Day 106 – Grease Gun Found

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Tue 29 Mar 2022 09:07
Noon Position: 41 09.8 S 066 47.8 E
Course: ENE Speed: 6.5 knots
Wind: SW F6 Sea: moderate
Swell: WSW 3m
Weather: cloudy, showers, mild
Day’s Run: 162nm

The wind has gradually increased to a steady force seven, gusting force eight in the numerous passing showers, and backed into the SW, requiring a gybe late yesterday afternoon and reduction of sail to three reefs in the main and 30% jib poled out to starboard. We have run before the near gale force winds all night and today and the forecast is for them to continue until late tomorrow when they are expected to ease to a more comfortable force five – about 20 knots.
With the steady strong breeze, the sea and swell have naturally built up and with the wind and sea off her starboard quarter Sylph is rolling quite a bit, with the odd sea breaking over her stern. The showers, as well as bringing an increase in wind strength, also brings a shift in direction, veering about thirty degrees and causing Sylph to alter course the same amount, thereby bringing the sea and swell more onto the beam and causing her to roll even more heavily. But we are about as comfortable as we can expect to be in these conditions and on the plus side we are making good speed, though the gusts have caused me some anxious moments.
Something I forgot to mention yesterday is that during the calm period I opened up the lazarette to give it a bit of air. I pulled most everything out of it and at long last have found the grease gun. Hooray! So I have now greased the rudder post bearing and eliminated its small leak. That should keep the bearing watertight and the bilges dry for a couple of months before it will need doing again.
Amsterdam Island is now 530 miles away. We should be rounding it sometime Saturday 2 April and turning north to do our lap around the Indian Ocean.
All is well.