Day 12 - 850 nm to go
Freespirit
Fri 8 Dec 2006 22:26
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We are currently at 16 14N and 46 45W and probably
less than 5 days from the finish line. It has taken us almost 48
hours to return to our fast downwind sail plan after the breakages and problems
on Wednesday. Yesterday we repaired the damaged spinnaker track but did
not find a suitable opportunity to raise the genoa again.
We sailed overnight with the reefed main and jib but it was a bit slow in spite
of strong winds. This morning we set out to switch back to the genoa and
started to experiment with sail changes at 1000. With a short break for
lunch, it took us until 1900 to get back to the twin headsails on the right
course for the finish. Basically, the wind kept shifting, putting us on
the wrong gybe and each time we got ready to put up the genoa the wind came up
too much to risk it unfurling as it went up. Whenever there is cloud cover
and squalls around, the wind veers about 20 degrees and the particular course we
wanted to steer today required us to switch the sails from one side to the other
four times. Each attempt at a sail change needs at least 4 of us on
deck and takes a fair amount of setup time with the sea we have running and
the wind strength. Anyway, we finally got settled at dusk today, the speed
has gone back up to 9+ knots and we are gunning for a few more places over the
next 4 days.
Wattie was on domestic chores today so we have
eaten like kings all day. We celebrated the 1000 nm to go milestone a day
late at lunchtime today and are starting to turn our conversation to the arrival
in St Lucia, the choice of first cocktail in Rodney Bay, whether we will be
seasick when we get on dry land after over two weeks of this motion etc etc. The
start seems a very long time ago but the days have rushed past and merged
together so that none of us can quite believe that we have been at sea for 12
days.
The boat is moving around quite a bit as we have
started to surf again. The noise level is up and there is a very annoying roll
from the seas behind us. But we are happy to be fast again.....
 A classic Atlantic squall - this
one missed us!
 Wattie cooking chicken satay...some of
it stayed off the floor!
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