Last week I flew out to Bermuda via a delayed stop over in Miami we got in just before the 10pm airport curfew. I have never flown into Bermuda before having always sailed in. The immigration hall has a faux fireplace with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth over the top. A bunch of sailors were on my flight so we all piled into a cab to RBYC and I walked around in the dark looking for the boat Conspiracy to drop off my kit. I found Lively Lady the boat my little brother raced over on and all my friends were on so took a nap on the bunk while waiting for the guys to get back from dinner. Had a good time catching up with all the crew – same guys as NB 2006.

Woke up with a headache not feeling great on Friday morning having slept only a little and seeing as they didn’t need me for racing on Conspiracy I crept off to Lively Lady to find a quite place to finish off sleeping! Unusual for me but I needed it. I woke up Myles (my little brother) and forced him to come to the beach with me on the bus. We went up to the Coral Beach Club to visit the Hubbards and made it in time for the 4pm English style tea. I had to help out with provisioning the boat so after tea went to the store – everything is super expensive in Bermuda as it all has to be imported. Then back to the Coral Beach Club for dinner with the Hubbards.

We left Saturday mid morning and wind started building sunday night pretty consistent 30’s on a reach stayed on rhumb line the whole way. Two reefs in main and jib out. Had one squall come through with gust to 39 knots. Rain for 36 hours on and off – hard – stinging the eyes! We had 4 boat captains onboard so it was fine. We had the liferaft out ready to go as the boat was flexing a lot and making interesting noises.

‘Securite, Securite, Securite
All Stations, All Stations, All Stations
This is sailing vessel Conspiracy, the sailing vessel Conspiracy, the sailing vessel Conspiracy
We are in dense fog our position is fourty one degrees, one six minutes decimal four four north, seven one degrees, two one minutes decimal five seven west
I say again all before
We are in dense fog our position is is fourty one degrees, one six minutes decimal four four north, seven one degrees, two one minutes decimal five seven west
We are bound for Newport Rhode Island on a heading of 345 degrees true.
Conspiracy standing by on channel one six Conspiracy out’

We were in fog from 7am on Tuesday morning till we past the mother in law house in Newport. We cleared customs, tied up at NEB, unloaded the boat and gave it a quick hose out. Dinner in town – thanks to the owner – then a warm dry stable bed.

There was quite a few incidents with boats on the delivery trip home see the below links with three rescues required off J120, J44 and a J122.

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=74960
http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=317911

The beginning and the end.