we are sailing (for the weather girls)
Fleck
Mon 4 Dec 2006 12:56
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Monday 4th Dec.
Noon Position: 19.25N, 28.13W
24 hour run: 144n.miles!!
Estimated position, noon tuesday, 5th Dec:20N,
30W
Hi everyone, but a special mention today for the
Weather Girls: Carol and Heather Fisher. They have been sending our daily back
up text forecasts, and so far these have been slightly more accurate on the
ground (I mean sea!) than the Official Arc Forecast. Every third day we allow
ourselvs the luxury of a Grib file forecast as well, and as todays the day, the
navigator will have plenty of data this afternoon, even if no
information!!
As you can see we, like the rest of the fleet, are
making excellent progress at present, and as things stand we should get there in
time for Goeff to come back, if you see what I mean.
The downside to good progress is that it is
somewhat monotonous: the sails require little trimming, and it always looks the
same outside, the sun by day, and a fabulous full moon last night, which kept
the lights on for pretty well 24 hours. In another week the nights will be dark,
which will make nocturnal squalls more difficult to spot, so we experts are
being told!! The seas look big to Geoff and me, and it is very difficult to
estimate wave height. We think about 15 feet, anyway Fleck doesn't seem to mind, and rises to them without any problem,
althought sometimes with a shake of her tail which is sufficient to throw our
supper all over the cockpit. This is why we eat there, it creates less mess.We
are like a couple of three year olds, and could befefit from those plastic bibs
that clip under your chin and collect the debris. Unlike most three ears olds we
are prone to outbursts of foul language at each spillage: how's that for an
attractive immage, dear wives?!
Only one very small flying fish on deck this
morning, by the time we find them they are rather dried out and not terribly
good subjects for photography. Now I know what to look for I can spot them
flying through the waves.
We have been listening to some of the others on
shortwave- some from the adjacent pontoon in Las Palmas were having a pub quiz
last night - obviously not too concerned or rolling around. Also heard of
others with problems, one yacht ahead was dismasted while another one, too far
behind for us to help, sent out a mayday for medical evacuation. Hope
everything is okay today
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