Wednesday 23rd Position 23:57N 024:57.6W
Mariposa Blanca Move
Skip- Andy Petty. Owner hard at work in office!
Wed 23 Jan 2013 19:21
Log 3239
Noon to noon 134nm
GPS to go 2235nm
Shorter blog today- sorry. Thanks for many messages of support from various and welcomed sources.
Dry here today and even sunny but chilly NE wind still so thermals are still being worn!! Wind remains strong NE gusting to 38 knots at times.
We gybed to head southwest yesterday and maintained this until 1800 when we gybed back to head more west. THis a tactical deicison to put the galley on the lee side during Mike's supper preps and to try and avoid some even stronger winds south of us for the next 48 hrs. Also the GRIB files indicate a wind veer on Friday so if we gybe back SW on that, we should make more westing than we have been able to today.
Max speed today by GPS (momentarily) was 11 knots but mostly we have a controlled 6.5 to 7 knots. Will slow a little overnight by reducing canvas further for slight improvement in comfort and a wider operating window of wind for a single person on watch alone at night. Incidentally, watchkeepers wear lifejacktes, harnesses and are clipped on at night always and during the day quite often also.
Observers may have noted water distances by log do not match GPS eduction to destination! This is OK as its due to rhumb lines, great circles, the fact that we have not been able to point at the destination yet and the general sods law which says wherever you go in a sailing boat, the wind is always wrong for it!!
Mike had heard about the great navigational ploy used by our forefathers and experts in Volvo 60,s sometimes, of heading south until the butter melts and then turn right. Unfortunately nobody remembered to tell Mike this system works better if you take the butter out of the fridge!!!
Adrian did his heroic bit lashed to the bathing platform again today to change the gas bottle but this time we did not heave to. Mike and Andy thought he needed an adrenelin rush! He stll has not caught a fish and nor have we seen a single dolphin or other since the first 24 hrss out of Gibraltar.
WE are keeping UT on the boat, so now the sun rises well after 0800. Its 1930 as I type and just starting to go dark here.
Bye for now
The Mariposa Blanca delivery team