Day 37

leeonsea
Lee Price
Thu 3 Jul 2008 17:14
N46.53.89 W013.03.75
 
Wind F6 Heading 030T
 
What a difference a day makes,
 
(All together now)
 
24 little hours,
All the Sun and the Flowers,
Where there used to be rain.
 
Milage for yesturday was 106nm. Not bad but not great considering the wind was a good speed, just to gusty and to much swell to be usefull but last night was better and I kept a little headsail out till about 0330 when there was a really big squawl, I put it away again then and went down for another nap.
 
Then at 0530 I went up on deck for my check to discover that the wind had backed and died, I was heading almost north in less than 10kts.
 
So there's my choice, calms or gales and nothing but a few hours good sailing inbetween. I had changed the fan belt by 0630 and was motor 'sailing', had a nice comfortable breakfast, emptied the bildges which had begun to start slopping dirty oily water over the cabin sole as the pumps to port and I was on the wrong tack and hadn't tacked for three days! and boiled a kettle for a wash, I haven't had one for 3 days either and my socks smelt like wet dogs. The batteries where getting a good charge too and by 0900 the wind had picked up to 10kts or so and, putting it on the beam as has become custom, I was able to sail at almost 4kts just east of north. There was still a good'ish swell from the last few days which knocked the wind out of the sails a few times but on the whole it was ok.  
 
Then at 1000 the wind died, swung through 180 deg and came back with a little more force than before, I was lovin it! right on the Beam 10-15kts making the best part of 6kts on a direct course, how marvelous. It's been overcast and there a few squawlly showers so popped a reef in and furled a little headsail to cope with them but on the whole it's been great, great sailing.
 
About 1200 I saw a herd? no, a Flock? no, no, no. A Gaggle then? yes, thats it, a Gaggle of Fishing boats, about a dozen all running this way and that, trawling their nets, I sailed right through them. It's the only time a sail boat should give way to a powered vessal but it was no problem, was very funny to see so many all wandering about. Some got quite close and I could see the crews with fishing rods!?! over the back, clearly not content with what the nets could pick up.
 
Gotten a bit blowy this afternoon though, F6 now and I've moved off course a bit to make it easier on me and the boat, great sailing still but was all getting a bit leany over and I'm far to much of a gentleman to sail to windward, spills your G&T.
 
Had a 'Dub' day today, Jackie Mittoo, King Dubby and the like, I'm down wid de Rydim my brother, stop your foolishness!
 
Lee.