2007 ARC Log     

Date 04 12.07

Day Ten

00.01  18.37N 35.58W. Bearing 240 degrees; wind true 11 - 13kts,

            SOG 5.5 - 6kts.

01.00   This is a foul Watch. Just as you’ve got into a nice deep sleep

            following dinner you’re being put on the shake to sit in the

            solitude of the cockpit for three hours – broken only with

            occasional pee breaks and visits to the nav table below.

            Warmly lit by the red lighting from the instrumentation

            you are instinctively drawn to, the only sounds heard are

            the creaking of rigging, occasional flap of a sail and the sea,

            swishing along the hull in the inky blackness beyond the comfort

            and security of the cockpit. The apparel for the night Watch has

            gone from long trousers, warm fleece and sea boots to polo shirt

            and shorts. FN

01.30  Wind speed 12kts SOG 6.00kts.  FN

02.00  Wind speed down to 10kts SOG 4.6kts. No other vessels sighted   FN

03.00  18.26N 36.09W  Bearing 240 degrees True wind speed E 10 - 12kts

            SOG 5-6 kts. 1,450 miles to go.  FN

06.00   18.14N 36.20W COG 240degrees Wind E 11 - 12kts

            SOG 5kts 1439nm to St Lucia  EMc

06.30   Wind E 12kts COG 230 degrees SOG 4-5kts

09.00   18.01N 36.26W To sail boat COG altered to 220 degrees. No

            sightings during Watch.

09.16    Clock and battery check; batteries down to 23.0V. winds 5-8 kts

             SOG down to 3.5kts. Engine started. FN

11.15    Engine put out of gear ( motor sail run 2 hrs)

11.45    Engine on

11.55    Engine off ( 10 mins run)

12.00    Noon position 17.45N 36.41W.  GOG 240 degrees. Fine

             and Sunny with little cloud. Temperature continues to rise

             with each day. Mike finally cracks the problem with my e-mail

             system. Sent test com. to Moe.  FN

13.15   Generator ran  (run for 1.5 hrs). FN

13.30   With e-mail finally re-instated, sent position report to Cowes.

14.00   17.17N 35.09W. Daily SSB Roll Call.  FN

14.30   Spoke on SSB with  Bernadette who informed us they on

            a bearing of 260 ( rum line to StLucia) as their wind predictions

            had altered so they had not come south as planned and are still up

            at 18.27 36.40W, a whole degree above us along with

            much of the fleet! We KNOW our decision to come south will

            pay off in the end when we stand up to receive the Amel Challenge

            Trophy in Rodney Bay….  FN

15.50   Changed course for Rodney Bay (1,445 nm run); COG 277 degrees

           COG 6-7.kts Wind true E 16kts. Main and Genny set for goose

            winging on the new course    FN

16.00  17.32N 37.00W  True wind speed 17-18kts. SOG 7kts.

18.00   Spoke with Bernadette on SSB  FN

20.30   Boat on a reach doing some 5.4 kts.

19.45   Dinner served. Chicken burgers and sweet potato fries; delicious!

            Too full for dessert.

08.45   I am crashing early as having dizzy spells and need some sleep

            before going on Watch at midnight. MS & EMc  washed and dried.

21.00  Watches for next three nights: 21 – 00 MS/ 00 – 03FN / 03-06 EMc

            / 06-09 RT  .

           True wind speed 16kts, Bearing 240 degrees SOG 6 – 6.5kts. MS

          .  

22.10   Wind gusting to 23kts during squalls that are coming through but

            otherwise averaging 17 – 19kts, SOG 7-9 kts goose winging. MS

00.00  17.22N 37.57W.    Nothing sighted and no incidents during Watch  MS

00.01  Distance covered over past twenty four hours  -  148 nm  FN