17.06N 0.35W  Did I say ‘fairly trouble free’?  I lied!! 

Saturday started off fine – once again everyone rather tired – with huge swells, intermittent sunshine and manageable squalls.  We haven’t encountered one thunder storm yet which we had been warned of constantly on our morning Rally radio net. Bacon sandwiches and refreshments before the rather challenging task of resurrecting the Twistle yet again in what can only be described as ‘challenging conditions’!  But once again, as soon as she was up and Twistling we were all spellbound with her performance.

Powering along at between 7 and 9 knots, surfing down waves at 11 we were feeling pretty smug.  Then we noticed a tiny hobicat not more than 18 feet in length with a tiny little piece of sail up bobbing about just to our rear port side, we couldn’t believe our eyes – we haven’t seen more than three vessels in three weeks!  Were they in trouble?  Could we help?  Poor things must be in need of water or provisions?  We waved and shouted – two men waved back but didn’t appear to have a radio as did not respond to our contact on the normal VHF 16……… this boat had no accommodation and what looked like two white benches, one attached to each side!  The men were sitting comfortably on them!  We were seriously concerned – when suddenly they popped up a bright red spinnaker, aimed their boat straight for us, literally flew across the water to within a hundred yards of our stern, gave us the thumbs up sign and shot past us at an incredible speed and disappeared over the horizon towards the setting sun within minutes.  We noticed sponsorship logos on their side – Oto Finance - what an incredible feat they had undertaken……..

Anyhow, soon after this thrill darkness closed in and the normal watch program began and we all sloped off to get a little sleep before our turn.  Then at 2300 hrs …. CLUNK – oh no!  What now!  Michael on watch noticed the Twistle sail shape looked a little awkward and then realised that the pole on one side was missing!  Somehow it had come adrift, probably in the cross winds which had caused it to wriggle free?  And there it was dangling off a rope, thankfully hanging over the side of the boat in the water……. Life jackets back on with harnesses – Paul up to the front of the boat with the spreader lights on, levering the pole back over the guard rails onto the boat, albeit back to front, and into its resting ring - in 35 knots of wind….  The other one is still somewhere up ‘there’ but not thrashing.  We now have the main back out and a stay sail until we can see exactly what has happened in daylight.  Once again we feel it is not the ‘fault’ of the Twistle but that we must have somehow rigged it incorrectly.  So another eventful day in Paradise!

Sunday morning dawned grey and threatening – we left the Twistle alone!!  With the main sail reefed down to the first set of spreaders and the small stay sail we proceeded at 7 knots and more.  Then I suppose the voyage would not have been complete without a ‘mother of all squalls’ – 45 knots of wind (Force 9) with enormous seas, torrential rain and Michael at the helm!  He never veered from our course which is quite a feat in the circumstances as it was pretty nasty but Anahi handled it in her stride and our confidence in her is reinforced.  I stayed up with Michael with a morbid fascination as the scene unfolded.

As I write it is 1800 hrs leg time (UTC minus 4) and we are approximately 60 miles from our destination.  Around 10 Rally yachts have already arrived so we will be in good company.  We have Rascal and Zippy do da close beside with Zip chatting away on the VHF amongst other yachts we can now pick up on the VHF. 

Frankly our boat looks and smells like a dustbin  and it will be a relief to have a thorough clean up so we very much looking forward to reaching terra firma – hopefully if we have no more traumas early Monday (tomorrow) morning…….