Newsletter  18:   24 December 2007 (Christmas Eve!)

Day:                                                               16

Position:                                                       18:35.149N  56:52.829W 

Approx Miles from San Sebastian:              2386 

Approx Miles to go to Road Town:              432                                                              

Note:  All times are GMT time, and will be for the whole trip.

            Miles are Nautical Miles, where 1 mile = 1.8 km

            Ohh, for those non-nautically orientated, a 'knot', among other things,  is 1 nautical mile per hour

            If it seems all funny units...its not, there is a very good basis: 1 nautical mile is equal to one minute of latitude on the earth's surface.

A Repeat of yesterday's Headline:

I have GREAT NEWS for YOU and Me at the bottom of this newsletter, so either go there now (not recommended!) or make sure you read 'the whole' newsletter TODAY!

And ......Thanks for all those who have already emailed in...its great to be in contact!  Others now don't be shy, only a few days left!

Hello Friends, and Supporters,

The wind died.....!  Progress shows barely a 100 miles yesterday. The weather files showed this light wind patch for 22 and 23 rd December, but it came a day late, and it looks like today could be another lightish one! I was never becalmed as such, but the wind was very light and yes, from the directly behind for or most of the 24 hrs, so a mile sailed did not equal a mile closer to Tortola. This is sailing and the part about that gives you the lessons of life! You are not there till you are there! Fortunately I have been expecting it, but that doesn't mean I have been waiting excitedly for it to happen! 

As is mostly the case, clouds mean wind, and so one of the benefits of the light wind was a perfectly cloudless sunset, a really flat sea, and virtually total quietness. This was the first time I had this on the trip and I just sat on deck enjoying it. The sea took on this orange sheen all around as the sunset. If I could have, I would have asked Ruth to see if she could meet me on the 26th out here rather than Road Town!

After finishing yesterday's newsletter to you I couldn't wait to do the final autopilot assembly and then 'Try it'! Great news it worked like a dream, so I was pleased with myself....one needs a few wins everyday out here....just like life where you are too I'd imagine? I felt like a dentist must feel....finicky work placing minute ball bearings one by one with inside a narrow diameter bush with a torch showing me the way. I guess the difference is, the dentist must enjoy it! It always reminds me that it takes all types to fill on the slots our now very complex world requires to function!  The positive is that I could now almost make my own autopilot, so a valuable learning experience for the future. 

Preparations for the Solone Christmas lunch continue in secrecy......  The chef was seen placing the wine in the fridge, and sniffing at various Canarian cheeses to find the perfect match for the carefully selected bottle of wine. He was then seen walking around the foredeck with a single designer orange deck chair, looking for a suitable sea view but not sun facing location for the solitary guest!  More tomorrow...

Back to a bit of sailing as the laptop keyboard just tilted up 15 degrees..yes a lot in this wind:

This wind comes and goes, and Solone is very sensitive to the a little gust of wind, and can accelerate quite fast, which then produces its own wind and before you know it 'we' are going 7 knots, from 4, and the wind angle has improved from 150 to 120 degrees. Its almost like perpetual motion. That is with maybe a 3 knot increase in true wind speed from 8 to 11 knots. The temptation is then to bear away onto a better course, but that will reverse the whole 'ratchet. 'Very technical I know...but some may enjoy it.  In some ways this light wind sailing is more demanding as I have to constantly watch the wind and the sailing performance. Even last night, while a quiet and peaceful night, it did require me to get up often, make adjustments, gybe twice, etc. So its not like a holiday out here!

I can just imagine the 'big city' rush today....Christmas eve, and everyone behaving as if the shops will never open ever again... far too much food and liquor being bought, and then those really stressed shoppers......their strategy is to leave it late so the stress of knowing the stores close soon makes buying presents easier..... Yeah...that's me.... The only issue is ...I had my Christmas eve shopping stress in San Sebastian, the day before I left, and 1 hour before Ruth was getting on the ferry to head back to London. She had seen the two potential presents, and I then had to make the stressful decision. Then I went to now 'buy it', and the shop was closed and 'my friend' in the coffee shop next door, said the owner is sick and will not be opening her shop today! Well now what do I do? One I have made my decision I HAVE To have it, so.... I managed to persuade the coffee shop friend to get the keys to open the shop next door and sell me the item. Christmas shopping...there is even stress in the Canaries! I hope Ruth will be happy! Maybe her strategy is better... one present a day for 18 days, some unbelievable, some medium and some, well ok...but as an overall present... Amazing!

Today was interesting watching the flying fish. The sea is the flattest its been for a while, and normally they seem to use the peak of the swell to launch themselves on the flight to freedom, then crashing into the back of a swell. With the flat sea them seem to fly much further not having to deal with the hurdles of swell ahead. They still continue to get my interest going.....

I was listening to BBC news and thought I heard that Jacob Zuma defeated Thabo Mbeki as ANC leader, and this means he will be the new president of South Africa? Is this right? I wonder about the world and how people can influence others.... It would be interesting to know what happened to the value of the rand? Maybe, and I hope so, I heard it all wrong....reception was bad.  Maybe one of you can help confirm or otherwise....

Back to sailing the boat so I can get to Road Town...

Enjoy your Christmas eve...

THE GOOD NEWS.......  (Repeat of yesterday) 

Well, yes I also thought about YOU the committed supporter and interested blog reader... how can I provide a further value add service?? Well, a mermaid came on deck yesterday and gave me a spare satphone email address! I asked for other things but she insisted she was from the Mid Atlantic Technology department, and the company policy is not to provide fringe, non-core services, no matter what the circumstances! 

So for the duration of my trip you can email me on howardsolone {CHANGE TO AT} mailasail {DOT} com, and it will not interfere with my weather line, and I will attempt to answer all those who use the facility. Knowing me and what its like here in the middle of the ocean, then putting myself in your shoes (difficult I know!) I thought you may want to ask a question regarding something 'stupid' that I haven't touched on in the blogs? So feel free ask me anything you want, nothing is a stupid question ok! I was once asked 'Where I anchor every night to sleep? So that sets the expectation!!  Oh, and yes maybe, with Christmas approaching  I am also getting a bit lonely out hereI!