36:39.7N 053:11.0W Midday (BST) Fix 22 May 2010 Run Away! Run Away!
Oboe D'Amore's Web Diary
Nigel Backwith
Sat 22 May 2010 14:05
2010
View our progress on Google Earth at: http://blog.mailasail.com/oboe
GPS Position: 36:39.7N 053:11.0W
Sea Miles (previous 24 Hours): 141nMs
Sea Miles to date: 1,734nMs
Present Course Over Ground: 122°M
Present Boat Speed 4.0kts (motoring)
Average Boat Speed (previous 24 hours): 5.9kts
Average Boat Speed to date: 6.4kts
***Velocity Made Good (VMG) to date: 4.6kts ***
Estimated GPS Position in 24 hours time: 36:12N 050:24W
Sea State: Calm
Wind Speed and Direction: 5kts variable
Barometric Pressure: 1015mB
(VMG - An accurate measure of the average velocity achieved to date along
our chosen rhumb line from Antigua to Dartmouth, UK)
By 0200 hours local time Friday we had 2 reefs in both the mainsail and the
headsail and still we were bouncing along uncomfortably at nearly 9kts with
the seas growing and slamming our beam. I reminded the crew that sailing
was a water sport and that getting wet and salty in the cockpit was
"normal". I'm not sure I was very popular for stating the obvious,
especially as only the top of my (dry) head could be seen through the
companionway hatch! It was a night to endure, no more, no less and endure
it we did. By 1000 hours Saturday we had 3 reefs in the main and a pocket
handkerchief-sized headsail and there was talk of dropping the main
altogether and hoisting the dayglo orange storm jib. The threat of this was
sufficient for someone up there to take pity on an exhausted crew (and
skipper, I hasten to add) and by 1300 hours we were troughing down hot bowls
of Japanese ramen noodle soup (up market pot noodles - nothing but the best
for the crew of Oboe!), with the mouth watering smell of fresh baked olive
bread wafting aloft, thanks to the commitment of our meisterchef, who
prefers not to be named in case his wife, Marion, gets to know about it and
expects the same at home).
The day passed catching up on sleep under grey clouds and making good
progress through choppy waters. Night fell, rain fell in bucket loads and
washed the salty decks and salty crew. The wind abated and at 0400 hours
Saturday, huddled over his computer screen glowing in the dark with secret,
cryptic wind predictions, the skipper drank tea and finally ordered "Engine
on! Make 4kts boat speed please east by sou' east helm. "Aye Aye skipper!
But why are we heading south again, skipper?" "You don't want to know
matey, you don't want to know. Run away! Run away!" For now the crew is
warm and dry, long may it stay that way...
Nigel
Date: 22 May 2010