Over the months we have been following two Barton customers John and Alex, who are embarking on an adventurous trip into the Atlantic Ocean aboard their Halberg Rassy Ketch, ‘Free Spirit’. The pair is currently journeying to the Canaries en-route to the Cape Verde Islands and here are some of the highlights from their diary of the latest leg of their trip:

“Only a day sail away to Marina Rubicon on the south-east side of Lanzarote and as there was very little wind we decided to stay overnight in the anchorage at Naos. The anchorage is protected from all wind direction and enclosed so a very safe place to be, unfortunately it is next to the commercial harbour so no swimming off the boat…”

“On to Marina Rubicon. A really nice marina with all the facilities for a holiday. Lots of restaurants, designer clothes shops and a swimming pool. Time to catch up on some of those ‘jobs’, the autopilot – not working, the water-maker – not working, the dinghy - leaking! To mention a few!”

“After being in the marina for almost one month, we were definitely ready to move on. We spent a couple of nights anchored off Papagayo beach. Doing the things we cruisers like to do when not fixing the boat! It has been said ‘that to sail around the world is to take your boat to exotic places to fix it’ we are beginning to believe this is true!”

“On then to Gran Canaria just a night sail away… … arrived as intended to see the 25th ARC Rally leave Las Palmas. 250 yachts heading for the Caribbean, many flying either spinnakers or cruising chutes was quite a display.”

“The trade winds have not settled in yet and as we are waiting for northerly winds to blow to allow us to explore Tenerife and La Gomera before heading south to Cape Verde… …Many of the ARC boats have had to make an unplanned stop at Cape Verde to refuel as they have had little wind and in the wrong direction! That’s sailing for you!”