25:24N 18:24W
The Snark on The ARC
Ben Little
Tue 24 Nov 2009 00:32
|
Hi folks,
We have started our trek west having gone south
enough to guarantee winds for the next few days and pretty sure that our track
will take us far enough south for the duration. Dugald has just taken over
the watch at midnight and I am enjoying a packet of crisps and a beer before bed
time.
We are still taking a cautious approach to the
weather with a double reefed main with the Genoa out, but since we changed tack
I think it all feels very comfortable again and I think in the morning if things
are the same we can think about a little more sail and a bit more speed, though
our average so far is above 8 knots we still have a long way to go and it is
dropping off a little since we took the reefs in last night. Better the
cautious approach as we found several folks have blown sails and there is one
drop out with a broken rudder, actually the boat sank as well. All were
rescued ahead of time.
Dugald has been a little green around the gills,
and while I have yet to see any comedy puking I am worried that these seas will
overpower the effect of the Stugeron. Luckily neither I nor Chris are
sufferers and have had no ill effects despite working down stairs on the weather
report and routing (in my case) and writing articles (Chris is allegedly working
though he seems to be having the time of his life).
The Atlantic has given us something to think about
with big seas and good wind but the SNARKY is up to the job and I think she
is wondering why we are not putting the pedal to the metal so to speak.
The answer is that there are 2500 miles to go and plenty of time to test the
envelope. For now we get into the rhythm of the boat. This is not so
easy. Dugald has defined several procedures to make our trip easier, safer
and more regular, But today has failed to get to grips with any of them,
well only one taking Stugeron at regular intervals. I hope it does
the trick. The 3 minute rig check, the fruit turning
procedure and the meal schedule seem to be going out the
window. The fruit
procedure is an interesting one or at least deserves some
explanation. Dugald asked me to rig up a net in the ceiling for the fruit
to rest in. They get air and you can see any bad ones.
I tried but decided not to wreck our ceiling as the short screws would not
work and I did not want the long ones protruding from the deck above so I vetoed
the idea, Instead we have to turn the fruit at regular intervals,
and for some reason Dugald has wrapped a vast quantity of Lemons in foil
(not sure if I am supposed to turn these??) I am sure with all this
the fruit will last us if we want to sail to Australia. I observe
that the apples we got 2 weeks ago are still fine and they were a bit overripe
when we bought them.
enough on fruit now, it seems much less interesting
that Turtles, Tuna, Dolphins and Whales but the sailing is 100% full on rather
that just burring diesel as we have been forced to do for much of
our voyage so far.
Time for bed I think.
Chat again tomorrow. will get around to some
photos then.
Ben
|