Tuesday, 2013-11-19, 11:30, 24:41.041S 177:17.244E, COG 182, SOG 7.5kn Wind 15kn E

 

Today’s my Mum’s birthday. Happy birthday Mum! I love you. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do stuff like this.

 

It’s also a beautiful day today. Yesterday and last night were quite rough, with 25kn of wind on the nose and lots of water washing over the deck. Every few minutes a wave would slam into the front of the boat with a mighty bang, and we stayed horizontal as much as possible to avoid being thrown around. But we made 175nm in the last 24 hours and upwind that is quite an achievement for a 39ft boat of 32 years. Double reefed main and genoa.

 

Today the wind is down to 15kn coming more from the east and that makes for a much gentler ride. We’re still doing 7-8kn but the occasional big wave slows us down to 6kn, and with less wind it takes a while to gather speed again. Sometimes too long and then next wave slows us down again.

 

Food wise we’re still relying on an oat bar and some fruit. Today it’s water melon. We don’t have much appetite, but also the boat rolls still too much to think about cooking. And it’s hot without a gas burner. But I expect it to get calmer over the next two days (and colder) as a low moves in from the west and I’m very much looking forward to a decent meal. I’m only worried that my stomach’s shrunk already and I can’t eat anything, now wouldn’t that be a shame.

 

650nm to go, which means that tomorrow we should reach the half-way point, after four days. If we manage to sneak in front of that low from the west then we can make it in another four, but if not we’ll be caught with less wind and it’ll take longer. But will also be more comfy. We’ll see, out here you get what you get and make the best out of it.