Date 26 11 07

Day Two

00.00   27 19N  15 43W  Wind has moved to the north and dropped to 3 kts,  

            boat speed 1.5 kts; bearing 254 degrees.  With very little way on, sails  

            were flapping as boat is rolled around by the heavy swell. Part of the port  

            pole rig failed and the pole was dropped leaving an unsupported flapping  

            headsail in the large  confused sea. The yardarm also parted, dropping the  

            radar reflector and Division pennant.

02.16   27 19N 15 44W  Going nowhere finally resorted to putting the engine

            on following the example of others in the vicinity who had clearly done it   

            some time earlier and disappeared over the horizon.

03.15  26.23N 15.50W With a freshening wind the engine is switched off;

it was not long before we were surfing with a N. wind speed in excess  

of 40 kts and the boat achieving speeds in excess of 13 kts at times.  

06 .00  02.17N 16 12.90W  winds moderated to 16 – 20 kts, still from the north. Clock  

           and batteries checked. Both OK.

09.00  6 50.00N 16.50.00W Generator turned on. Mike did another grand job with   

           porridge.

11.20    26 40.62N 16 51.24W Weather fine, a few squalls around but missed us. 

           Apart from three other boats some miles away we are now alone; big seas still. 

           An un-successful attempt was made to refit broken port pole related shackle with  

           Eugene going up rigging with heavy boat roll. Managed to re-instate pole without  

           shackle and to pole out Genoa. 

11.40  Generator turned off; ( 2 hrs 40 mins.)

12.00  26 37N 16 55W Position relayed on to ARC control by e-mail and via ARC 4A

           (Morgan)

13.00  Put up ballooner with headsail, main and mizzen.

16.00  Put up remaining mizzen staysail, what an impressive sight we must be. 

17.00  Generator started. Dropped main and mizzen in preparation for the night,

           leaving headsails which can quickly be reduced before squall hits.

           Winds presently 15 kts ENE. 

           Forecast received from ARC office via e-mail indicating similar conditions to   

           today but with NE 20 to 25 kt winds rather than the N winds we’ve been

           experiencing since last night. Nasty rumour aboard that we are not getting our

           main meal, just a snack. Cook found stowaway under bunk !

           Spoke on SSB with Blue Flyer who advised they some 30 miles to the north.

18.00  26 07N 17 26W Wind remains 15kts ENE, boat speed 7 kts. Ray cooking

           dinner, smells great. Several boats in close vicinity.

19.00  Had dinner, pork with sauté potatoes and veg. Wonderful. Red wine would

           have rounded it off nicely but given the heavy roll would have been unwise ..

19.30  Generator switched off. ( 2.5 hrs). Had e-mail from Abora to advise they are

           ahead and to the south of us. They have done 160 miles since start.

20.00  Not having slept since Saturday night FN crashed out.

21.00  25 55N 17 26W Wind NE 10kts, SOG 7-8 kts, Bearing 246 degrees; need to

           keep tweaking autopilot to keep sails filled. Still have company of three or four

           othe boats in area as we close the day.

00.00  25.44N 18.01W  Distance done over past twenty four hours – 188 nm.