Pre-departure Blog by Honest Cosmo (James)

So, this is it. It's real and it's too late to back out. Is it?

On Friday November 7th, Adam and I met at Gatwick airport to get this show on the road, sans jobs and with no unread emails for the first time in about 10 years; a rather calming sensation. After checking in and a Nando's breakfast (Ad's made me do it!) we boarded our plane with a bag full of booze (thanks Mitch) and the knowledge that we wouldn't be returning to these shores anytime soon.

A stress free flight followed and on arrival in Gran Canaria we made our way to Las Palmas marina where Rafiki was waiting, together with Damo, Clodagh and Pete, now sporting a 'trendy' haircut which made him look like he'd just signed for West Ham United. Or Spandua Ballet. It's much of a muchness.

Rafiki was in good shape with some minor repairs having taken place and other elements listed as requiring work prior to setting off. The marina had filled up since we last saw it with boats aplenty taking part in the ARC and ARC+ (via the Cape Verdes). I looked at some of the other boats wondering what all the little bits did and nodding along as Damo talked about this halyard and that spinnaker...... Thankfully, as part of the ARC crossing, a number of seminars were planned for the coming two weeks in which I was sure I'd learn how to sail around the globe singlehanded..

The next few days were filled with errands, drinking far too many G&Ts and welcoming Damo and Adam's folks to Rafiki as they'd come to see them off before the start of their big adventure.

The following week, Pete's parents came for more of the same (eating drinking, goodbyes). A suprise visit was from one of Pete's former Clients and his wife (Herman and Mia) who travelled from the Netherlands to take a look at Rafiki and see us off. We also welcomed the final members of the Rafiki ARC crew. Andrew Holland arrived on the Middle Saturday, fresh from finishing his latest ebook masterpeice: "Everything ever you wanted to know about Ebola but were afraid to ask". We're all hoping it will sell as well as one of his best known titles "Keep your hair on - how to stop going bald".

Our final addition, Nacho, had been working with the ARC rigger and teaching dinghy sailing in Las Palmas while looking for a crossing to Antigua to pick up work in the Caribbean. He came highly recommended from our former crew member Miguel and over a few beers and a bit of food we were pleased when he accepted our invitation to join the crew. Nacho has a smashing collection of trendy hats, is an expert on lesser known cartoon characters and drinks around 3 litres of chocolate milk per day.

Soon enough the seminars started and were a great tool to relearn everything I'd forgotten about sailing as well as learning what could go wrong and how to prevent or repair it. As usual, my main role would be galley slave i.e. preparing and cooking meals and the ARC provisioning seminar was a real eye opener into what a crew of 6 is likely to go through on an Atlantic crossing.

Some highlights include: 40kg meat

567 litres of water

25kg rice/pasta

30 litres of milk

5 pyramids of ferrero roche

168 eggs

3km of toilet paper

1 disco ball

1 serrano ham complete with stand

1 Mulled wine spice kit

1 Christmas pudding

After the final jobs had been finished, the necessary ARC paperwork completed and the final goodbyes, we were ready to go......