Little Pea's ARC 14 Blogoramma - Daisy is back

Littlepea
Sat 6 Dec 2014 18:12
16:27.6N  044:23.9W
 
Tune of the Day: From "Despair to Where", Manic Street Preachers
 
Day 13.  The sea is vast and flat, as far as the eye can see in all directions.  There is nothing to see in any direction except the horizon.  The short confused motion of the waves lap against LP's hull, occasionally rolling her, but mostly just slapping against her with endless repitions.  At 10pm the moon comes out, full and so bright it looks like a night sun, floording the sky with reflected light and making the ocean look like a black oil slick.  Slippery, vast, asleep at the moment, but inherently dangerous.  Below us the ocean is 4 miles deep and you can't help being terrified of what lingers below us in the vast depths.  We make slow but steady progress. The wind blows lightly from the North East.  You look over your shoulder watching the cloud formations, black against the floodlit sky.  Some bring nice breeze that help the boat's speed.  Some bring mischief - the squalls, which can create chaos in seconds, tearing sails and shredding nerves.  But not tonight, just the gentle steady breeze. You study the phosphorescence that trails in the boats wake, like fire flies in the water.  Why does it do that?  No matter, its just wonderful.  The stars above are too many to count, but you try anyway.  You pick out the formations you know and try to identify a planet of two if you can.  But mostly, you just admire, awestruck by the vastness of the celestial canvas above our heads.  Down below, you crew mates are sleeping below.  You are alone, totally alone.  We are a small speck on natures vast watery desert.  We think we are in control, but we are just moving slowly, carefully, steadily.  This is ocean sailing at night. 
 
Today has been all about getting Little Pea back up to speed after a sluggish 36hrs. Minkey was sent back up the mast (for the 3rd time) to finish off the halyard repair and a forest worth of sea weed was cleared off the rudders which combined made a considerable difference. Little Pea is nearly back up to full speed again. And in other news... we've got less than 1,000nm to go!
 
Please keep sending your questions and messages of support to littlepeasailing {CHANGE TO AT} gmail {DOT} com
 
 
Daily Stats:
 
Max Boat speed = 5 kts, very slow going now
Number of spinnakers used = 1 (Daisy is back in action)
Number of repaired spinnaker halyards = one
Maximum Gust =  15 kts
Number of Flying Fish = One notable one which attacked Jags while he was contributing to the fluid levels of the Atlantic
Number of Whales = nil
Amount of Rain = nil
Amount of seaweed cleaned off the rudders approx 3-ton
Advent calendar highlight = Ben's chocolate was so melted, he had to pick it out with a sail knife...
 
Jags, Minkey, Ben and Mike