Friday 6th July, north of 70 degrees
Awelina of Sweden
James Collier
Fri 6 Jul 2012 12:12
HAPPY 22nd BIRTHDAY Peter. We'll make you a cake when you get out here - not sure what out of; pasta and lemons maybe as we seem to have an oversupply! However as far as food goes the fresh supplies are holding out well with the storage system we worked out but the last of the fresh milk were used up this morning with coffee.
Last night the wind did turn to come from NW so fairly close hauled on stbd tack in F6 with reduced sail to avoid too much banging. However this morning the sailing is perfect: a fast reach in a W F5 with scattered clouds and sunshine. Its cold. The thermometer (a spare one from Ula's vivarium) mounted at the head of the companionway says its 8 degrees out of the wind. In the airstream it's just bitter. Fiona is now wearing indoor gloves and going to bed every night with a hot water bottle. Metal fixtures are unpleasant to touch with bare hands and water laden sheets and halyards feel like they are full of ice. Trying out various of the arctic clothing (the smurf gloves work well).
Getting very tired with the 3 hours on/off such that we both had a 4 hour off in the last 8 to top up the sleep banks. It's working. And the cress farm is growing too so scurvy will at least be held at bay. Strip washing is also interesting as an experience at 30 degrees in a confined space, not to mention the air temperature.
Only kittiwakes as wildlife goes and scudding clouds with patches of blue. Not able to hear Jon again this morning on 14MHz despite stepping up the frequency band - we'll keep trying Jon - today again at 5pm. We can hear stations in Russia, Italy, Spain, Germany and Denmark, but none from the UK yet.
Isfjord now shows as being just a mere 420 nm distant. Hello Eddy, you must be in Longyearbyen by now please find us a launderette and a wifi spot and a nice warm bar. Don't get eaten by bears before we get there!