Madeira to Caribbean - Day 19 - Arrival

The day was covered in clouds, which we didn't mind because they provided heat relief from the sun, that were often filled with rain so it was a while before someone was able to shout "land ho". Then, as always, the remaining 20nm were the longest. We arrived in Marigot Bay at 1800 hours, 6-hours into our 19th day, as the sun was setting and just in time to drop anchor before dark. With Immigration closing, we opted to have dinner before we pumped up the dinghy to head for shore and request off-hour formalities. We celebrated our crossing with a glass of Portuguese vinho tinto and ate another pasta supper. Shortly after, my crew mates were snoring. In fairness to them, it was past their bedtime as they regularly went to bed at 8pm each night as I started by 4-hour night watch.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Portugal (agricultural bounty), Barry's Irish Tea, chocolate and cookie/biscuit companies too numerous to mention, Marks & Spenser, Petzel (headlamps), Apple (iPod), and Olay (moisturizer & face wipes), who did not contribute product or money, but without their products my days at sea would have been looong and certainly less enjoyable. Oh yeah, and I should also thank Coca Cola for Diet Coke, which consumed in vast quantities kept my captain cooler and relatively sane during an "eternity of sailing downwind", according to him.

Logged 3068nm (rhumb line 2860nm) in 18-days and 10-hours. (Includes time zone changes.)

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