Minniethemoocher
Sat 8 Dec 2007 19:00
15 35N
56 06W
This is our penultimate diary. We should arrive in the wee hours of Sunday all being well although there are lighter winds ahead.
Last night was rotten, rotten, rotten. As dusk approached there were a lot of squalls around us so we put up the jibtop and through the night had heavy downpour after heavy downpour. In between there was no wind and we just flopped about with the swell, slatting the sails and managed to put another hole in the top spreader patch. To make matters worse, we had a spell of 2 hours with no rain and then at 0355, just 5 minutes before the change of watch, a new deluge came in. Skipper managed to wash his hair using one downpour for wetting and the next for rinsing. At one point we had loads of lightning from one nearby cloud so we gybed to get away from it - having the electrics completely frazzled would put us right up the creek
Today has however been quite different. Gloriously clear skies, 12 -14 knots, making 9 knots for St Lucia. We passed a young turtle a couple of feet off the beam.
We should gybe tonight when the wind veers SE and continue straight for St Lucia. The afternoon cumulus have built nicely to give us a few soakings tonight so we will see how that goes.
Only biltong left for treats - at least that keeps half the crew happy!