Tuesday(Wednsday quite early)15.24N, 54.18W

Moonshine
Wed 13 Dec 2006 12:25
392 miles to go as I write this, and an estimated time of arrival as 2
a.m.Saturday UK time, which would make 10 p.m. Friday local time. Of course
there are a number of assumptions in that calc. The chances of earlier are
very slim (can't make it go much faster), chances of more than 4 hours later
are also slim. Window is 10-2 Friday night. - Of course it's still 392
miles and thats only a guide. Working on Murphy's law, any alteration to
that calc.only makes the result more inconvenient!
Tuesday was a quiet day. The wind slowly died away, as did the sea. When the
boat speed got down to 3k, we started the engine.
This is encouraged in the rules ( I have to keep saying that to make it feel
right). Bear in mind that the ARC is a money making event, and there's no
money in having all your customers bobbing around in a windless ocean - get
them in here spending! To reinforce this, they close off the finishers list, and
don't place boats that are beyond that time. - Get here quick if you want to stay involved!
Still the long periods of
quiet sailing we've had have been wonderful.
I did a little research before I did the ARC . Whilst they taught us in
school that the winds here blow constantly and unfailingly from East to West, That is not true!. A more accurate statement is that the wind very rarely blows the other way, but frequently doesn't blow at all. In fact I
had difficulty finding a period, at this time of year, when there was more
than 10 days uninterrupted. (hence the fuel I carried)
The two weeks we've had have been an exceptional roller coaster ride, with exceptional winds, and exceptional seas. Now,back to normality! Although we do expect the wind back tomorrow.
Last night was clear and starry again, with shooting stars, and at one
point, two satellites in view at the same time. One of them was so bright,
it must have been the space station. Brighter than anything else in the sky, and travelling from South to North.
We are getting to see more seabirds. I wish I could identify them. One is a diving bird, white, larger than our seagulls, and with a huge trailing tail feather that had us thinking at first that it had somehow tangled in a a bit of net. Several became interested in our lures, but clearly brighter than dorado, discussed the strange situation and left.
The other is much larger, gliding figures of eight without moving a muscle, black with a red head, and long pointed wings. They are completely without interest in us or our trailing pink plastic, but are hunting something.
Someone out there tell us what they are!
The mouse mutinied yesterday and is under restraint.
Rod, Dave, and Alun
SY Moonshine


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