Fw: All at Sea - N29.40.21.W53.50.35

Moya
Doug Smith
Tue 15 May 2012 16:59
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Doug Smith
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 9:33 PM
Subject: All at Sea - N29.40.21.W53.50.35

Well, we are still going strong! Position now is N29.40.21.  W53.50.35.  This puts us 955 miles into our journey with only another 1358 miles to go before we see land again, Horta in the Azores.  We have just tacked after being on the same tack for eight days - the scale of this is quite mind blowing!  We have seen very little, three ships, one fishing boat, a yacht and two dolphins since leaving Antigua.  The weather has started to become chilly, which must mean we are getting nearer to home and the sea temperature has dropped 3 degrees since we left the Caribbean.  We have had a few starry nights which has enabled us to see a couple of shooting stars and even a satelite, arcing through the sky.
 
Life on board is moving into a rhythm. We do watch and watch about, keeping six hour watches during the day and four hour watches during the hours of darkness - 6pm to 8am - this appears to work quite well with nobody getting too tierd and I think we are also getting on well, with no ruffled feathers just yet despite the very small space that is our world!
 
You may wonder what we do all day - basically try and fix things that broke the night before!  We have had lots go wrong, mainly due to the endless motion of the sea chaffing through things.  We normally manage, but today the water generator - it makes our electricity - has had terminal failure, so power is a bit tight from now on (as is fuel and fresh water!) 
 
Food is holding up well, thanks to the ingenuity of our chef, Dave, and all the muscle work is being done by Rick - its cheaper for him to work out here than the gym.  I think he is enjoying it, certainly couldn't do with out him, to the extent that he has now moved into my cabin - we are on alternate watches - and put a notice on the door saying Captain R. Smith - however there appear to still be some questions that need to come to "Dad"
 
Those who sail will know that the wind always blows from where you want to go, and this trip is no exception.  We are trying to track East but the wind and current keep pushing us North - but there is no option, we just have to go with what we are given, even if it takes a bit longer.  
 
Doug.

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