The ARC opening ceremony/parade and the boats dressed in Las Palmas.
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The ARC opening parade.
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It's fun watching others go OTT.
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The British contingent, where we should have been!!
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This is a friend from St Lucia (Eric) holding their flag.
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Raising the flags for all the countries involved.
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Pinball dressed with our flags.
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The colorful fleet
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David doing some last minute repairs
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Queen Mary II on her maiden voyage leaving Las Palmas
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Washing and loading the fresh fruit.
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Drying out the fruit on deck.
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The fruit storage baskets in the focstle.
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Stowing the fruit below
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The Pinball team ready for the off - in our Pinball ARC shirts.
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All relaxed and ready for the off.
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The Bardeau crew dressed in dinner jackets!!!
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Pinball heading out.
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The fleet getting ready to cross the start line!
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The Atlantic
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The fleet is off and running.
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Pinballs twin head sails - Cruising Chute (Denis) and Genoa
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3 of the flying fish which came aboard and seemed to have an attraction to Susan.
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Day 5 and still smiling!
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The mizzen staysail - very silky and sexy!!
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The seas are building up!
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You could go blind looking at that compass!
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An ocean sailor at work - did we ever get a fix from him??
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Susan modelling the ARC teeshirts.
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Susan trying to hide from the sun - is she really paying proper attention to helming?
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Ready to pass some Barracuda to us.
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An atmospheric sunrise.
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Our first Atlantic fish - a Bonito Andy thinks. Note the stylish cut-down short.
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Bonito steaks!!
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Note Andy's feet - that is why he is looking cool and happy.
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Andy drying out after a rain storm - I think he forgot his razor.
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A skippers work is never done - heading right inside the locker to fix the pushpit.
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Lovely sunrise on 10th Dec.
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Just as good sunset on same day.
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Andy's turn for Dinner
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The Dorado is almost 'in the bag'
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It's a big one, and vicious looking - guess which crew member's foot this is - Andy denies it!!
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A proud fisherman with his biggest ever catch - so far!
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Great Dorado steaks!!
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Dolphins at play.
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A mid ocean rainbow.
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A celebration for only 500 miles to go!
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A relaxed happy skipper.
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Even Susan had one of her few beers!
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Sighting land.
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Andy coping with helming and dinner.
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Cleaning the boat ready for the finish line.
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A Squall ahead.
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What steer 270deg for yet another day?
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Excitement at seeing another boat - see red dot.
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Sighting land (St Lucia)
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Looking forward to the rum punches!!
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Susan with her back to land - maybe she didn't want the trip to finish?
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Susan at the helm - she now has a very strong left arm - from wearing that watch - yes it is as heavy as it looks!!
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Note the mizzen staysail.
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We're nearly there.
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The finish and Rodney Bay
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Beating into the wind to the finish line.
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How do we tack again??
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There is the finishing line buoy, no that's a mooring, oh well lets head for the committee boat!!
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We're almost there, cold beer, showers, rum punches, cold beer!!!!
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Andy - What's the wind doing now?
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This better be the last tack!!
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Ok we're over the line.
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The beach and Spinnaker bar in Rodney bay.
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Entering the harbour - we get a cheer from the bar!
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The marina.
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Pinball safely berthed.
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You can see it would be easy to walk off the end of the pontoon finger - I'm sure Susan wasn't the first!!!!!!
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Guadaloupe to Antigua
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Pinball in Guadaloupe.
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Another rainbow, well that is why it is so green.
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Pinball still looking good after the trip.
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Leaving Guadaloupe behind.
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Eric's happy face (thanks Andy), Eric is the Aquagenerator and he charges up the batteries!!
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Passing Monsarrat
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The sun seems to be setting straight into the volcano on Monsarrat!!
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