Fizz ARC Europe, the final blog

ARC Europe Final round-up

 

This is the final blog for this transatlantic crossing, and the crossing has lived up to the reputation of being much tougher than the westbound crossing. Our final day at sea for me was relief at arriving safely at our destination, mixed with a sense of realisation that this big adventure was drawing to a close. But without a doubt the highlight of the day was the sight of Pam, Anne and Maureen coming towards us in a launch while we were still 3 miles from the finish. Pam had managed to negotiate with a local Lagos boatman to take them out to meet us offshore. We were roaring along on a port tack at 8 knots heading for the final turn in to Lagos when this launch appeared. We managed to get the girls on board while still under full sail, and completed the final leg of this memorable trip with them on board, a fantastic experience. The champagne corks started popping as we motored in to the reception pontoon at Lagos Marina, with Rule Britannia and Jerusalem playing on the boats’ speakers, a memorable and emotional ending to a remarkable adventure.

Without a doubt this transAtlantic run from St Augustine in Florida to Lagos in Portugal has been everything I expected, and a whole lot more. We have had the full range of weather, from windless days, thankfully few, to full-on gales, 5 consecutive days of these on the Bermuda to Azores leg, plus 40 kt gusts and very rough seas on the final leg to Lagos. Fizz is a remarkable boat, and has handled whatever has been thrown at her without pausing for a single second. She has sustained remarkably little damage, given the heavy weather she has had to endure, in fact the only damage has been to the breadmaker, hardly a vital piece of equipment. Talking to the other boats as they came in to Lagos , almost all of them have sustained a list of equipment failure and structural damage. Fizz is truly an amazing boat, built to cross oceans, and does so with style.

The runs ashore in Bermuda and the Azores have been a lot of fun, from the Heaven’s Angels scooter boys riding out in Bermuda , to the stunning volcanic landscapes of the Azores, not to mention the boozy nights  in various bars in St George, Horta, and Ponta Delgada with our fellow crewmates on the other boats. We will all take away our own memories as we disperse back to our regular routines and lifestyles, or carry on searching for the next big sailing adventure.  And so to the crew.  Peter and Alec have added a few words of their own:

Alec’s Blog

Forty days after we stepped onto Fizz in the St Augustine Municipal Marina in Florida we stepped off again at the Lagos Marina Portugal. The last leg from Porto Delgada in the Azores was somewhat tougher than expected and in the last forty-eight hours before arriving at Lagos there were things flying around the forward and aft cabins that never moved in the severe gales of the Azores approach.

However we had achieved our goal, we had sailed across the Atlantic and I must thank Chris for giving me this opportunity.  The Willis boys, both Chris and Stu, were great sailors to cross the Atlantic with and it is no surprise to me that Stuart is now a qualified yachtmaster.  They work

so well as a team and this was most noticeable at the start of the Bermudan Azores leg as we sailed with the rest of the ARC fleet out through the very narrow cut into the Atlantic.  Stuart was at the bow shouting advice to dad on the wheel as we overtook a lot of smaller craft in this narrow passage.  They are indeed a great team and I am sure Chris missed

Stuart a lot in the last leg.

Then there was Peter. What can I say?  Peter is someone who likes to keep busy

and would (unlike Chris and I) only resort to Sudoku as a last resort.   In addition to his watch keeping duties, he was cook (it was almost sacrilege to suggest that we heated up a

precooked freezer meal or that someone else should have a go at cooking), cleaner, boat decorator (not always only Fizz) and above all entertainer.  His repertoire of jokes and rugby songs appears to be endless and, of course, not all of them are suitable for mixed company.

On the last leg Garry replaced Stuart and slotted into the team as if he had been on the whole trip.  Garry had crewed from La Rochelle to Rio on the Clipper yacht Californian and said he had to use his wet weather gear more on the Azores Lagos trip than he did on the whole of the Rio trip.

The final member of the team was Pam, who although not on board sailing was always available on the phone.  On the journey across we found a third level of distress call.  Fortunately we did not have to make a Mayday or a Pan Pan call but there were several Pam Pam ones.

In summary I have had the privilege of crossing the Atlantic in a great boat with a great bunch of guys with a superb back up team at home.   Thanks for the memories they will stay with me into my old age (unlike the ones from the great party we had in Lagos on the night we arrived).

 

 

Peter’s Blog

Final Blog;

Back home in England having just finished a very nice Indian take away of chicken Dansak getting back to life on non rocking land.

As a final round up, I could fill pages but Capt Chris allows us only a couple of paragraphs, so here goes…..2 achievements;

Crossing the Atlantic under sail – a life long ambition; the full experience.

Catching my biggest fish ever – 7ft long Atlantic blue marlin

When people learnt of my trip, many said that I was either mad or brave. To both I said I was neither and all I asked for was the “Grace of God and a following wind “

We definitely had both in ample portions. 5 continuous days of gales following us, made for good boat speeds and testing of us as a team. The unfortunate loss of the fellow yacht Setantti with the safe rescue of its 4 man crew reminded me of our total vulnerability in the ocean. However well prepared we were, we needed good fortune.

So to close I would like to express much thanks to the following;

Capt Chris, for the offer to join Fizz for the crossing and for his faith in me.

My brothers in arms; Stuart, Alex and for the final leg Gary – a great crew.

S/Y Fizz of Cowes; home for the last 7 weeks. 53ft of pure quality and class, built for ocean cruising and loved every minute of it.

My work colleagues who have covered for me seamlessly – bit worrying that I wasn’t missed.

Finally; my wife and family for their support in giving me the opportunity to realise my “I wish I had done” – bloody fantastic

 

Ahoy there, all good things sadly must come to an end,

Snuffer Sull

 

And finally, a few words from me. Stu was our sail trimmer and foredeck crew and we relied heavily on his experience in setting the sails. He was great company, both at sea and ashore, and played a pivotal role on Fizz. We missed him when he left us in Horta to fly home to do his yachtmaster’s practical and exam, and I was over the moon and immensely proud to hear subsequently that he passed his yachtmasters with flying colours.  Gary joined us in Ponta Delgada for the final leg to Lagos, and fitted in very well straight off. Within 24 hours, he was standing his own night watch and getting involved as if he had been on the boat all the way across.  Alec and I have worked together at Fairplay for 20 years and have got to know each other pretty well. One thing I know about Alec is once he sets his mind on a task, he sees it through. So when he agreed to come out to do the ARC Europe on Fizz, I had no doubt he would be up for the challenge. He has got involved with every part of the boat, even turning his hand to bread-making, and has been great company. Peter, Sull,  Chef Pierre  or Snuffer Sull as he now likes to be known, set out to get as much from this trip as he could, and without a shadow of a doubt, he has achieved that. When he joined Fizz almost 4 weeks ago, the banter bus pulled out into the fast lane, and it hasn’t stopped rolling since. He has been great company with his repertoire of stories and jokes, not to mention his vocal skills (well actually they were pretty bad) and he has been up for every challenge that has come our way. As he himself said, if the weather had not been as bad as it was, it would have lessened the whole experience. As for his culinary skills, well, it’s been a revelation. I certainly had no idea we would have our own Gordon Ramsey on board. The 2 most important elements that affect crew morale on a long trip are food and humour, and Peter has contributed to both in large measure.  

I would sail anywhere with these guys.

Pam, as ever, has been hugely supportive throughout this adventure, and without her organisational skills and meticulous planning, none of this would have happened. She sailed with us throughout the Caribbean leg, from St Lucia to St Augustine, regularly doing night watches on the overnight legs. Even though she wasn’t with us on the transatlantic run, I felt she was with us every step of the way. And seeing her with Anne and Maureen approaching us in the launch on the final run into Lagos was a fantastic sight.

So that’s it from me. Many thanks to all those who have been following our adventures with their messages of support. Fizz is due a rest for a few months here in Lagos, while I get my feet under the table at Bluewater Algarve, and then Pam and I plan to continue our adventures on Fizz next year in the Mediterranean.

Watch this space.

Chris

Fizz of Cowes

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