13:32.30N 47:09.13W
Gaudeo
John and Prue Quayle / John Quayle
Mon 3 Dec 2007 10:48
wind reduced to a less than 8 knots. During a particularly calm period,
arrival time at Grenada was estimated to be Easter 2009! The light spell is
forecast to last for 3-4 days. Because we had
to use the iron sail rather a lot to get to the trades at the beginning of
the trip, we have only half a tank of fuel, the equivalent of 54 hours
motoring. The plan is to use the engine during calm spells for approximately
4 hours a day, mainly at times when batteries
require charging.
Problems always occur with on board electrics, and the latest to give grief
was the A.C. battery charger which works off the generator. It became clear
that it had never been properly calibrated. Exploration of the innards was
somewhat precarious with potential mayhem akin to that of an intestinal
surgeon doing brain surgery. A warning that recalibration should "only be
carried out by a qualified electrician" added a certain frisson to the
challenge. Eureka! We are now able to light up the whole Atlantic.
An ethereal "pigeon courier" brought the welcome news (ex London Gazette)
that RB has been promoted from Midshipman to Lieutenant - Deputy Lord L...
to be precise. It is assumed this is an Admiralty award for service aboard
Gaudeo. Notwithstanding the reflected glory to his shipmates, it may have
excited primordial republican instincts from some quarters, but all was
forgiven after his timely and most entertaining rendition in verse of "The
Ballad of Lake Laloo", the story of Burleigh Bertie Barclay Brew and
captain, mate and crew, Mirabel Mary Quayle..
Blog readers may question the absence of wild life reports. Sadly, in
comparison with abundance near the coast and on the passage out to the
Canary Islands earlier, there has been little in mid Atlantic. At first
there were numerous porpoise and bottle nosed dolphin but no more sightings
of mammals after 100 -200 miles. Near the Canaries and along the African
coast there were many Cory shearwaters and some Wilson`s storm petrels but
the only birds now seen are Leach`s storm petrels. Flying fish are common
and occasionally Dorado like fish jump out of the sea. Our efforts with a
fishing line, though minimal to date, have also been unrewarding.