Scott, Armando and Danny departed terra firma last Thursday, March 5. They had a bit of an adventure departing - angry natives waving spears, etc. I will save that story for Scott and Danny to tell!
Many have asked who Danny is, but anyone who was at our new Years Eve party last year does not have to ask! Danny is related to Scott in some obscure way (Scott's grandfather and Danny's grandmother were siblings, their fathers were cousins, that makes Danny & Scott second, third cousins?? cousins once removed, twice removed?? something like that.) The families have always been close. Scott and Danny have known each other from childhood and they have recently renewed their friendship including Danny's wife Rhonda and myself. Danny & Rhonda are from White Rock, British Columbia, a beautiful seaside community near Vancouver.
Danny & Rhonda were visiting Florida over the holidays and perhaps Danny had had too much wine but somehow the idea of crossing the Atlantic Ocean with Scott appealed to him. Danny & Rhonda are both adventurers so the idea planted itself and quickly took root.
So Danny made plans to meet Scott & Armando in Praia in the Cape Verde Islands. Casting his lot with Scott, Danny, like Scott, chose to wait until they were in the Cape Verde islands to attempt to obtain a visa to Brazil. Unlike most of Europe, travel to the South American countries is not so easy. Luckily having Armando (a well respected Brazilian citizen) vouch for them (and translate for them) seemed to help. They got their visas and were on their way. I hope they don’t do anything to hurt Armando's reputation or prevent him from ever returning to Brazil.
After checking out with customs in Praia, they made an unauthorized stop at the next island over. That is where they had their little adventure. (I hope Danny got pictures!)
They left the Cape Verde Island on Thursday March 5.
Since then they are having the most beautiful sailing of the whole trip. The trip across the Atlantic in the northern latitudes was marked by big storms and rough weather.
In the south things have been nothing but pleasant and tranquil. As you can see on the satellite tracking they have been making great headway. They have had gentle following winds, warm weather, ocean temperature in the 80’s, and catching fish like crazy. They have been enjoying mahi mahi and sashimi tuna everyday. They have also been swimming off the boat and dragging through the water on a line off the stern. I sure hope Danny is getting some pictures!
Sounds like Scott and Armando are making up for their dreadful winter in the Meditterean.
They are now about 200 miles or less off the equator. Their destination is an island called Iha Fernando de Noronha which is about 200 miles east of the easternmost point of Brazil. Here is a Google Earth map of the island. The island is the little square in the ocean.
You can see Fortaleza (Armando’s home and their ultimate destination) up the coast a bit.
More tomorrow about the party that will be there to meet them in Fortaleza.
3 comments:
Diane,
I have just calculated from their 8:00 am position this morning that on their current heading the crew is 139.49 miles from the equator. So sometime tommorrow they will cross. If you speak with Scott before hand, could you ask the crew to take pictures, as I have alwaays wondered if the line floats on the surfaces or perhaps hovers above the water and you sail under it. Thanks in advance.
Jim
Happy Birthday Scott,
Caesar has nothing on you.
Happy Belated Birthday, Dad (card's in the mail!). I just returned from skiing in Breckenridge, probably hard for you to imagine below-freezing temps and feet of snowpack.
I hope, barring real corned beef and cabbage, you managed a reasonable mahi mahi substitution.
Glad to hear you're making an easier crossing on the return (if a little jealous). What a difference 40 degrees of latitude makes.
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