(Blog No. 42)

Catou
Paul and Sylvie Tucker
Sun 12 Dec 2010 17:12
14:24.20N 50:42.95W
 
Sunday 12th December (Day 21)
 
Noon Position:                 14 deg 24'N  50 deg 43'W
Daily Run:                        147'
Average Speed:                6.12 Knots
Total Av. Speed:               5.15 Knots
Total distance covered:  2610'
Distance to go:                596'
No. hours motored:          57.7   hours
ETA St. Lucia:   @ 6 Knots    Thursday 16th Dec @ 1515 hrs
                         @5.5  "         Friday      17th Dec @ 0020 hrs
                         @ 5    "         Friday      17th Dec  @ 1112 hrs
                         @ 4.5 "         Saturday   18th Dec  @ 0030 hrs
 
I've learned not to say 'Well, that was an uneventful 24 hours' - usually some disaster then occurs!  So far so good.  We have goose-winged out the genoa on one side, with the main on the other - this is typical downwind sailing.  It's not the most comfortable point of sailing by any means, since it allows the boat to roll, and with quite large swells still, the rolling is quite pronounced.  In fact the sea has dropped considerably, as has the wind.  We have had 6 days of force 6 - 7 almost continuously, and it was becoming hard work.  The wind is now down to about force 4, so the sea has eased a little too.
 
A number of boats that we are in touch with have reported bad squalls (a very common problem in these latitudes).  We don't seem to have had them anywhere near a badly as many others.  When these black clouds catch you up, the increase in wind speed can be almost immediate, and you have to act very fast so as not to allow any damage to sails and rigging.  Last night I was coming off watch at midnight, and just as I was going below, Ben got a real soaking - and it was on and off throughout his watch. (Made me feel very guilty as I tucked up into my bunk, listening to the heavy rain outside!).  Then Sylvie got much the same in her watch at 0300 - 0600 hrs. Of course, everything had to be battened down, so it was very hot and humid below when trying to sleep.
 
After our knock down two days ago, I have now discovered that my blackberry has packed up, as well as Ben's.  I have also lost my camera - they were all ruined by the sea water getting in.  I have to see if the office can get me a new one and sent out with our friends next week!  I am lost without my blackberry!  Fortunately, Ben had downloaded all my contacts onto the boat laptop some time ago - so at least I have them to check.
 
Moral is high!  Only 4 days to our landfall - if all goes well!  Just under 600' to go from noon today.  By the way, I think I have explained before, you will note that there is a difference in the distances and ETA's between the ARC figures and our own.  This is because all the ARC calculations are worked from 1200 hrs (noon) GMT.  Our noon position is worked out at local 1200 hrs.  As already mentioned, we are now 3 hours behind GMT.  The way the ARC calculate the ETA is by using our average speed since the start.  We do not work the ETA in the same way - we work it according to our present speed (which is more realistic, and considerably higher than the total average speed to date). We are still hoping for a Thursday afternoon arrival in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia.
 
Very exciting news just in!  Just before sending this, we have had a call on VHF from Alan & Mary on board 'Stella'.  We have been in touch with them by e-mail throughout the trip, since we met them on our pontoon in Las Palmas.  Nice to hear a friendly outside voice, since we have only had one conversation with another vessel in the last 3 weeks.
 
Will be back with more tales from the deep tomorrow!
Best Wishes. Paul, Sylvie and Ben.