days 5 to 7

Panulirus
CR and KN Williams
Sat 2 Dec 2006 17:41
Day 5

Keith,
good day, mainly south.Got the lobster poled out.

Little Guy,
what happened on Thursday? Can't quite remember. Think we did some sailing.
That's right. And I got my sextant out for a bit of celestial pleasure. My
technique for the noon shot is almost textbook.

Tom,
In fact the best day yet. Galloping south to catch the trade winds.

Clare
Tandoori chicken for supper.Beautiful warm evening now we have crossed the
tropic of Cancer ,and making 5 knots with only 9 knots of wind .Decided to
leave out the lobster cruising chute.Why do I always have to learn by my
mistakes....

Day 6

Keith,
Spent three hours trying to untangle the lobster after an unnamed crew
member wrapped it (4 times as it later transpired) round the Genoa
overnight. Eventually had to cut it off. Not v/pleased! Lots of wind
though. Water pump packed up with cracked filter housing. I've got a spare
pump but no filters, so had to cannibalise the shower drain.

Little Guy,
The day was very much overshadowed by our mourning the demise of Lobby.
After he was cut loose by a heavy-hearted skipper and then lowered by a very
heroic Tommy (who was swinging monkey-like from the top of the mast in what
looked like a large blue incontinence pad), we spent much of the day beating
our collective breasts, wailing and moaning. We tried to cheer ourselves up
in the evening with a bottle of wine, but a freak wave spilled nearly all of
it. Not a good day.

Tom,
Let it be recorded that the large blue incontinence pad was actually a
Boson's Chair. I didn't actually need nappies - although it was fairly
scary. Quite happy not to have to do that again until in a marina in St
Lucia. For those of you who haven't had the misfortune to be on a boat full
of vertigo sufferers and a jammed spinnaker, the bad bit is the smashing
against the mast , shrouds, Genoa roller gear, etc. when an especially large
wave makes you lose grip. Very glad to have a
cool and level headed Little Guy at the other end of the safety rope.

Clare
Managed to wrap the lobster round the Genoa forestay in the middle of the
night In the morning after 2 hours motoring round in circles trying to free
it Keith had to cut it and Tom very bravely went to the top of the mast in
20 knots of wind to clear the top.Hopefully it is repairable and Tom hasn't
sustained any lasting damage.
Water filter repair took up most of the rest of the day.

Day 7

Keith,
Finally got to 20 deg N so at last we're heading where we're going.
Goose-winging with prevented main and poled-out Genoa. Still last apart from
retirements.

Little Guy,
It must be Saturday because I'm not at work. Lobby has now been packed away,
awaiting some kind of resurrection in England. Life must go on. And indeed
it does. Though not for the two flying fish who jumped aboard during the
night and were no doubt briefly shocked to discover a somewhat drier and
harder patch of ocean than expected. They are to date our only catches in
the fiercely contested ARC fishing competition. Lucky we're not competitive
on Panulirus.

Tom,
Awoke this morning feeling like I'd been hunting yesterday and fallen off.
Twice. Flying along with winds and waves behind us - if this continues we
might even get to St Lucia before Pier. The rolling created by the
following sea has taken a little getting used to. Things either get put
away, wedged in the sink or they end up on the cabin floor. We are all
wearing our swimming costumes.

Clare
This is perfect sailing .The course is ideal for a sunfilled cockpit so I
have been reclining in my bikini with a chilled drink.Blue sky ,sun and no
squalls as yet.I do like uneventful days.