Day Eleven - Merry Christmas
Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 25 Dec 2021 02:17
Course: ESE Speed: 6.5 knots
Wind: W, F4 Sea: moderate
Swell: SW, 2 meters
Weather: overcast, mild
Day's Run: 155 nm
We have enjoyed a relatively peaceful night, running wing-on-wing with two reefs in the main and the poled out jib rolled up to 70%.
This morning the wind backed into the west, requiring a gybe to keep us on course. I also decided to shake out a reef now that it was daylight and conditions were relatively mild. This ended up becoming a very involved exercise. I noticed that one of the ties securing the sail to its luff car had come undone which ended up needing most of the mainsail to be lowered. This in turn allowed the battens to slip inside the lazy jacks which meant I had to secure the mainsail with some sail ties, then undo the lazy jacks to free the battens, then re-hoist the main to one reef, and then finally resecure the lazy jacks. (I really must get around to doing something to prevent the luff car ties from coming undone - a job for the next calm period.)
By 0900 I had everything sorted and went below for a late but well earned breakfast - there is nothing like that first cup of tea for the day.
The rest of the forenoon has been spent reading and preparing Christmas lunch. I have lots of potatoes which are starting to look the worse for wear, mainly because of the rolling around, plenty of onions, a couple of carrots whose use by date is fast approaching, and quite a bit of garlic. So, I thought baked vegies with a small tin of chicken would make for a nice little feast, followed by a gluten free fruit mince pie (thank you Sue), all washed down with my first cup of coffee for the voyage.
Wishing everyone a joyful Christmas Day, may we all do our bit to bring peace and goodwill towards one another.
All is well.