Return, 3rd report 46:34.42N 17:15.74W

Ellatrout3
Tue 8 Jul 2008 13:06
8th July 13:00 (6 days and 10 minutes since departing)
 
Hi all,
 
Thanks to those of you who noticed my (Paul) error in reporting the last position.  Over-exhaustion wreaks havoc on the concentration!!  The one at the top of this message is right - the Admiral has checked it....
 
Still on our way - the wind (direction at least) is being very good to us.  We had another grand day's sailing yesterday flying both Gennaker and Spinnaker (not at the same time, of course).  Right now, in fact for the last 24 hours almost, we have been "using" the effects of a low developing west of Ireland which is giving us some lively seas, powerful winds and herds of white horses.  I am told to report that the Sandhorse is playing with the Seahorses.  Right now we are down to a 3rd reef in the main and a small hanky for a jib.  Exciting sailing to say the least!
 
Having noticed and discussed the lack of phosphoresence on the earlier part of the journey we were rewarded with a veritable firework display last night.  We were both up between 12:00 and 02:00 doing sailing-type stuff and ended up just sitting almost mesmerised by the brightness of the little critters in the water.  It was another moonless and dark night, we switched the boat's lights off and saw the most amazing sights.  Coming up from deep under the stern was a massive stream of green light - it was almost as if lamps had been installed below the waterline (don't think the Admiral has been watching Pimp My Ride do you??); and in amongst it were hundreds of bright blobs - small jellyfish we think.
 
Progress has been good, we past the halfway mark at 06:36 hours this morning, 662.5 miles done and 662.5 miles to go.  Shortly afterwards, (at 08:11 precisely) after a lively half hour, we cleared up the mess of being hove-to with the full main aback (it was pinned to windward by the preventer) and the full genoa goosewinged.  If we hadn't been moving sideways down a wave creating a "bow-wave" with the side of the boat we would have been stationary - which would have probably been better!  Luckily for me (Paul), I missed this excitement - well, more to the point I woke up with the Admiral crashing about getting us all ship-shape again.  Probably very lucky actually, I might have discovered what colour Adrenalin was!!  The cause of this little excitement was a squall which crept up un-announced.
 
That's it for now - lunch to prepare.  The Admiral doesn't like to be kept waiting.... no rest for 'other ranks'.
 
Regards to all.
 
 
Poppa/Dad/Roger and Paul.