day 8

Roam2
Terry & Fiona
Mon 16 May 2011 02:31
04:34.3 n
085;49.6 e

course 078
speed. ave 4.2
wind WSW 2 kts
760 miles covered (nearly 7 days).

about 280 miles SE of sri lanka and 550 west of Sumatra.

a very frustrating day for us yesterday. following the good winds of the
previous night, the wind duly died and sailing was difficult for us in the
rolly sea left over from the wind - swell one way, wind waves from another.
the wind rolled out of the sails and we were going nowhere listening to the
sickening banging of sails and rigging banging and pumping as we lurched
from side to side. We tried the spinnaker - what a mess! a dogs dinner would
have been a beautiful sight compared to the nest of lines and wallowing sail
we had! it was too hot and rolly and our tempers were short to match. our
pathetic effort in the Arabian sea last year on our crossing to Mumbai was a
triumph compared to yesterday. it took a few hours before we could even talk
about it. Does anyone want a spinnaker? - as new, hardly used.
We did manage to sail at about 3kts from 16.30 till 0330 - a few more litres
of fuel saved.

Divanty on the other hand had a glorious day. they managed to sail, keep
upright and humourous all day. they claimed they needed a minimum of 15kts
to sail - well yesterday in 10kts, they got fed up with having to keep
slowing down waiting for us to catch up.

this morning, the sea is barely rippled, fore-telling of the calms ahead...?