how big the wind was going to get or the waves, would we get into trouble in a tropical storm? How would we all get on for such a long period of time? But despite a few moments we came together and made it. David has been a true leader and when things got tuff he supported us all. I now leave world arc with many true friends. This is a real experience in every sense.

We are now in Tortola looking forward to the BVI regatta - Shaun and Emily managed to get us a wonderfully cheap rate in there hotel so we celebrated with them last night and look forward to planning our wedding and the future when we get home. Our next celebration is spending some time with the O'Donnell family in Antigua, which we are both looking forward to very much. My only wish would be to have my family here too,

The next challenge is to find jobs, make Hamble and London our homes again and start the great wedding day fiesta. After that - who knows - I will certainly be looking for new and exciting challenges but maybe one that doesn't last so long this time or cost as much........

Thank you to all for staying in touch and reading the blog.

We have circumnavigated the world !

At 13.00 local time today Saturday 28th March - Kealoha 8 and her original crew crossed the finish line in Rodney Bay - St Lucia - completing her 1st circumnavigation of the world. Now we really will party!

 

David Daniel Rosie Nick Jens Adrian

 

So Many Islands ...So Little Time

Sorry for the delay in updating the Blog  ...once again we have been having so much fun..and what with Ireland winning the Grand Slam !!!

 

Tobago & Trinidad were great - watching the cricket at the test, three days for David & Daniel and then a draw, and meeting the locals in Kings Bay   very different contrasts - but very enjoyable - Tobago is a much missed Caribbean Island, Trinidad, huge (1.5 Million people live their) and other then the Cricket - not a lot to hang on to - unless your in Oil & Gas! Yet again the boat was moved some 12 miles to be near a dive site which promised manta rays(Adrian still has to see one on this trip)—needless to say no manta rays were seen, which meant that David accompanied by Daniel sailed back the 12 miles so that he had an unbroken track around the world.

 

Granada  - what a welcome  -  in so many regards  -  the McKinney Family welcomed us with open arms and provided all the top tips  -  David’s (90 Year old) mum arrived safely and boarded on the super yacht dock  - where we were moored next to some very nice mega boats  . one of which was chartered by well known English cricketer Ian Botham . Much fun ensued  - and of course there with the St Patrick's day Party  - a great event by all accounts (other then the stock take at the Bar in Port Louis ) - Guinness and Bushmills all round, the final judging of a Blue Peter style  milk carton competition. Coupled with a great local band had us all in the pool by midnight - we had promised not to dye the pool green in return for which the Marina were v. generous with the drink - but the Partying didn’t end there - we managed through an impromptu charity auction lead by David to raise nearly £300 for “Sail4Cancer” the Cowes based sailing charity.

 

So with Daniel off the boat (touring with his beloved wife Jane – who’s here for the finish), we eventually slipped our lines on the dock and headed to the Islands, what a lovely few days we have had. Carricou- a lovely peaceful island with little happening – just the way we like it - Tobago Cays – which was like Piccadilly Circus – in one part over 50 boats moored in the picturesque conditions - we are by now a little more adventurous and only had to share our anchorage with 5 others - still a far cry from the South Pacific – where you share an anchorage the size of St James park with one other boat if you are unlucky!

In Tobago Cays we met up with Brian & Maggie Aldous. Brian was navigator on the early Kealoha’s, when much success was had around both the Solent point’s series and the RORC series. Joan particularly enjoyed listening to all Brian’s memories of these very exciting times.

 

And today the Legendry Island of Mustique - home of Rock Stars, and sailing friends – and as importantly Basil’s Bar - known the World over as the most decadent bar in the Caribbean. Joan - our most experienced crew – (David’s mum) made it ashore for a sumptuous lunch at the Cotton Club - on the Island - if only we could all do the same for Mothers day! – Not bad going given that scrambling in and out of a dingy can be tricky!

 

Suffice to say we are all enjoying the final few days of sailing RTW – hard to believe we are only 60 miles from the finish line – roll on the 28th of March!

 

Arrived in Tobago...

After 2020 miles of the north Atlantic & Caribbean sea - we finally arrived at 19.20 local time in the lovely Caribbean Island of Tobago - our first return to the Caribbean sea since January 2008 - with near perfect trade wind conditions all the way here - with a boat speed average of over 9 knots we are very happy to be here a day ahead of schedule. All on board are well - hard to believe only 21 more days until the official end of the World ARC - and today marks the end of our last ocean crossing ....for a little while anyway!

Happy (sad) to report that all on board are too tired to make a run ashore (more importantly, we are abserving custom requirements in this, our first Caribbean Island!)
So short term needs are - can we make it to Trinidad to the test Cricket match (England Vs West Indies - always good for a laugh),Wifi - so much e mail ! And where will Adrian find the elusive Mantra Rays - we have sailed the world in search of the 20ft wide fins - only to hopefully find them - back close to where we started.

The next few days are about relaxing and genteel cruising of the island - before we head off to Grenada - for a week in a Marina - maintenance, and sight seeing.
The K8'ers

Message in a Bottle

What a surprise we had this morning - a response from our message in a bottle - prior to leaving, all those months ago we received a gift pack of a "message in a bottle kit" bottle, scroll and sealing wax - which was stowed on board until we could find a suitable time and place to dispatch it to the big blue sea -

So over 6 months ago on David's Birthday, 20th July while leaving Vanuatu in the South Pacific - a message was written by Sam his charming daughter in law (who was visiting us in the Islands) as part of his birthday present , and thoughtfully we included a K8 Business card.

So this morning we get the following e mail :

Hello there.

Simon Hook here writing from Brisbane(qld) Australia.

I was up at Double Island Point last weekend (28th Feb)

located just north of noosa ,sunshine coast, Queensland

When I came across a message in a bottle, the bottle was covered in barnacles but otherwise in good condition.

Thought you might to know what had happened to it.

Take care

Simon Hook

Now the surprises were many -

a) the bottle ended up somewhere that people understood English

b) the bottle was lucky enough to find an Australian who could read and write

c) Simon Hook turned out to be a gent and told us of his find

Original Message in a Bottle - after 6 months at sea

What we dispatched

So for all those gimmicks in ships chandleries - this one worked !

Return to the Northern Hemesphire - 382 days later

Last night at the relatively early hour of 21.10 we again crossed the equator - returning to our home half on the top of the planet - hard to believe that we have spent 382 days in the southern hemisphere enjoying the many delights and tropical places. It serves as a reminder of really how little of the world we have sailed , when we have spent most of our time in the South and feel we have hardly scratched the surface - and yet we have spent hardly any time in the Northern Hemisphere - Guess which is the most populous of the 2 !

So Neptune has been good to all on board - and as expected we dressed up to pay our respects - money is now so tight that we wondered if he would accept a group contribution - but luckily we all found some Brazilian Reals -

And yes the water does change direction as it goes down the drain as you cross - and no we did not feel the "bump" that some sailors refer to !

Only 6 more days to Tobago if these favourable trade winds hold - wind currently 15/20 knts from the east - just as the tea clippers before us - K8 loving it romping along at 10 Knts

Brazil and the last long leg

Brazil at Carnival time was curious blend of widespread underlying poverty masked by the vivid colours and unbelievable raw energy that is carnival.

The poverty was manifested by many very beautiful but decrepit buildings,

much unemployment and sadly many thefts from crew. Fortunately all escaped with just valuables stolen and only their dignity injured.

Carnival was chaotic, colourful, vibrant and non stop for five days. David

won first prize for stamina returning to K8 in time for dawn whilst Daniel has yet to provide satisfactory answers for his 30 hour absence at Olinda carnival and an unplanned 4am swim in the cesspit called Recife marina. A great time was had by all...

Our departure was delayed by an issue with a manifold, which could have lead to us "slumming it" without air con or a watermaker - horror. Amazingly a

Brazilian engineer appeared on time on Brazil's answer to Bank Holiday Monday and resolved the issue within 12 hours.

So we have set off on the last major passage of some 2500 miles to Tobago, where we will chill for a few days before heading onto St Lucia. Courtesy

of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (AKA The Doldrums), the winds are

pretty light and variable. Thankfully as this is now a cruising leg we can motor or motorsail as required.

In a day or two we will cross the equator, but a lack a "virgin" to adorn with sludge as we have all crossed it before. Doubtless something will be found to amuse ourselves.........