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This Atlantic crossing is a once in a lifetime adventure for me.  My 3 friends and I are keen sailors but have never attempted anything like this before.  We are starting from the Cape Verde islands on the 9th November and finishing in Barbados around the 30th November.  It also seems an ideal opportunity to raise money for Wellspring Counselling based in North Somerset.  My wife, Heather, has worked for Wellspring for the past 6 years and I therefore hear what a fantastic job they do, offering affordable counselling for all.

When I have talked to people about the
trip, there have been a number of FAQs and I thought it might be useful to
list some of them;

Have you done anything like this before?

No, not exactly like this – but I have been sailing
since I was 8 years old and have over 5,000 miles in my log book. The longest
trip previously was 650 miles from Cowes to the South West of Ireland and back to Plymouth in the Fastnet Race, about
10 years ago.

 How many of you will be on the boat?

 Four of us. We all have a similar amount of sailing
experience and I have been sailing with 2 of them many times.

 What happens if there is a problem?

 We should be able to deal with most things. The boat
is fitted with all the necessary safety gear and we have a Satphone for
contacting the outside world.  Additionally, we are part of a rally with
44 other boats, all setting off at the same time, and they will be able to pick
up any messages on the standard VHF radio.

 Isn’t the weather going to be dodgy – Haiti has just been devastated by
Hurricane Matthew?

 The hurricane season should be over by the time we
approach the Caribbean.  This is the time of year that charter yachts
traditionally cross from the Mediterranean at the end of the summer season -
for the Caribbean season.

 How  long will it take?

 Usual lawyer’s answer – it depends. We should pick up
the Trade Winds from Cape Verde and carry them right across – but that isn’t
guaranteed. The best estimate is 14-20 days. We
are hoping to average 7 knots (7 nautical miles per hour) and it is about 2,000
miles. Our progress will be tracked and you can see our position (the boat’s
name is Gloria of Southampton) on

http://cornellsailing.com/sail-the-odyssey/barbados-50/tracking-map/