Day 9/10 - Making progress at last
Bonkers
Donald Macdonald
Wed 1 Nov 2023 09:34
Apologies for the late posting of this blog. Having a guest author for a bonkers daily blog is probably as unlikely as seeing a dodo in your garden. However, it has happened, so perhaps there is hope for the dodo.
Still no solution to fixing the engine despite some shoreside support from Paul Albert, whose help is appreciated especially as the call on a strange international number was out of the blue. Feeling is that something is wrong with the high pressure fuel pump. With no engine we had a very difficult 18 hours, rarely going faster than 2 knots anywhere within 60 degrees of our destination. Much of the time I had to hand steer as the autohelm was just using a lot of power spinning the wheels both ways and sounding alarms, for no practical gain, other than earning himself a rest. Perhaps that should be herself or even itself, in these modern times. As we all know, I need the practice at the helm, picking the shifts and finding the next patch of wind. If only bonkers was as easy to tack on your own as an ILCA.
The wind did eventually fill in and we have been flying along at 6 to 7 knots, directly towards Las Palmos for a while now. As I write this we have about 450 miles left. Trying to get as much sleep as possible while keeping a proper watch for the constant stream of shipping heading across our path as they travel between the Medditerranean and the Americas.
With Donald still in his bunk and far from his usual energetic self, I cooked just for me last night; beef raveoli with added hot spice for a bit of flavour.
I doubt if a blog will be produced ontime later today, but I will try.
John