After today's ordeal with a broken spinnaker
pole, a galley fall of water due to a very large leaking hatch. All cloths wet
through and waterproofs that are so wet it's like putting on a wet sponge,
I as self elected chairman of pontoon 5
accordingly invite you all to a dinner, dance and swim at the half way point.
Our eta is sometime in the next day or two (lost the will to work out a LAT and
LONG). We will have to catch fish as we've had to throw all our fridge food over
board as the fridge is broken (swimming should be safe now the sharks have
stopped following us). Music will be 'Rock & Roll' provided by the howling
sisters and accompanied by the 'Trade Winds'. Dress will be smart and
wet. Due to our damaged spinnaker pole we are stuck on a heading North/West till
the wind drops so that it is safe to go forward and untangle it (that will be in
about 3 days if my grib file is correct. ETA for Puerto Rico should be in about
11 plus days.
News up date - On a heading of 260/270 degrees
now. Couldn't wait to address the twisted aluminium and mass of ropes due to the
fact we we're doing an average speed of 8.1kts into a deep black hole (as there
was no moon and lots of rain clouds we could not see a thing) with winds in
excess of 35kts. But Little Blue hung in there and achieved a new personal best
of 12.4kts. On our new heading we are having to cut across the waves at about a
45 degree angle. The waves have now grown somewhat in height (all sailors like
to tell tales of how high the waves are so I wont even go there). Suffice to say
I'm sure this was were they made the film of 'The Storm'.
Yesterday, Kevin and Barbara took it upon them selves to start preparing
for the Half Way Point party. So out went the fishing line and within a few
hours our first catch was hauled on board. The problem is we have no where to
keep it so most went back into the sea, but the best bits will be had for
lunch.
