Monkey Business

Miss Molly 4
Bob & Peggy Wilkerson/Geoff & Merel Pettifer
Fri 11 Jul 2008 05:05
07:30.07S 130:50.50W

We thought today's update would only be dedicated to describing the
rollyness on board as of lately. We've had building seas with the 20 - 30
kts winds from the past few days and more and more we got treated to some
big rolls. It's like doing involuntary aerobics; you're burning off calories
being continuously in motion. For instance, you are sitting, but have to
work your muscles to stay seated and upright, otherwise you just roll over.
Or you are climbing down the many stairs, stopping midway while hanging off
one arm to let another roll pass. Parking your butt against walls and
cupboards while you try to use both hands on something else down below.
Doing the dishes, for instance. All the dirty stuff is dug out of the sink,
with whatever possible parked on the stovetop. Since the stove is gimballed,
that is the only level surface available. But there are always items that do
not fit there, sit on the countertop instead and therefore tend to slide
with the waves. With every big roll you wrap your body around the cupboard
with the sink, meanwhile using your left arm to steady whatever slides
towards you. Playing with flour and milkpowder under these circumstances is
a challenge. Thank heavens for non skid mats. The old adagio of "one hand
for yourself and one hand for the boat" is a must at the moment, otherwise
we would bump along the boat like a pair of pinballs. So we are literally
hanging on to every bar, handrail or fiddle available to us and try to keep
both feet firmly planted on the floor. Luckily you can always feel it
coming. We are just glad you can't see us moving around like a pair of
monkeys. Can't help the image of that bowlegged fellow called Popeye coming
up the whole time.

While we thought there would be nothing more to write about, Geoff noticed a
strange flickering orange glow coming from the sail locker up forward, where
the outboard engine is stored. It was in the middle of the night, but he had
to check on the foredeck to see if that glow maybe were flames... Our hearts
were thumping in our throats but luckily it turned out to be a faulty light
switch which would not go off in the sail locker itself. So we switched it
off on the breaker panel instead and added it to the joblist as a repair for
quieter times - after landfall. Pfew - what a relief!

The main thing is that we are rapidly getting closer to our goal now. "Only"
550 miles to go, but the winds seem to get lighter. Let's hope we make it in time for Bastille Day...

Geoff & Merel