All swell

Fleck
Fri 10 May 2013 13:06
Friday 10th May, 2013
 
Position: 8:10.7S 19:49.2W
 
Alls well, but tippy as the swell from the SE rolls under the boat, which is now clawing back some south quite nicely: this means that we can keep the gentle twin headsail rig up for another day, at least. The wind strength has not varied by much for several days: 13 kts in the mornings, 16 at dusk and early evening. With both headsails unfurled we are doing about 4.5 kts, surfing up to 6 kts down the face of the waves: ideal really: as the Aussies would say, 'No Dramas'.
 
Good in the galley last night though. I had some frozen spinach from the store in Ascension Island, and this needed to be cooked and gone, so I added it to my veggie curry. Of course the swell rolled through at the moment critique, and so instead of going into the curry the boiling hot mass of mulched and buttered spinach took flight and landed over me, the chart table, and all points in between. I dropped the saucepan to grab a wet cloth, and the pan landed with its rim on my big toe, upside down of course. In the books they recomend that you wear your oillies to cook, but I havn't worn a stitch for days, it is sweltering hot. A few red patches, and a bruise, so not so bad. Kitchen roll good for cleaning the surfaces, minimises the need for fresh water.
 
If anyone feels like dropping a line in the next few days it would be nice to know what time it is on the east tip of Brazil, relative to GMT/UT. No rush though, it will be at least another week before landfall. The oft mentioned night entry problem will be compounded by the wish to avoid strong tidal countercurrents in the river entrance at Cabedelo as the yachties place is several miles upstream.