Last night was finally time for some action. We've been waiting for it for a while and every time we were expecting good wind and some speed under our keel, either the wind died out or the forecast was wrongly predicted. Yesterday late afternoon we left our calm berth at L'Ametlla de Mar to finally get around that delta they've been talking about. The wind was supposed to have cooled down a bit to under the 20s and just like expected - our journey started with a smooth 17-19 knots of breeze from the West, making for a perfect ride in close reach, average speed on 6.7. Soon we got hit by gusts up to the 30s and we decided to reef the main, just to notice that the wind kicked up even further. 32. 34. 36. I was getting all excited of the surprising adrenalin rush, the butterflies that I've been waiting for were finally back. I was desperately trying to wipe the salty water from my face to be able to see something and at the same time I was begging for the wind to stay some more. But when the main was on first reef, the genoa furled around 20% and we both were prepared for more of it - it all stopped. From 35 it went down to 28, to 24 to 20 and all of a sudden our speed got stopped by a wave and the wind was down to 12 knots. What the fuck happened? Where did it all go, so quick? Please come back wind, we're far from being finished with you! 

Those schizophrenic times, which quite often happens on the sea or in relation to it, provides equally strong sense of confusion and contrast as when you've been out in seriously rough weather, when you're totally beaten up by high seas and strong breeze, and then entering a quiet harbor where people are slowly and happily strolling around - totally clueless of the wildness that's going on, just some meters away from them, around the corner of the harbor entrance. The contrast of the two worlds are sometimes so definite that it becomes hilarious and many times I've wanted to scream to non-sailing people in the marina: Do you have any god damn idea of what is going on out there!!? 

The sea and the waves and the wind and the water - the more days that pass of aboard living and sailing, the more I fall in love with them all. This relationship I have to them, like many other sailing-loving people also have, is so passionate and raw and harsh and totally fulfilling - that I could never imagine to live without it again. Although it took some years of my life to enter this new world, I feel so incredibly blessed that Alex introduced it all to me, now for one year ago. Better late than never, like they say.

In the middle of the rush and excitement last night, I remember I was screaming to Alex: Next boat we'll have must be a faster one, please!!! Let's see if we one day can afford to upgrade to the beautiful Hallberg Rassy 40, that would have been the ultimate boat for us in terms of both having the possibility to ride harder weather in greater speed, and at the same time have the most perfect live-aboard boat for comfort, safety and style. 

Until then, Caos will be our faithful friend through loads of more of excitement on the sea. I am, by the way, truly impressed by her ability to move this gracefully as she actually does, with all this extra weight we've collected for our tour.

P.S: Don't forget to check out our progress on the tracker. We just left Vinaròs and are now on our way towards Cap de la Nau, 110 n miles from here.

/Taru

The forecast is not to be trusted in this area, also called the Mediterranean, that is something we learnt for a long time ago. Although the Costa Brava coast in the Northern parts of the Med might be even one step ahead in unpredictability. The 20-25 knots of wind we were looking forward to were instead something around as little as 12, and from a total different direction than predicted - but nonetheless it was a beautiful day and night. A very calm and flat sea where our Caos sailed along in a smooth and peaceful pace.

Here's a bit of our plans. As you can see, there is some heavy winds going on out there and it is predicted to last for the next 24-36 hours or so, in various constellations. We have checked off some more things from our to do list here in Cambrils and the plan is now to make a 20 miles jump further down South, and dock up somewhere just before the delta. At the moment there's 20-25 knots of wind blowing from West and we will be sailing close hauled if we leave asap so those 20 miles should go pretty quick if there's not too much of waves, here above the delta. It's a bit rainy and grey today but we figured that we would rather take off in these conditions than having to stay here for too long. We're now ready for some action anyway. 

We're hoping to be able to pass the delta maybe tomorrow night and thereafter proceed with the blue route, first to Valencia to pick up the new wind generator as ours doesn't work like it should. From there we'll be rounding the Cap de la Nau and moving on with the another leg towards Cartagena - before the last route towards Gibraltar.

/Taru

Probably not a very healthy breakfast: This thick chocolate and fried churros, but who cares, the bikini season is a couple of weeks away from us anyway. It is really getting freaking cold over here in Spain. Need to get away asap. Morocco, where are you? 

FYI, today is a huge day. Yes I lost my precious Blackberry some months back, but I got a hold on a new one, so obviously I had my number and a phone/bbm connection working since then. But today is the day when I decided to cut off the line and go totally mobile free. This will be interesting. I figured that I will need to get rid of a couple of old habits, so better to take them one by one instead of all in a big boom. Phone goes today, and the freedom of using the Internet when I want - will disappear from my hands after we'll leave the Canaries (Spanish wireless dongle will stop working after this). This is by the way the reason to my neurotic use of this blog, lately. Can't you feel I'm desperate to blog... all the time? (The blog will still remain the same though, I can still update it through sat connection)

This phone thing is probably a tiny step for the humanity but sort of a big step for me - and this time I'm doing it totally willingly. Hallelujah!

/Taru

Inspection plates in plexiglass are now designed, cut out and mounted inside of the water tank. Looks amazing and also it feels very good to have cleaned that dirty little place. Still need to repeat the cleaning process a couple of times before it's perfectly fresh. Alex will also shortly start the installation of the second water tank, which will be connected to our new watermaker. We're very excited for the possibility to have enough fresh drinking water for our longer ocean crossings. Not to mention the ability to take fresh showers, every day! /T

Not much action on the sea lately, but this is how it can look like - on one of the most quiet days on water. This video pretty much sums up the feeling and tempo of our life at the moment. Slow and easy, no stress and hurries. Just going with the flow, taking the days as they come, sailing shorter legs, working on some projects here and there and mentally preparing for the big adventure we are having in front of us. Which will be starting for real once all installations are done and we have gotten out of the Mediterranean. /T

The passport has been found! It was in one of the pockets in Alex's jacket. A jacket which he barely wear, but had on for some days ago. For some reason I had given the passport to him to guard after we picked up something from the postal office. So let's partly blame him for this disappearance, no? Thank you all for your help in this drama. I guess John Butler was the one with the nearest solution, so we'll welcome you aboard one day if our paths would ever cross!

We have just arrived to Cambrils by the way. Not very far from Tarragona where we today started, but we've decided to take it slow until we have fixed what has to get fixed. At least we're doing a tiny bit of progress further down South every day, and at the same time we have enough time, each day, to do some work on the boat. We do not want to get stuck in too rough weather or head out on longer passages before a couple of important things are done on the boat. Such as the final work on the teak, the reinstallation of the air generator, the inspection plates for the water tank, the final mounting of the toe rails and the installation of the watermaker. We're taking it easy here in Cambrils tonight, working a couple of hours tomorrow morning and then leaving a bit further down after lunch. There is a mistral expected from tomorrow onwards underneath the Delta del Ebro, so I guess we'll have some time to just stay around on this stretch of coast for more boat projects for the next couple of days. We're not in a hurry and finally we're both starting to feel a bit more harmonic and peaceful - now when we're having all the main stress behind us. There is actually not much things we need to worry about at the moment and there's also no schedules to adjust to. We're just happy if we reach the Caribbean before New Year, that's all. The passport issue solved itself in the end - like most things do in life and we are incredibly happy for that.

Now: a light dinner, some wine and falling asleep to some sweet reggae dub tunes.. Good night y'all. /T

Once again I've made the impossible possible. I have lost my passport! I can swear it is inside of the boat somewhere as we both recall it was on the chart table just some days ago. We've been searching all over the boat, lifted all things out a couple of times and back in again but we just can't seem to find it anywhere. Either it is hidden somewhere where we can't find it, or it has gone out in some of the trash bags? Although the latter sounds like nonsense. Who could possibly be so abstracted? Me? Well... A control freak most of the times, always making sure things are in order and well organized, yet extremely clumsy at the very same time. Figure that contradiction out, someone.

Anyone clairvoyant reading this blog? I am desperate. The one who brings in the best tip leading to a reunion with me and my passport, will be honored with a day of sailing with us, aboard Caos. Now help me please!

It is covered by a black leather case, saying PASSPORT on it, if that is of any help. Ha!
Thanks in advance.

/The mess