An eventful day
Rhumbrunner
Sun 15 Jan 2017 15:04
I wanted to title this 'eat sleep sail repeat', as that is what we've been doing for a couple of days, getting in to the routine and relaxing. Yesterday was different. We were still running with wind behind, jib and ballooner up only. The wind and swell has calmed again but cloud came over for an overcast day. Chris wanted to start the generator and water-maker this morning, but neither would run. He spent about 2hrs in the engine room fixing the issue, but he did fix it :). Meanwhile we had the squid lures following close behind, they hooked another fish ! Stuart hauled in a 2 foot Mahi Mahi (sounds more exciting than its other name Dorado), he butchered it on the stern and cooked it lightly in butter for a lunch appetizer, delicious. With light wind Chris put on a wash, was a bit odd to hang your laundry on a yacht mid-ocean, great luxury to have a washing machine on board, though.
Finally at 2100 we lost the ballooner, as Chris logged, 'it popped'. In the dark, we dropped it, brought in the starboard pole, unfurled the mizzen, furled the jib, brought in the port pole, re-rigged the jib to fly out to starboard, launched the starboard pole, unfurled the jib to starboard. Not bad considering two of us were fast asleep 5mins earlier. So we have no cruising chute. We have rigged jib and mizzen for a broad reach, which is closer to our course, but slower with less sail up.
We've past halfway to St Helena, we are all chuffed about that, and have started reminding each other to ensure beers get cooled a day before arrival. Good to plan ahead. When we pass 22.5 degrees South we will be in the tropics, should be soon. We covered 180miles in the 24hrs to 1400, pretty good for light wind, we'll struggle to keep this pace without the ballooner.
15/1/17
A chilled day today with variable winds. Still made 159nm over the 24hr run with our white sails, & now making chocolate cake! Examined the Ballooner & it looks like a sailmaker should be able to repair it.
Current Position 15/1/17 15.00GMT 22:26.0S 003:42.0E
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