25/6/09 - 08.50.3S 134.14.3W at 18.00 UTC

Flying Cloud
Julian Nichols
Thu 25 Jun 2009 17:42
I can't remember which book wrote that the Pacific was given its name because it was Pacifico (peaceful). Today has been more Southern Ocean than coconut milk run. Top wind speed was 32 knots true, with a 4-5m swell running, moving at 15 knots. Our top speed was 18 knots, despite having dropped down to double reefed main and jib. We even took a couple of waves in the cockpit necessitating us to find the lee board! All is well though and the sailing is still awesome - however another 10 knots of true wind and i can imagine it becoming man's conditions - the wave distance out here is amazingly small (more Bristol Channel than worlds largest ocean). Its day 14 today, with around 300 miles to go. We haven't seen or heard from any other boat on the high seas (apart from email contact with Elvis) for 12 days now (last sighting being a fishing trawler near Isabela).

Julian

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Captain's corner:
So really, it's a hard life out here, flying along at an awesome pace, with amazing sailing conditions and brilliant weather... Okay, so the weather board kept a ginormous wave from flooding the cabin, but it drained in about 10 seconds, and the only casualty was my pillow... I managed to keep my book and most of myself dry though... My only true complaint is that the boss is a slave driver.... I had to move all of two inches to reach my beer as it was being served...
It's a hard life!

Mattman

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