A 3 week voyage

During our stay in Lunenburg, we prepared for the passage to Spain, a voyage of three weeks. The final jobs on board were completed, and Sjoerd restocked all the fridges and freezers with provisions. Alongside all the preparations for the ocean crossing, there was also time to explore Lunenburg. Founded in 1753, Lunenburg is one of the first places in Nova Scotia where the British settled and one of the best-preserved examples of Britain’s colonial heritage. In 1995, Lunenburg was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Yesterday morning, we set sail and began our 2,500-nautical-mile passage to Spain. We hoisted the first sails while still in the harbour and sailed out under canvas. Before long, every sail was set. As we left Lunenburg Bay, the Bluenose II came towards us. One final exchange of waves and blasts on the ship’s whistle, and then we set our course for the open Atlantic.

The first two days of our voyage have been perfect sailing days. Under a full spread of sail, including the main gaff topsail and the mizzen gaff topsail, we have been making speeds of up to 8 knots. The forecast tells us to make the most of this wind today, as it is expected to die away during the coming night. We are likely to experience around two days of calm conditions. The forecast also shows a large area of westerly winds moving in afterwards, which would be ideal, carrying us a long way towards Spain.