15:33N 24:26W
Tales of Amok's Adventures
Mike Jones
Wed 6 Jan 2010 19:56
well, I have just written a lovely blog and lost the lot. gnash gnash. we departed Mindelo, Sao Vincente, Cape Verde Islands yesterday about 1300 hrs with a weather forecast of 22knots of wind. We ended up getting gusts of 36 knots and sustained 28 knots. Very challenging. Sleeping or even resting is very hard.
We had an open hatch (1/2" open gap) over the galley when big wave hit us meant I got drenched, but good news is that I get to take a shower and put on a clean tee shirt which everybody seems happy about, not just me. Maybe it was THEM that opened the hatch in order to make the shower/tee shirt happen?? Oh my, paranoia setting in and we are still within the islands. it's a worry.
Surprisingly, the Northern Cape Verde islands are separated from the Southern Cape Verde islands by 124 miles, so it feels like it takes a while to leave. We have planned to sail between two of the southern islands tonight, so more wits needed. Sao Vincente remains a very poor island, as they all are, cape verde time goes like this: cape verde time = (GMT -1) x 5. Everything takes alot of time. There is a great divide between the haves and the havenots.
Massive roller waves again, it's exciting when the stern of the boat is higher than the bow by 3 metres. The motion makes everything very difficult. We rigged up a bus conductor's hand hold in the cockpit so we can lash ourselves to that during night watch. Bunk lee cloths are an absolute necessity so a big thank you to David Spargo for making ours so very robust.
the pre-made bolognaise came in handy last night, it is important to eat and drink especially when you don't feel like it.
It feels like the sailing up until now has been relatively easy, have no doubt, we have gone up a division with these waves. We are making 5.5 knots on a course of 156, sailing just with the yankee and/or staysail. (ie. the big one and / or sometimes the little one) depending on the motion. The mainsail can stay exactly where it is right now, which is rolled up on the boom, safe and sound. It is not having a play day today.
We met a Danish/Greenlander family a few days ago, I saw the Danish flag, so stopped to have a chat. they were sailing in an old Danish fishing boat, heading for Venezuela. The lady was a native Greenlander and they were all very interesting. We shared a potent glass of some clear liquid which came from a label-less bottle and laughed over shared memories of Denmark. When a Dane offers you a drink like this, you should only have 1.... hic.
the sense of humour is a little adrift this morning, let's hope I find it in the shower (of all places).
take care
salty sal, barnacle bill and the two limpets.
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