Saturday 31st July 2010 Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:49.33268
Longitude:-8.98737
GPS location Date/Time:07/31/2010 14:16:15 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

He is right around the corner!! Come on Cookie!

Friday 30th July 2010 Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitidude: 48.51221
Longitude: -12.58462
GPS Location Date/Time:07/30/2010 14:04:06 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Thursday 29th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:48.17496
Longitude:-15.92254
GPS location Date/Time:07/29/2010 14:17:30 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?
glId=0eU7hBIn
3zf3pdPunKi3
eP4m0RUyAZreC

Wednesday 28th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:48.08329
Longitude:-19.29789
GPS location Date/Time:07/28/2010 14:21:40 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn
3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Well only a few days left of blogging for this trip! Hmm, I will have to find something else to do with my time now! Rory & Cookie are still flying along!

Tuesday 27th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:47.66364
Longitude:-23.27153
GPS location Date/Time:07/27/2010 14:15:46 BST


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBI
n3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Very brief chat with Rory tonight. He is happy to be marking the miles off. 10 knots of breeze, with full sail up when I spoke to him. And they topped the best run again, so Cookie's best 24hr run is now 185 miles!! He reckons he has about 800 miles to go, so I think early next week he should be arriving back into Lympstone Harbour!!
What a fantastic trip they are having!! I am really very proud of both of them :)

Monday 26th July Position Update

Rory's Spot Latitude:47.14458 Longitude:-27.10954
GPS location
Date/Time:07/26/2010 14:09:08 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?
glId=0eU7hBIn
3zf3pdPunKi3eP4
m0RUyAZreC

Sunday 25th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:46.64534
Longitude:-29.42083
GPS location
Date/Time:07/25/2010 14:30:00 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3z
f3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Rory & Cookie are flying along, looking at the latest update! Way to go guys!

Friday 23rd July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:43.62888
Longitude:-36.80536
GPS location Date/Time:07/23/2010 14:25:33 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp
?glId=0eU7
hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3e
P4m0RUyAZreC


Not much news to report. I did speak to Rory, and he said he is bobbing along nicely, enjoying life in the Tropics. What a difference a month makes! Instead of being bundled up in his drysuit, and fighting his way into wet clothes, he is back to Mother Nature,.......naked. Which makes life aboard a lot easier. it is very hard to move around when you are dressed like the Michelin man!!
Dolphins have finally come back, and he also had an amazing encounter with a pilot whale, who decided to swim right between the sterns of Cookie, and sounded like it was talking to Cookie at the same time!!.
As the weather has been so nice, he is reading lots of books and has finally started writing"his" book!! Up to page 55 so far, so watch this space!!

They have just past the half way mark, so will soon be home. We are also running low on satellite phone credit, so I will not be talking to him again until next Wednesday, so no news until then.

Thursday 22nd July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:42.40186
Longitude:-39.55052
GPS location Date/Time:07/22/2010 14:18:21 BST


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3z
f3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Wednesday 21st July 2010 Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:41.74798
Longitude:-43.06776
GPS location
Date/Time:07/21/2010 14:04:09 BST


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3
zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Tuesday 20th July 2010 Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:41.40828
Longitude:-46.18605
GPS location
Date/Time:07/20/2010 14:29:30
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/view
spots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3e
P4m0RUyAZreC

Had a quick chat with Rory last night and all is well aboard Cookie. He had his best run ever yesterday, 180 miles!! And the GPS recorded 17.1 knots, which Rory says would have been on the peak of a surf, but still impressive for little Cookie!
He has also learnt that when sailing downwind, the seas run over the boat and down the hatches...if you are not paying attention!!! So, only a few drenchings so far this trip :)
Very hot weather at the moment, so easy to dry everything out down below. Also perfect weather for bucket baths, although he did come very close to losing the bucket, as the safety rope slipped through his soapy hands.......he just managed to cling on with his fingernails!
He has perfected the art of bread making in a saucepan, by using foil as a spacer in the bottom of the pan to stop the charcoal burn he was getting, so is very pleased with himself. (He didn't say that, but I could tell that he was delighted to have resolved this problem!!)

Boatwise, she is still in good shape, although the mast light is no longer working, and although Rory managed to haul himself up on a calm day, he couldn't quite reach it. And poor old Manuel, (the monster jib), is suffering with several blown grommets, although I am sure he will reach home.
And so the journey continues.......more news later this week!

Monday 19th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:41.213 Longitude:-49.27428
GPS location
Date/Time:07/19/2010 14:28:11 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?
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3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Sunday 18th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude: 40.78274
Longitude:-53.120.72
GPS location
Date/Time: 18/07/2010
14:19:34 BST


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Saturday 17th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:40.53695

Longitude:-55.99495
GPS location Date/Time:07/17/2010 14:43:42 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Friday 16th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:40.01649
Longitude:-58.82595
GPS location Date/Time:07/16/2010 14:51:26 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=
0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunK
i3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Quick update from Rory this evening to say that all is fine. He drifted out of Newport Harbour last Saturday, with all the other Jesters there, plus Norman Bailey (Commodore of Newport Yacht Club) and George & Mary Beth Pike, who have all been a great help since Rory arrived in Newport.

The first four days were very calm, so no drysuit required, just regular clothing!
Lots of fog whilst sailing through the busy shipping lanes, so the AIS was a life saver again , meaning Rory did manage to get some good sleeping hours in
The weather front he had been waiting for finally came through on Wednesday, with big swells coming up from the south, so back in the drysuit and reefs back in the main. They were zooming along at 10 knots, but then dropped to a steady 6 knots.
Of course, the weather is always changing, and as you can see by the track, winds switched again, so a slower day yesterday.
Rory also saw lots of wildlife in the first few days. Several sharks around the Nantucket Shoals, only about 5ft long and quite skinny was his description.
Three whales, two of which were only about 50ft away from Cookie, and very near to the shipping lanes. Also pilot whales, dolphins & turtles in abundance.

Due to condition being slightly easier heading this way, I am only talking to Rory
once or twice a week, so my next update from him should be on Monday evening!
That's all for now folks!

Thursday 15th July

Rory's Spot
Latitude:40.91074
Longitude:-60.9977
GPS location Date/Time:07/15/2010 14:23:18 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=
0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Wednesday 14th July Position Update

Nav Station aboard Cookie
(Photo by Rory McDougall)


Rory's Spot
Latitude:41.03495
Longitude:-64.68441
GPS location Date/Time:07/14/2010 14:18:02 BST


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=
0eU7hBIn3zf3pd
PunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Tuesday 13th July Position Update

Photo: Cookie heading to Newport (R McDougall)


Rory's Spot
Latitude:41.02206
Longitude:-67.39726
GPS location Date/Time:07/13/2010 15:25:56 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=
0eU7hBIn3zf3pd
PunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC


Should be talking to Rory tomorrow night, so will have a more detailed update about how the return voyage is going!

Monday 12th July Position Update

Rory's Spot
Latitude:40.54196
Longitude:-69.06708
GPS location Date/Time:07/12/2010 14:27:14 BST


http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?
glId=0eU7hBIn3zf3pd
PunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC

Sunday 11th July 2010 - Latest Position

Well having had a two week break, I guess it is time to start posting again :) Rory set sail from Newport yesterday, and is heading back home to the UK. I will post his position update daily, and will get an verbal update from him every three days. Should be a lot less dramatic heading this way!!

Rory's Spot
Latitude:40.86936
Longitude:-70.14464
GPS location Date/Time:07/11/2010 14:30:01 BST

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0eU7hBIn3zf3pdPunKi3eP4m0RUyAZreC


Picture above is of Cookie docked at Newport Yacht Club........yes, she really is that small!

Farewell to Newport

After 2 weeks of fabulous rest and a little time away from Cookie, we are all set to depart the Newport Yacht Club at 9am this morning, Sat 10th July. I have 5 gallons more water aboard so shouldn't have to be collecting off the sails this time ........I hope! Cookie has a new mainsheet and I sorted out the jib halyard so it doesn't chafe any more. The bows are better sealed now with a whole lot less bailing out especially as we wont be slicing into the waves as much. I'm looking forward to some good downwind surfing for a change! This trip may well be the last ocean crossing I do in Cookie (where have I heard that before!!!!), so it's a good time to reflect on all the years of adventure that we've shared. I have lots of pens and notepads to jot down details for the book!!

Newport has been a wonderful and friendly host to us, especially the Newport Yacht Club. Norm Bailey & Dianne Stewart and George & Mary-Beth Pike have been so warm and welcoming to us weary Jester sailors and have gone above and beyond to assist us in any way they can. A HUGE thanks to the Newport Yacht Club from Team Cookie!! Michelle joined me for a week and we spent lots of time exploring the town, walking the Cliff Walk and catching up with our good friends Frank & Meredith who kindly let us have a comfortable cabin aboard their 47ft cat. I miss my kids like crazy, so it's time to be winging our way eastwards.

I'm so glad that I got to see 5 other Jester Sailors come in these past 2 weeks. It is a close comraderie we share and it's fascinating to swap stories and details of our struggles to reach Newport. Good luck to the boats out there still climbing uphill to reach their goal! You can do it!

Many, many thanks to all folks who have generously donated to the Francis Chichester Trust. It was a dream of mine to raise a good sum for a charity years ago when I sailed round the world, but it just didn't come together. Now the dream has come true, and with your help some struggling kids will get the chance to receive some amazing motivation through the Outward Bound programme.

I still have the satphone aboard and so on the return voyage will be calling Michelle every 3-4 days to give updates. So stay tuned as the adventure isn't over yet!!!!