02:57.7S 101:419.3.7W Towards the Marquesas (2)
Meryon.bridges
Mon 12 Apr 2010 00:06
|
As a novice sailor Andrew has had to adjust to life
on board . There are a number of sensible rules such as using minimum water to
wash etc.as fresh water is at a premium although there is a water maker on
board. Shaving is tricky for some as will be obvious when some of us return.
Hopefully passport control will not make a fuss!! We take it in turns to keep
watch thru the night in 3 hour stints which tends to involve keeping an eye on
the heading 270 at the moment and hoping a squall doesnt appear as
happened this AM when the experts take over & change the sailsetc.There are
three ways of steering apart from, manually which would be impossible over 3000
miles, Two electric systems George ! & 2 & Flossie which is preferred as
it works on wave power.We have now been at sea for 5/6 days and are making good
progress @ around 140 miles per day so are slowly knocking of the 3000 miles.The
pacific is the lagest ocean in the world so there was great excitement wnen a
freighter was spotted early this morning some 3 miles away which we think
spotted us as it appeared to change course!! When we saw it Sea-me was
switched on and a cry of "Oy Gonzales, what the xock is that" drifted over the
waves as we appeared with a burst onto their radar screen. This suggests that
the crew could have been South American or Irish - we shall never know.
There is a continuous swell which makes moving about quite difficult as you have
to hang on unless sitting or sleeping. The weather has been mixed with sun &
the odd shower but it is muggy in the boat. We are eating well, taking turns to
cook & drinking the odd G & T!! We discovered Tang on the Galapados
which mixed with water makes Squash which is quite refreshing and probablt
better for the liver.
|