46:49.207 S 075:18.186 W

Spindrift
David Hersey
Mon 24 Mar 2008 23:09

 

24/3/08  10:00 AM

 

Yesterday’s sunshine was obviously our Easter treat.  This morning we’re back to standard gray with light rain.  A few minutes ago we left  the lovely lagoon, which even looks nice in the rain.  We’re heading  out towards the Pacific for the crossing.  It will take a couple of hours to get there, the wind is forcast to be against us until mid afernoon when it will veer West and eventually SW which will be good  for the crossing and if there is enough of it we can switch from motor boat mode to sailing  mode. 

As we clear the lee of the island the wind turns North 20 knots on the nose, but the sea state isn’t too bad.

 

 

14:30

The wind has behaved and gone SSW as advertised. The grey, however, remains.

 

16:30

There is evidence that the rudder problem which was repaired with the month’s delay last November in The Canaries has returned. We have decided to put in at the back of Cabo Elena on the North side of The Golfo de Penas to investigate further. We don’t know how long it’s been a problem because we’ve been in sheltered waters for the last few weeks.  We have been aware of the bilge pump working increasingly often for some time.  Before anyone reading this panics, let me stress there is no immediate danger to us whatsoever.  Everything is under control. The rudder stock is leaking in small but manageable amounts. The weather is gentle and will be so for the next few days by which time we will have sorted something out. It seems sensible to carry on with day hops rather than the overnighter we had planned.  Of course if it turns out that another major repair is necessary it will have a disastrous impact on the schedule for the next section of the trip.

 

19:00

We are anchored in what’s called Puerto Barosso,  and will look at the situation again in the morning.  The rain and the grey have continued all day.  I enclose a couple of pictures taken earlier today to remind you what our world looks like, in case you’ve forgotten.

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