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 (Above) Capt. Eric Forsyth and the Fiona
 
Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona departed Barbados on 3 Feb bound for Charlotteville, Tobago. ETA 4 Feb. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona anchored in Carlisle Bay, Bridgetown, Barbados at 11:30 pm, 27 Jan. We will probably stay 4 or 5 days before departing for Tobago. Capt Forsyth Reports-- The Trades conked out on the 25th, in the slatting that followed the mainsail tore. We bent on the spare on the 26th. If there is no sailmaker in Barbados we will repair it ourselves using the old Reade sewing machine. Our ETA is late 27 Jan. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona left Devil Islands on 23 Jan heading for Barbados, ETA 27 Jan. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona anchored at Devil Islands on Saturday and Sunday, 21 and 22 Jan. The penal colony consisted of three islands, of which Royale Is is the largest and the only one with some facilities still remaining. We plan to head for Barbados on 23 Jan, ETA 27 Jan. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona anchored in the Kourou River on on 19 Jan, 2012. We covered the over 1000nm leg from Fortaleza in just over 6 days, including nearly 2 days of the doldrums. On average we got a boost of 45 miles a day from Equatorial Current. Devil's Island was visible on our starboard as we turned into the river. We hope to visit there in a few days. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona entered the northern hemisphere on the morning of 15 Jan, 2012, by crossing the equator at about 42 1/2 deg west. Winds are light and slowly backing to the northeast we traverse the doldrums again. By midnight on the 15th Korou lay 560 nm ahead and the Amazon delta lay 100 nm on the port beam. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona left Fortaleza early on Friday, 13 Jan, 2012. On board are Eric and Marko. We are experiencing strong Trade Winds and good Equatorial Current, which is giving us a boost of 2 knots, our speed over the ground is over 8 knots. Distance to Korou in French Guyana is about 890 nm. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona will leave Fortaleza on Friday, heading for French Guyana.
Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona anchored at Fortaleza late on the 7th, and tied up at the Marine Park Marina on Jan 8. Damian will probably leave the boat here to explore Brazil. Our ETD is 14 Jan, next stop French Guyana. Capt Forsyth Reports-- On 5 Jan Fiona left Fernando de Noronha for Fortaleza. We left a little earlier than planned because of new, prohibitive, anchoring fees. ETA Fortaleza is 8 Jan. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona anchored in St Antonio Bay, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, at 4am (GMT), 4 Jan, 2012. We will probably stay a couple of days before heading for Fortaleza. We enjoyed a great Trade Wind sail from St Peter and Paul Rock. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona crossed the equator at about 2 am (GMT) on 2 Jan, 2012. Father Neptune has yet to put in an appearance. Typical Doldrums weather of squalls and erratic winds stayed with us to about 1 deg 34S where light SE winds will hopefully presage the arrival of the Trade Winds again. Fernando de Noronha lies 175 nm to the SW, ETA is early Wednesday. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona arrived at St Peter and Paul Rock at 1600 hrs (GMT) on 1 Jan, 2012. Conditions were not good for a landing, with a heavy swell running, strong wind and rain. To our surprise there was a fishing boat anchored in the limited lee that was pitching and rolling. We spoke on VHF; it carried scientists. The weather did not seem likely to improve and after the mandatory pics were taken we set a course for Fernando de Noronha, about 340 nm away. Capt Forsyth Reports-- A Happy New Year to all Fiona's Web site fans! We are about 200 nm from St Peter and Paul Rock and our revised ETA is early 2 Jan, 2012. We have been delayed by typical Doldrums weather: squalls and erratic winds. For a while we fought a stiff Equatorial Counter Current, which flowed east. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Early 30 Dec, 2011 Fiona was at 05 46N, 27 18W, about 315 nm from St Peter and Paul Rock. Fairly light winds, NE 12 kt. All well. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Early on 27 Dec., Fiona lies about 670 nm from St Peter and Paul Rock, ETA is 1st Jan. We are making good progress in the NE Trade Winds, noon to noon Dec 24/25 Fiona sailed 162 nm. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona left Mindelo Marina early on 24 December, 2011, heading for St Peter and Paul Rock. This is a small, uninhabited archipelago lying just north of the equator and rarely visited. On board are Marco amd Damien, a young Frenchman who just joined the boat. Jorden signed off and decided to spend Christmas and New Year's in the Cape Verdes. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona arrived Mindelo in the Cape Verdes at 09:00 GMT on 20 Dec, 2011. Just under 6 days from La Gomera to cover 823 nm, thanks to great Trade Winds on the stern. There is a new marina at Mindelo, which beats anchoring off. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona passed latitude 23 1/2 N (Tropic of Cancer) on 16 Dec, and is now in the tropics. Mindello on Soa Vincente Island is about 380 nm distance from our present position of about 21 deg N, 21 deg W. It is cloudy with am air temp of 72 F. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona left La Gomera on 14 Dec bound for the Cape Verde islands. On board were Eric, Marco, a young German carpenter and Jorden, an Israeli woman. ETA is 20 Dec. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona arrived San Sebastian, La Gomera on 7 December. Markus has signed off the crw list and I am trying to nail down two crew for the leg to Tobago via Brazil. I have one definite and two probables so the situation looks hopeful. I hope to leave for the Cape Verde Islands within as couple of days. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona arrived Funchal marina on the afternoon of 30 November. We left Porto Santo a day early because 1 December is a national holiday in Portugal, and it seemed like a good idea to arrive in Funchal when the marina is functioning. If the weather is favorable we will probably leave for the Canaries on Monday. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona tied up at Porto Santo on Tuesday. Next stop Funchal. Also, the North Atlantic newsletter has received its accompanying photos. Capt Forsyth Reports-- Fiona departed Cascais Marina on Friday morning, 25 Nov., 2011. Crew consists of Eric and Markus. Next stop planned is Porto Santo in the Madeira archipelago, ETA Tuesday. Capt Forsyth Reports-- New crew member Markus joined Fiona on Wednesday. We plan to leave for Madeira today. Captain Forsyth is now back aboard Fiona at Cascais marina, slip K08. New crew, Markus and Keke are expected to join the boat sometime soon. Capt. Forsyth's first Newsletter of the 2011/12 North Atlantic Voyage has been posted here. Read about the waters encountered during Fiona's trip from New York to Canada to Iceland to Eire to Scotland, then down to Portugal! We've added links to more videos from former crew member, Drake Roberts. Click the link above to view Drake's "channel" on YouTube. 
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