Friends think my summer plans idyllic...sailing conjures blue skies, fresh breezes, white decks awash with salt spray. My adventure starts with a 36 hour flight from San Francisco to the Azores with stops in Philadelphia, Amsterdam and Lisbon. When I arrive in Horta, at the marina on the island of Faial, my to-do list includes setting up shore power (snaking cable and switching on breakers), filling the propane tank, repairing the refrigerator pump (with marina services help!), and oiling the teak companionway, salt-encrusted from the 2000 nautical mile journey from Bermuda just last week.
Then I begin scouting the local markets and restaurants for Azorean cuisine. Over the next week, I'll cook on a two burner propane stove. Bag the meals with a vacuum sealer and freeze them...after convincing a marina bar or cafe to "lease" me some freezer space. When the crew of 5 arrive over the first two weeks of July, we'll continue to provision the C&C 121, 42-foot Grateful Red, for her voyage to Amsterdam.
Packing has been difficult. Sailing in Key West and the Bahamas means plenty of shorts and T-shirts. This adventure will take us to latitudes similar to Seattle. The boat will need to skirt the edge of weather systems for good wind, so that means lots of layers and especially warm clothes at night. My captain suggested several pairs of thermals and "watch" caps. On GR's last leg, the crew got wet, stayed wet, and expects the same this leg.
