100 miles from La Graciosa

Lochmarin
Sun 30 Sep 2012 16:03
30:40.16N 12:17.37W

We've settled into 'passage mode'.

First priority: keeping her sailing happily and in the right direction, without bumping into anything.
Second priority: sleep.
Third priority: food and drink.
After that comes enjoying the sunshine, looking at the sea slide past, fishing, reading...

We've been running down wind, and the wind's been veering, so keeping her sailing well has been trying to keep her with the wind just not right behind her, so she keeps her speed up and runs in a settled manner. This took us further west than we wanted so we gibed once it was light and then poled out the jib in a goosewing so that we could go more directly downwind. Apart from that it's been the usual listening out for her noises: any change could mean something has come lose or is chaffing. A shackle came off the main's gooseneck (Ellie - bet you're loving this bit!) but that's all so far this passage. Keeping out of the way of other boats has become slightly more time consuming as we have crossed a shipping lane. All big stuff: a ferry, tankers, cargo ships. Two or three visible on the AIS most of the time, with one or two in visual sight. We only had to alter course once, and that was just by 5 degrees.

Sleep's been going better, we're getting better at actually sleeping when it's our time off watch, and during the day we spell each other when one of us feels like they could catch half an hour's catch up time. So we're actually quite bright and breezy most of the day!

We're doing quite well on this one. We had a full roast meal yesterday - yes, lamb! With roast potatoes, roasted courgettes, red peppers and onions, gravy and mint sauce! Not bad for passage food. I am making bread as I type (it's proving, otherwise flour would get in the keyboard). It can be quite tricky, as on a starboard tack everything falls out the cupboards and fridge every time you open them. Port tack is much easier but we still have to clear up as we go as otherwise the dishes would be rolling all over.

Apart from the above we don't have to do anything really, just relax and enjoy the trip :-)

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