Games People Play by Tony:

You may have heard that one of the games that the crew of Shaya Moya play is “The Shaya Moya Sweepstake.” This is a daily game which requires each crew member to estimate the distance we will make in the next 24hrs noon to noon. The log is recorded at noon and points awarded as follows: The closest to the correct answer gets five points, the second four points and so on. The points are accumulated on a spread sheet complete which bar chart (as shown below).The idea as well as being a bit of fun is that the losing two crew members buy the winners dinner in St Lucia .

In case you can’t read the picture the position so far is Don 34 points, Jane 34 points, Reece 25points ,Dave at 22.5and Tony 19.5 points. Along way to go yet but Jane and Don do seem to viaying for top first position for some days.

Talking of “how are we doing” here are a few numbers for those of you that like numbers.

·         Our average speed over the ground has been 161 nm per day

·         It is now day 9 , we have been going for 8 full days and have travelled 1519 miles over the ground/sea. We have travelled  1183 on the rhumb line. That means that we have had to travel about 23% further than the straight line.

·         We believe that it may yet be a couple of days and about  100 miles further to the south before we hit the Trade Winds and turn due west and head straight for St Lucia.

·         It is now 1680 nm on the rhumb  line to St Lucia, but we won’t be able to go in a straight line. If we are as efficient going forward as we have been so far then we will need to do 23% more i.e  2066 nm.

·         If that is “how far” then the other question is “how fast”. Nobody really knows the answer to this question. The trade winds are generally forming more slowly, more lightly and more to the south than on average. The ARC has therefore been predicted from the beginning to be a slow one. Here are some scenarios:

·         If we continue to make 161 nm per day which we think will be a worst case scenario, then it will take 11.5 days more to get to St Lucia. That would be a total of 20.5 days and we will arrive on 11/12th^th Dec.

·         If we make 180 nm per day which is a possible scenario, then it will take 13 days more to get to St Lucia. That would be a total of 22days and we will arrive on 13^th Dec.

·         If we make 190 nm per day which we think is a possible  if not  an optimistic scenario, then it will take 11 days more to get to St Lucia. That would be a total of 20 days and we will arrive on 13^th Dec.

·         The other possibility is that we will be more efficient than having to do  +23% miles. After all when we find the trade winds we will be going more or less in a straight line. So, if the figure were say +15% and the speed 180nm. Then the distance over the ground would be 1932 and it would take another 11 days making a total of 20 days i.e.13^th December.

Either way we should be there for Christmas.  

But!! Just in case, does anyone know how to make Christmas Cake in a bread maker