6.01S 96.57W Tuesday 11^th March Day 4 – Bennett has been really unwell with a nasty head cold and the shivers so Paul and I covered his watch for him last night – three on and three off – quite tiring but only what all the other couples do who are just two up on this Rally, so it was interesting to experience it…..lets hope he gets better soon!  We have just hit 6 degrees south and hopefully now according to the gribs we should start to get the trades kicking in once we get to 98W.  At the moment we are sailing (in a fashion) at around 3 – 4 knots but rolling along with the genoa sail slapping with every (constant) change of wind direction which isn’t really doing it any good. The plan is to motor today to give us a chance to catch up on sleep and find those winds….

The yachts are so spread out now – over 300 miles apart – that it is impossible to hear each other on the radio net in the mornings at 10.00am.  Much relaying of positions goes on with radio controllers inadvertently over talking each other which is all very tedious and frustrating.  However, at 1800 each evening we can all hear each other clear as a bell due to propagation being so much better at night (I learnt in my SSB radio course!)  I think today it will go to the vote to change the Radio Net time to the evenings – although it will undoubtedly interfere with sleep patterns and cooking dinners!!

Each time there is a radio net we have a two minute silence at the start in case anyone has a low battery and wants to quickly call in their position or for anyone who has a problem.  Happy Wanderer skippered by Alan and his wife Mary called in last evening as their hydraulic autopilot had failed leaving them with the grim prospect of hand sailing the whole way across the Pacific.  You cannot believe the amount of help and support they received – Heidenskip and Our Island talked them through all the possible remedies, Jenny had had a similar problem and Peter the skipper gave him a viable solution - but the biscuit had to go to Andy and Becky on Spectra who are rendezvousing with him today midway between their two positions to clamber aboard and assist!  Alan is a favourite on this Rally – a great character; he unashamedly sinks 30 beers a day before stabbing himself with an insulin injection when required whilst inhaling 40 ciggies at the same time!  His parting shot when saying a very big thank you to everyone was ‘you know what they say?  A friend in need is a f…..g liability!!’ Love him!

Peter and Dorothy on Neva have written a few great songs – Rally related – and sing them to us with much gusto at our many gatherings.  Here is their version of ‘Our Favourite Things’ which I thought you might find amusing:

OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

Crisp mountain mornings, a roaring log fire
Endless hot water from our power shower
A pint in the pub on a winter evening
These are a few of our favourite things

Papers on Sunday and sarnies with bacon
Eating off tables not swayin' and shakin'
Roast beef with trimmings and NOTHING from tins
These are a few of our favourite things

When the wind howls and the waves crash
And we think we're mad
We simply remember our favourite things
And then we don't feel so bad


Reliable trade winds and spanking broad reaches
Dropping the anchor and lazing on beaches
Mixing rum cocktails and Singapore Slings
These are a few of our favourite things

Saltwater crocs that have only just eaten
Harmless sea creatures you CAN put your feet on
Sharks that eat plankton, and bugs that don't sting
These are a few of our favourite things

When the boom slams and the furler jams
And the line's ensnared
We simply remember our favourite things
And then we don't feel so scared


Making a landfall at the place we're supposed to
And without hitting the boats that we're close to
An hour in the shower scrubbing salt from our skin
These are a few of our favourite things

Travelling inland for views quite spectacular
Calling out 'Cheers!' in the local vernacular
Tying to remember which country we're in
These are a few of our favourite things

When the tanker looms and the wind dies
And the sails just flap
We simply remember our favourite things
And then we don't feel so crap


Touching up varnish and polishing brightwork
Checking the wiring to make that damn light work
Cleaning the galley of old food that clings
These are a few of our favourite things

Pumping the bilges when no-one is looking
Trying hard not to throw up when we're cooking
Fixing the lee cloth with bits of old string
These are a few of our favourite things

When the wire's loose and the pipe's split
And we've run out of Duct
We simply remember our favourite things
And then we don't feel so unhappy


Blue Water Rally and lots of new faces
Cocktails and parties in faraway places
Cruising the oceans from Winter to Spring
These are a few of our favourite things

Light swells that rock us with a lullaby motion
Fishes galore from the bountiful ocean
Tonga to Fiji on Easterly winds
These are a few of our favourite things

When a squall hits on a lee shore
And we throw a fit
We simply remember our favourite things
And then we don't feel so shit

Written and sung by Dorothy and Peter s.v. Neva