Day 11 – Noon 29^th May to Noon 30^th May

It was nice to have a recovery day after the 4 days of gales, but then we wanted to get cracking again and finish the crossing at pace. So our old friend the weather popped up, had a laugh and promptly becalmed us. We’ve now been motoring for over 24 hours but we’re not making the required pace. We still have 600 miles to go. We’ve probably got enough diesel for another 300 miles, so we‘ve got to find some wind somewhere or we’ll still be out here at Christmas!

It’s amazing the difference a few hours can make. Very rapidly there has been a staggering change in conditions.

But there is a plus side to being stuck out in the ocean. Dolphins and shearwaters are our constant companions and we’re all in awe at their complete mastery of their respective environments. Watching shearwaters glide within millimetres of huge waves in a raging gale is a rare privilege. You have to be there to see that.

Dolphins always lift our spirits. Different pods have different behaviour patterns. Some prefer to play under the bow, some surround the boat while others charge along in the wake. Best so far have been the tail-slappers and the ones who leap vertically out of the water in pairs in a spiral. Do they actually know what a double helix looks like, because they can do a pretty good imitation?

And then disaster struck.

“Where’s the rest of the builders tea bags” came the cry from the galley? After much searching the conclusion dawned – there wasn’t any more. Now skipper is all right because he drinks Earl Grey and there’s still plenty of that. But he now has 3 large, ugly, mutinous looking crew on his hands to add to his woes.

The saga continues tomorrow.

Paul - Peejay