We have now been all at sea for almost 2 weeks! As they say time does fly when you’re having fun! Actually one day/night pretty much rolls into another; Greg and I have to keep the ‘Ship’s log’ and this blog, or ‘Fair Log’ as we call it (nod to BKYC) to even be in with a chance of knowing what day of the week/month it is ;’)

We have been creaming along for the last 24 hours, averaging 5 to 6 knots, but up at 7+ at times. We have a great wind 18 to 22+knots apparent from behind ….. 2 reefs in main and 2 in genoa. Our last days run was 130nm :) that’s more like it! With 800nm to go, if this continues we could make Barbados in about 6 or 7 days time? 22nd December??? But, it all depends on the wind…. And we are still undecided on where to make land fall…. But plenty of time to decide….

With increased wind, come bigger seas, and yes, we have a lively sea state, 3 to 4m swells, with breaking tops, and they don’t all disappear harmlessly under our transom…. Some break over the side! (a story for another day). It’s very beautiful, but does roll the poor old boat around…. and us! Making life onboard a bit more exciting? Food preparation in particular becomes challenging, you can’t put anything down and expect it to stay put, without being secured. Chopping an onion…. it is enough to make you cry just trying to catch it, let alone chop it ….. as it rolls around the galley :’) But, in general we’ve been eating well, and our victualling strategy seems to be working, so far? 

Victualling was a daunting process! How do you stock up for 3 weeks? How do you keep things fresh? Keep things interesting? We spoke to other cruisers, looked at forums and had a bit of help from our friends (Debs Steele ;) We stocked up on tins and dried food, and stocked the freezer before we left Tenerife. In Cape Verde we stocked up on fresh fruit and veg, including green tomatoes and green bananas. We washed all of these in Milton and dried before carefully stowing, making sure we placed fruit in hammocks so they had plenty of air, and wouldn’t bruise. We separated the bunches of bananas to put different groups in different places to ripen at different times, some in sun, some in bilge etc. We put some vegetables in the fridge, in particular green tomatoes  to ripen later and we also have tins of veg and frozen veg…. etc etc etc. Last night we had a spicy chritzo sausage pasta, with the last of the green peppers, amongst other fresh ingredients. We still have a few tomato’s, onions and potatoes and a hand full of oranges, they are now starting to look a bit sad, oh and lemons and limes, we’ll be ok for the gin ;)  …. And yes, you’ve guessed it….. Yes, we have no bananas! The bananas, even the green ones have now all gone! But, I think we will survive until we get to the other side? Even if we still don’t catch any fish…. not easy with a broken spool,  we still have about 3 weeks worth of army ‘rat packs’ (ration packs) on board (thank you Baz and Mark Young!) 

Anyway Alpha Whiskey 

Yours aye 

Greg and Sue xx