37N 13W, What's Darker than Black?
IDEA Sailing
Idea Yacht Racing Ltd
Fri 5 Jul 2013 09:37
What is darker than black? Our night. Last night was one of those nights where the dark was so thick you could cut it with a knife. There was substance and body to it. We had no sky to look at. No sea to see. No horizon, nothing outside the radius of our nav lights. Pitiful thin little lights those are. Driving by instumentation alone. Powering on through confused water we perservered. Very littel sleep was had, and we're back to collecting salt as well. It collects on everything, but mostly any exposed piece of flesh. It just cakes up all gritty and scratchy.
Yet ever closer we get. We're currently inside of 400 miles to our waypoint which is set just inside the straits. As soon as we hit the waypoint we'll bust a left hand turn and it's only a few more miles to the marina. We'll tidy up the boat as quickly as possible and then it'll be a mad rush to some hot showers and some land based food.
Food: Something that hasn't been really discussed this trip, and we've had quite a lot of it. Some really good meals. Last night was Ribs, smashed potatos, and salad. The last few nights we've had some really awesome fresh vegetables straight out of a backyard garden in Horta. Captain Brooks has gotten quite friendly with one of the officials at the marina there in Horta and was invited over to his home to meet the wife and have a few drinks. They then made their way over to the boat bearing gifts. Big bags of vege's. So we must thank Gilbert and Maria for their generosity.
Today there's not so much to report on with everyone just trying their best to rest up with the boat lurching all over the place. Side on to the ocean waves the boat is shoved to and fro regardless of where the driver would like to go. But we're far enough out still that all we have to do is keep going in the general direction of Gib and we'll make the fine tune adjustments to course when we get closer and into the flatter waters of the big bay that leads to the Pillars of Hercules.
If all goes well it'll just be another 36 hours till we can pause.
So ladies and gents.
TTFT - Ta Ta For Today.
IDEA