Position           08:00.43S 121:23.32W

Date                1200 (Central American Time) Thursday 13 March 2014

Distance run - 178nm over the ground, 168nm through the water

                        Distance (OG) covered from start 1,925nm

                        Distance to destination 1,050nm

                        Original distance to Marquesas (straight line) 2,962nm

Conditions allowed us to put up the cruising chute at 1100 yesterday and we carried it in increasingly exciting conditions (i.e. the rolling deep), the sea seems to increase during the afternoons.  A committee decision said that it was the prudent thing to take it down just before last light – an excellent team building exercise.  Plain sail was carried overnight.  It was the intention to put the chute back just after dawn but a series of small squalls appeared that delayed his until 1000.  The sail is working well and is ideally suited to the conditions so long as the apparent wind stays under 20 degrees and the bow wave does not shoot up inside it.  It certainly makes a big difference to our speed when we can fly it.

The only other point interest during the day, other than stripping down the macerator on the aft head and tightening the blade, definitely a Skipper’s job, was the sighting of a fishing boat.  It appeared first on radar and then passed 2nm astern of us steaming north at 12 knots.  We heard on the SSB net that other yachts had seen a ship; looking at the position reports it must have been the same vessel.   Such shared excitement!

Dinner was a chicken in cream and avocado sauce, very good, and the Mate also produced another banana cake.  Yes; we still have live bananas and avocados.

The Mate wished to expand on yesterday’s theme of life on board.

I thought I should add a note on our routines as it rather sounded as though all we did was sleep read and watch our IPads .

Meals do play some part and we always breakfast separately the skipper on cereal and banana, getting mature, bananas that is not the skipper.  The Mate arises and then breakfasts when she can finally make up her mind as to what culinary delights to have; yoghurt, porridge or fruit.  We have a cup of tea together in the cockpit after the Mate has showered then Skipper goes off for a kip about 11 after the highlight of the daily SSB radio net when we hear the voices of other people; quite a novelty!

If a sail change, notably the cruising chute up or down, is required this precedes all other activities when the watch changes, please note, both skipper and mate do wear life jackets and harness with personal AIS attached for this procedure!

The Mate then sorts through fruit and veg discarding rotten items and often the menu of the day will be decided according to what has come to maturity most or on the sea conditions.  Dinner is then prepared and the Mate can then read her book and have a coffee.  Not forgetting in amongst all of this, cake production if needed; essential for night watches.

The Skipper arises about 1330 and carries out any technical jobs before showering and lunch. This morning he had the delight of the aft head to repair.

The Skipper washes up lunch and tidies galley while the Mate retires for a snooze.  Nethe next significant event is a late afternoon cup of tea in the cockpit to discuss progress and sail plan for the night then once again look after sail changes before sundowners and dinner with the 2nd of the day’s radio nets at 2000.  The skipper then retires and depending on weather, remains undisturbed until 0230.

It is surprising how fast the days pass and how much time we both can spend looking at the clouds and the sea in all its moods during the day and the moon and stars at night.  Do we feel alone?  No.  Are we frightened?  No.  Why?  I am not sure, maybe a lack of imagination but we both love the open space and the feel of the wind in the sails and the boat surfing along beneath us.  Finally do we argue?  Surprisingly no and what is more we have no problems with our crew.  All in all not bad!

Skipper’s note – yes, we are on the same boat