Departed Piriapolis

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 18 Dec 2009 15:40

Departed Piriapolis

Course: south Speed: ?
Wind: Northeast F1 - light air
Weather: Sunny, warm

We are away again. It was quite windy alongside and bit tricky getting out of the marina berth which is a Mediterranean moor style set up. We had a boat either side of us and the wind blowing us sideways but with the judicious use of a few lines we managed to get away without scratching anything. Once away clear of the harbour I set a reef in the mainsail expecting strong winds, the forecast from the Prefectura was for force four to five but now that we are out here the wind has fallen off completely, the wind vane is struggling valiantly to hold a course though I suspect it is merely coincidental that we are roughly pointing in the right direction.

All the essential jobs have been done for now: a small repair to the luff of the mainsail, all navigation lights including the anchor light are working, and wind vane is once more firmly attached to the transom.

Mar del Plata, our next port, is 220 nm away. If we get a bit of wind we should be there Sunday, perhaps more likely Monday at this rate. Some wind will come. I expect to be in Mar del Plata for a couple of weeks as I need to look into either repairing or replacing the no. 1 headsail and if the price is right perhaps purchase a new mainsail, then if there is any money left over a haul out and bottom paint is due.

All is well.

Bob Cat:

The skipper was running all over the boat this morning, generally this means we are going to sea. I find this is a good time to raise a few complaints, though the sun in the cockpit required my attention for much of the morning despite the skipper getting in the way. Now we are bobbing around in the ocean again and its high time we started to adapt to the Spanish culture, siesta time . . . Zzzzzzz.