Conditions have changed
Neroli
Charles Tongue
Fri 28 Nov 2008 17:02
|
20:20.00N
22:42.00W
Conditions
have changed.........
We hoped to
break our record for our best daily run to noon today and we did. We also
implied that conditions might change - and they did! Darkness falls very quickly
at about 1830 down here and the first light of dawn gently fills in from the
east about 12 hours later. We discuss our sailplan for the night at about 1730
and then prepare an early dinner so that those off watch can pack in some sleep.
Yesterday we got it wrong. We decided to leave the spinnaker up for the night
but by 2000 it was plain that we were over-canvassed and had to hand both the
spinnaker and the mains'l. The wind had strengthened to F6 and veered to the
east. This created a very confused sea and it was most uncomfortable andalmost
impossible to sleep down below. In the early hours of the morning Lou and Graham
could stand the movement no longer and we gave ouselves a deeply reefed main
which eased the movement and increased our boat speed. By morning we were all
feeling rather frazzled and lacking in sleep. The wind has eased but we have had
a consistent ENE F5 and big rolling seas all day. We now have a 'tradewind rig'
of twin heads'ls, one boomed out to starboard using a block on the boom and the
other to port on the spinnaker pole. We are rushing SW at 7-8 kn, sometimes
surfing up to over 9kn.
 Lou, Henry and
the bananas - we seem to have been joined by a Martian!
This photo was
intended to show the big following seas but none of the pictures were very
impressive so here are the three important members of the team along with their
daily food rations - we intentionally bought green bananas so they last and
ripen on the way. So far we have logged 654 miles and our noon day run was
a record for us at 147 miles. We should cover 175 on a good day. By all accounts
the weather outlook is difficult and we may now have to head south of the
Lattitude of St Lucia to find settled
tradewind conditions.
1700
28.11.08
|