Day 2 to Fiji

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Thu 28 May 2015 12:00
A Mixed Old Bag During Day Two to Fiji
 
 
 
 
 
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I got up at ten to find a very dull, wet morning. No sooner than I sent yesterdays blog than the first of a line of squalls hit. Top gust forty one knots and for a few seconds Beez showed nine point seven knots. Our view was over a sea that was very grey and quite lumpy, enough to chuck our individual baskets off the bathroom shelf - a puddle of toothbrushes, creams and potions littered the bedroom floor – I’ll deal with that later methinks. The heaviest rainfall thundered on the pram roof and just as I was admiring our waterproofness – what have I said before about pride before a fall – an enormous wave hit the back left of Beez shooting many gallons of water under the shed, forming a beautiful cascade over the cockpit sole, all over the bench seat and landing with quite a noise on the floor. I got a soaked bottom and Bear got a good laugh........ One particular wave thought it would be funny to dump many hundreds of gallons right on top of us, we both flinched but amazingly nary a drop came in on us, on later inspection it had cast a cup full of water down the heater chimney, a small amount of seawater had tramped across the lounge step like a trail left by a herd of leaf-cutter ants. Mmmm. Carrier bag now cunningly placed for future sneakiness.
 
 
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We fell to our usual call of “it’s nice over there”, finally catching up with ‘over there’ just after four in the afternoon. How wonderful to be bowling along, not so tipped over and sailing like they do in the books. Late in the evening the barometer slowly lifted from 1017 to 1020. Overnight things settled even more to the point when I was slowed to point eight knots. A swift turn westward and Beez found enough wind to trot as smoothly as any dressage steed at two point eight knots, I was happy with that as Bear would get some solid, comfortable sleep. I went to bed at six feeling spoilt by the fact that bed seemed like a solid piece of furniture – hang on, Bear gybed at half past seven and the boom did a very loud eee, eeee and continued to sing out every time even the smallest of waves passed under us. By nine I could not take anymore of the torture, off to see the skipper. Oh, I am disappointed, I thought I had been so quiet and I can’t hear anything from out here. He followed me back to the bedroom. I wouldn’t mind but I had new bushes put on. I don’t care if they are platinum awarded tea rose as judged by the powers that be at the Chelsea Flower Show. There was muttering as himself rummaged in the potting shed for his trusty can of WD40. I heard the wind receive more words as he bimbled up to the said horticultural sounding equipment and give them a smart once over. Is that better on his return as the head bobbed round the bedroom door. Much better, thank you. Pity it was time to get up....................
 
 
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Our little fifteen mile dog leg.
 
 
Noon summary: May manage a game of backgammon after lunch......
Noon position:   31:05’55 South and 175:29’11 East
Noon to Noon:   117 nautical miles. Not bad considering overnight slow down.
Miles Covered:  277 nautical miles
Miles to Go :     Lots.
Current:            Now in the centre of the low so engine purring.
 
 
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Nice to see that most things have settled into the pattern of life at sea. Talking of patterns, I leant against the wall in the kitchen post wash and Ooops.........
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL VERY PLEASANT
                     SEA LEGS RETURNING