Sailing around the World ( Presently at sea between Vanuatu & Australia . Distance 1150 miles )

A Lady
Stephen Hyde
Mon 19 Jul 2010 18:13
MONDAY   19th  JULY  2010         NIGHT 4
 
00.00hrs,  Progress was great as Aileen went on watch,
No other yachts in sight,  The wind was a solid 25 / 28 knots SE, 
 
Distance travelled..........................................614 n.miles
Distance to go to the Barrier Reef...................364 n. miles
Distance travelled in last 24hrs.......................214 n.miles
 
03.00hrs  Aileen went to the large bunk and took the moon with her , now we only had a sky full of twinkling stars.
We have still a great breeze and magnificant night sailing,
 
09.00hrs   RADIO  CALL ............  Crazy Horse &  Ocean Jasper are still well ahead, even though the distance is reduced to approx 50 miles
or so, that means we took back 10 miles or so during the last 24 hours.
Kalliope III  is still 10 / 15 n.miles behind, the rest of the fleet range 30 miles to 250 miles behind,
 
11.00hrs  Skipper and Scotty set about and repaired all the holes in the blue spinniker with spinniker tape.  magic stuff,
Aileen was kept busy going through the presses and lockers and ditching anything likely to be confiscated on arrival in Mackay.
The rest we are trying desperatly to eat,,,
On that subject, Aileen decided to try Margaret's reciepy for chocklet cake. and while she was in the Galley, made some scones as well.
 
12.00hrs   Distance travelled in 4 days...........................702 n.miles
Distance to the Great Barrier Reef..................................295 n miles
Distance travelled in the last 24hrs..................................199.4 n miles
 
13.00hrs  Eating time again, even though no one is really hungry, we are going to stuff all the food we can manage into our bellies
rather than throw it over the side or let the customs guys take it home for themselves.  Bloody Beaurocrats.
We had light crispy crackling and pork, plus cinamon biscuits and cottage cheese, plus some of Aileen's scones.
 
14.00hrs, Beautifull sailing weather, wind on the beam, and we are doing a nice 9  / 11 knots, meanwhile , Aileen is examining the weavels in the various packs of flour,  We eventuelly decide against cooking any of them, as they have too much proteen in them for our delicate systems.
 
18.00hrs, Even though we are sailing along merilly, all predictions are , the wind will ease big time overnight so we went for the
repaired blue spinniker,, skipper was gagging to put it up and see how the repairs worked out .....and we did it before it got dark..
It looked great and gave us an extra 2 knots,  WOW 
 
during the day, we changed the card in the chart plotter , thats the one in the cockpit, We inserted a card for Australia,
As we said before, these things are in credible, and the detail amazing, down to the marina's and depth of water around marina's
It all makes for much more plesent and safe sailing, and gives us something to look at all day.
 
20,00hrs  Dinner consisted of Lasagne and pea's  , God we must have a ton of frozen pea's in the deep freeze,
This was quick and different, and was followed by some of Aileens freshly made chocklet cake with rasberries, ice cream, and all
covered with chocklet sauce...   yuum,   god, we are going to be like the 3 fat ducks,,
 
23 .00 hrs The wind was still holding up,, great stuff,   just more beautifull night sailing again.
 
 
The watches  :-       21.00hrs  /  00.00hrs  ..............................Aileen
                              00.00hrs  /  03.00hrs ...............................Scotty
                              03.00hrs  /  06.00hrs................................Skipper
                              06.00hrs  /  09.00hrs.................................Aileen
 
 
Thats it from the 3 fat Ducks,
 
 
Signed :-  Stephen Hyde    ( Skipper )