Position: 32:47.0N 010:22.8W
Global Yacht Racing's EH01
Global Yacht Racing - sponsors: Caspian Services
Tue 11 Nov 2008 18:10
1am Tuesday and we are ghosting along in 0.4 knots of breeze - the huge
ocean that we are entering is like a mill pond and the moon is daylight
bright. There is a little Erica-shaped elf standing at the helm wearing
eveything she owns once again with her hood pulled up over her hat - eyes
peeled as visibility is poor. We watch the radar with anticipation - we are motoring
between two heavily utilised shipping routes - one to our left down the west
coast of Africa and the other to our right heading up towards Europe.
This has been a punishing schedule with regards to watch changes and sleep
adjustments on this trip. The trip has been short start-stop legs which
makes settling into watches very tiresome. It can take 36 hours or so to
adjust into watch timings and when a leg of the trip has been only three
days long you are suddenly out of the watch systems and timings for 24 hours
or so and back to 8 hours sleep alongside in the marina and then back out on
the water again and into the short 3 hour watch system again giving you at
most two and a half hours sleep. Very exhausting on the body.
We have had a dolphin episode today which has kept everyone entertained with
three of the team caught lying on their stomachs on the foredeck "chatting"
to them!!
Once again food is the topic of conversation and thoughts go to supper
tonight which is bangers and garlic mash - a very easy staple which was
lovingly prepared by Paul, our resident ex-chef. The left over somewhat soft
potatoes were launched into the big blue yonder to release some of the
frustrations the crew were beginning to experience of having no wind.
So watch change and supper so much dash
Em Pontin
Skipper-EH01