sy Timoneer

Noon Position  25deg 55N 54deg  36W

Course  – 085 Degrees   Speed – 10.5   Knots        Day’s Run – 229  Miles (23 Hrs)

Weather –   Cloudy with 6-10′ (2-3m) swells from N

Wind  – 18 knots from 045 degrees

It has been a rolly night with very little wind. This morning the wind picked up on the nose so we have altered course and are now using some of that wind to help push us along. When the wind runs out again tomorrow we will head more north again and go looking for some wind.

We have been fishing but with no luck so far.

JC

Noon Position  deg N deg  W

Course  – 045 Degrees   Speed –  10.5  Knots        Day’s Run –  246 Miles

Weather –   Cloudy with 6′ (2m) swells from E

Wind  – 14 kts from 195 degrees

After a lot of hours of head scratching the satellite internet provider finally got our internet up and running again. Hopefully we will not have any more problems with that.

Our sailing continued yesterday until 10pm last night when we started the engine as the wind died. We have been motoring through the night with the mizzen and staysail to try and slow down the roll from the swell being on the beam. After sunrise the wind strengthened enough to keep the main and genoa full which has made our ride much less rolly. We have had the fishing lines out all morning but no luck yet. There has also been a lot of rain showers passing by. So far only one has given us a good rinse down.

We will put our clocks forward 1 hour today, 1 step closer to Europe.

JC

Noon Position  20deg 42N 60deg  54W

Course  – 040 Degrees   Speed –  11.5  Knots        Day’s Run – 205  Miles

Weather –   6-10′ (2-3m) swells from E. Partly cloudy

Wind  – 17kts from 115 degrees

After 22 hours in Sint Maarten Wayne had completed the required repairs and we headed off on a sea trial. We stopped in the lee of Anguilla. Satisfied with the repair we put the main sail up with 1 reef and the staysail and headed out through the reefs to the Atlantic ocean and turned the engine off. We have had a bumpy sail through the night but maintained good speed most of the time. We have 3075 nm to sail to the Strait of Gibraltar which should take us around 12 days if we maintain 10 knots of speed.

We have been having issues with the internet so please don’t be alarmed if you do not receive a report.

JC

Noon Position  17deg 26N 62deg 55 W

Course  – 353 Degrees   Speed – 11.5   Knots        Day’s Run – 235  Miles

Weather –  Sunny with 3-6′ swells (1-2m)

Wind  – 14 kts ENE

We left St Lucia yesterday around 1pm local time after morning sea trials to confirm that we were in fact losing oil to the variable pitch prop. We managed to locate spare parts in Sint Maarten. Due to this problem we have been sailing through the night in great conditions reaching speeds in excess of 14 knots and unfortunately as slow as 4 kts in the wind shadow of some of the islands. We are due to arrive in St Maarten around 4pm. Not bad for a 270 mile trip and no engine.

We are hopeful that not too many modifications will be required to fit the new part and we will be underway again tomorrow heading for Gibraltar.

JC

The Millers and Glovers arrived at Timoneer off Vieux Fort, the southern end of St Lucia. We then headed North to the  spectacular Pitons but the gusty conditions prevented us from having a safe anchorage and we motored to the north of Petit Piton and picked up a mooring for the night. In the morning we headed off for Bequia having a great sail with full main and genoa until we reached the lee of St Vincent where we took advantage of the flat conditions and had lunch while enjoying the beautiful coastal scenery. We also caught a King Mackerel. On reaching Bequia the guests went to see the Old Hegg Turtle sanctuary.

After a snorkel at Devil’s Table reef we sailed to Mustique via the Moon Holes community. This is a collection of houses built out of rock blending in with the surroundings. The guests spent time ashore in Mustique visiting friends.

The next afternoon we motor sailed to Petit St Vincent (PSV) and dropped anchor just before sunset. After a walk on the beach in the morning we went to Windward anchorage on Mayreau. After lunch the guests snorkeled the reefs between here and the rest of the Tobago Cays while Timoneer motored around and anchored off Petit Rameau. The guest then went and snorkeled with the turtles in the protected area off Baradel Island.

In the morning the guests went on a dive and snorkeling trip to Petit Tabac. After a late lunch we motored to Canouan but could not find a suitable anchorage and headed back to Petit Rameau.

The next morning the guests did a snorkel over the wreck of the Puruni off Saline bay, Mayreau and then we had a great sail back to Bequia. After lunch we motored around to Friendship bay before turning around and heading back to Admiralty Bay for the night.

In the morning we motored to Mustique for a swim party and lunch for 24 guests followed by a nice sail to Bequia and back. That evening the guests went out for dinner at the Cotton Club and shouted the crew out for a fantastic evening at Firefly restaurant.

Some went walking on Mustique in the morning and then went to the beach to catch up with the others. After lunch we headed to Bequia to clear out ready for an early departure for St Lucia the next morning. We left at 7am. On reaching the northern end of St Vincent we set the main sail and burst a hydraulic line on the furler in the process. This was not a problem until we needed to take the sail down. We had a great sail to St Lucia reaching speeds over 14 kts. We went on the dock at Marigot Bay marina. The guests went for a snorkel on a wreck at Anse Cochon but could not see much and came back for a swim in the pool at the marina. The next day they departed Timoneer for a scenic 1 hour drive to the airport.

Timoneer is now in Rodney Bay Marina preparing to depart tomorrow to cross the Atlantic on our way to Mallorca, Spain.

“JC” John Cornish

A superb celebration to mark the end of an era…Mrs. Gosnell very generously hosted a surprise party in Antigua for Phil and Anne to celebrate the 21 years of sailing and cruising that the Gosnell family and Timoneer have spent together.   Many friends of the Gosnell’s who have sailed with us over the years travelled to Antigua,  together with crew and race crew, past and present, for an evening of fun and friendships, tinged with nostalgia and just a little sadness.  The dress for the evening was Loud Caribbean shirts, and the venue was The Admirals Inn, Nelsons Dockyard, Antigua…a unique and very special setting. The evening started with a presentation by Mrs. Gosnell  of a Royal Navy style shirt with epaulettes (as worn on large powerboats)  to Phil …something she has been  jokingly threatening him with for years, printed with Admiral on the back to denote his new status!   The guests, all dressed in yellow t-shirts performed a “variety act” with a poem/song written by Nancy Lee, and hilariously rehearsed earlier in the day over lunch at the Admirals Inn.

Kelly Riley, ex stewardess, delivered a poem written by Bevan, a deckhand of long standing aboard Timoneer and now Mate/Captain of a large sailing boat.  Sadly he was on charter and unable to be there himself, but Kelly made a grand rendition on his behalf.  There were many tributes and speeches from ex crew and friends, and Jeff Robinson, ex Engineer, was an enthusiastic MC.     Rick Tomlinson, yachting photographer and friend, delved into his archives and contacted many friends to unearth photos covering the span of Phil’s career.  These were compiled into a slideshow, and below are a selection of photos that he took at the party and during the Superyacht Regatta that followed.  We dined on juicy spit roasted suckling pig and the rum punch flowed.   Later there was dancing to an excellent local band “Itchy Feet”.    A memorable time was had by all, and we went on to superb and exciting sailing for three days of the Antigua Superyacht Challenge.

Phil and Anne will still continue their association with Mrs. Gosnell and Timoneer but in a lesser capacity, and she will sail on with Captain JC and her crew with cuisine, as always, by Chef Penny Bell.

Noon Position  17deg 00N 61deg  46W

Course  –  Degrees   Speed –    Knots        Day’s Run –  137 Miles

Weather –   Fine and warm

Wind  – 20 knots from E

Last night we had a great sail with 1 reef in the main and the genoa, maintaining speeds between 12-13 knots. We arrived in 5 Islands Harbour around 10pm . After a great sleep we motored around to English Harbour this morning. We are now tied up in Nelsons Dockyard.

JC

Noon Position  18deg 59N 62deg  31W

Course  – 163 Degrees   Speed –  12  Knots        Day’s Run –  285 Miles

Weather –   Overcast with 7′ (2m) swells on the beam

Wind  – 18 knots from ENE

We have continued to make good progress motor sailing. This morning at first light we shook the reef out of the main sail and unfurled the genoa and had 3 hours of great sailing reaching speeds up to 13.7 knots before the wind swung forward and we had to reduce sail and continue motor sailing. We have had a couple of visits by dolphins this morning but they did not stay around for long. Everyone is looking forward to arriving in Antigua and having a good nights sleep and Penny is looking forward to being able to stand upright in her galley.

We are due to arrive at 5 Islands Harbour around 10 pm tonight where we plan to drop the anchor for the night and then head around to English Harbour in daylight tomorrow.

JC

Noon Position  23deg 05N 64deg  51W

Course  – 135 Degrees   Speed –   12 Knots        Day’s Run –  289 Miles

Weather –   Sunny with 7-10′ (2-3m) swells from E

Wind  – 17 knots from E

The wind has continued to turn as we have turned, so we are still motor sailing with the wind close on the nose. We have been making good speed though as we splash our way South. The swells have kept the trip bumpy with plenty of water over the decks. We have not attempted to fish due to the speed we are doing.

At 10am today we crossed Latitude 23 degrees 26 minutes, the Tropic of Cancer. We are officially back in the tropics! To welcome us back we saw our first bird for a few days, a Tropic bird.

JC

Noon Position  26deg 11N 68deg  51W

Course  – 141 Degrees   Speed –  12  Knots        Day’s Run –   259 Miles

Weather –  Partly cloudy with 7′ (2m) swells from E

Wind  – 13 knots from ENE

No luck with fishing yesterday and today we are going too fast to keep the lures in the water. The light winds continued until just before sunrise today. We have now left the center of the big high pressure system we have been in since leaving Charleston and are now heading south in to the trade winds. The wind is still too close on the nose to sail so we are motor sailing with full main and the staysail. Hopefully that will change as the day goes on and we may be able to turn the engine off.

JC