Blog 6th December
Nightsong
Sun 6 Dec 2009 18:31
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Hi Blog
Well this voyage has certainly not been boring.
Last night and early this morning despite trying to avoid them by using the
radar we were hit by 4 squalls. During the first one while rounding up to reef,
we ripped the jib by flogging it and had gusts of 40 knots, the
remaining 3 all caused us problems not least by forcing us to go the wrong way
and on one occasion motor for 15 mins to try to avoid the worst of it - hence
our poor daily run today - we are all knackered after ' All hands on deck'
was called countless times to reef unreef, gybe, gybe back etc etc.The squalls
hit very suddenly with torrential rain and gale force winds and I suspect are
causing many boats lots of difficulties not just us.
 The result of this is that today after the sun has
heated up about 1200 GMT (0900 hrs real time) when squalls largely cease, we
have been doing repairs. I have taken my turn with the sail needle and repaired
the jib while Tony B discovered some bolts loose in the anchor locker which came
out of the furling gear. He has effected some repair which makes the furling
work much better than it has for a long time - but we need Selden to look at it
in St Lucia. I strongly suspect that the bowsprit has been fibreglassed into the
hull after the Furlex has been fitted - so Southerly have an email winging to
them 'cos we can't maintain it.
We have now been at sea 2 weeks and sailed over
2000 miles from Las Palmas - actually about 2200 thru the water. We only have
560 miles to go but I think a Wednesday arrival unlikely - hopefully Thursday
morning - if we could just get consistent wind from the NE or SE or somewhere. I
am funnily enough really looking forward to going to windward!! The last 5 miles
into Rodney should be that. We still have some oranges and lemons which have
lasted better tthan the apples - and some Canary Island bananas which are
delicious. Onto pasta and packet food now - we just don't have time to
fish. The sails are holding out - just - with a little bit of sail repair
material left - we have now ripped every single sail Nightsong
has apart from the storm jib (the big gennaker admittedly earlier with the
2 Daves and Keith). Been incredibly abstemious so looking forward to a long
sleep and then a BIG PARTY!!
AJB 06/12/09
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