Still Beating
Digiboat's "Product Testing"
Simon Blundell
Sat 23 Jun 2012 23:10
08:47.206S
112:35.2988E
24/6
0530
Only 150 miles
to go. Actually I say "only" very optimistically as with these conditions that
could still take 2 days, ordinarily it'd be guaranteed less than 24
hrs...
Still strong
head winds, at times 20kn, mostly around 15. Occasionally we get a day with
calmer seas and 12kn, this is when we can make best ground upwind with full
sails up allowing us to point to our potential, and the seas not knocking us
constantly off to leeward.
Zac has
(finally) discovered that boats in these conditions obey more the Aristotelian
Laws of Physics, rather than Newtonian or Einsteinian. Aristotle proposed that
all elements (of which he identified 4 - water, earth, air and fire) will return
to their natural place - hence rocks sink etc. On board, in these pounding and
healing conditions, everything's natural place is in the lowest corner of
the floor or the bilge. Computers, cutlery, toasters, tools are all piled in one
corner of the floor, and any liquid meal or drink under preparation and left
unattended for an instant will find its way into the
bilge!
Beating upwind
seems an odd verb to describe this. At first it gives the impression that you
could be "winning" the battle. This rarely is the case. Our growing
collections of cuts and bruises from being tossed around the cabin and cockpit
make it more likely to mean "taking a beating". But I think a meaning closer to
beating something in a blender would be most
accurate.
Probably last
entry before we anchor at Gili Gede, eta late Monday unless the much sought
favourable wind shift occurs. Both looking fwd to a quiet, motionless, full
night's sleep.
SJB