position S08 42.100 W98 05.900
Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Sun 27 Aug 2017 18:17
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Sunday 27th August.
Discretion
being the better part of valour we have changed
course for the Marquesas. Our attempt to reach Easter
Island foundered as the wind picked up to 20
knots plus and the strain on bodies and boat
was too great to contemplate
another week with winds forecast to
increase further south. Although
we werent hard on the wind and we were
well reefed the motion was very
uncomfortablle and new deck
leaks were appearing as waves sloshed over the side. That means we now have a further 3 weeks without
landfall which
made
the decision hard but
I think correct.
As soon as we turned downwind everything became immediately quieter and although there is some rolling it is a more predictable and gentler motion than the slewing, dropping and jumping we had before. The pacific has shown it can be the equal of the Atlantic in wave size but the spacing is closer and sides steeper. We had trouble this morning trying to sort out a sail plan to suit the new downwind course- the jib wrapped itself around the forestay and refused to unwrap -eventually a jybe did the trick after an hour or so of fiddling. Now we have reefed main set to port with preventer and poled out jib to starboard. Good speed but I suspect Jib alone would be less rolly and not much slower. May drop the main this afternoon. The 2nd jib isnt rigged and I doubt can be underway. I might think about the geneka if one jib is too slow. Sleep has been in short supply the last couple of nights as the sail noises and creaking intrude but hopefuly things will settle a bit now. The engine casing has developed an annoying creak which we can quiet for a time by packing rags in strategic places but it keeps returning. We have had a few showers which blow into the cockpit now. It is still a cool wind but very hot in the sun which is now overhead. Loads of flying fish on the deck -one as big as a decent herring. Diana has thrown out the last of the chicken curry so I may put the line out and see if anything is biting. Otherwise flying fish stew. |