Underway towards Gibraltar 36:20.5N 004:15.6W

Ticketeeboo
Sue & Alan
Sun 23 Jun 2013 17:11
Presently on donk about 62NM DOG to go towards Gibraltar (actually La Linea, Spain, where we are intending to drop our hook until Tuesday, when we expect to enter Queensway Marina, Gibraltar. We've chosen to go on the hook overnight because firstly, it's convenient for us to drop the hook in La Linea where we are not dependent on marina opening times (Queensway have a floating barrier, which goes across their entrance before sunset and 08:30 next day) and secondly a day on the hook north of the breakwater in La Linea gives us chance to get relax and move on towards Queensway on Tuesday at the time we've given them.
Since this morning, we've had what little wind there is 'from directly behind us'. Nothing greater than E'ly F3. This doesn't help us much because our sails are just too heavy to for these conditions............... and we don't have a pole to pole-out our genoa until we take delivery of our new pole in Gibraltar! We've tried sailing (much to Sue's amusement) and after half an hour had to give-up in favour of the donk (again). We know we will get some sailing before we finish the night because our gribs indicate strengthening E'ly winds and Spanish Meteo are forecasting an E F8 gale in sea area Estrecho from 24th 0600 to 24th 2400! Fortunately we will be running with these strong winds and seas, at least until we hang a right out of Estrecho for our last few miles towards La Linea. Yippee! We gets a nice little sail to finish-off our series of passages and daysails from Marina di Ragusa towards Gib. Also, if we maintain our speed we should be on 'well dug in and snug as a bug' before the strengthening winds turn into the forecast gale after 0600...... timing is everything to keep my happy bunny happy! In meantime we await this adverse 1.5kn surface current to favour us again.
Just picked-up email (via SSB) from Ray & Sandra. Ray indicates he is looking forward to him & me doing our crossing towards Caribbean at end of the year and that Sandra is having (another) doze on the sofa, since it's raining in Suffolk this afternoon! [Hi Ray, fortunately, it's lovely and sunny here, 30º in cockpit and clear skies............. and there will be an exceptionally bright full moon for most of our night sail. We hope you building project gets off to a good start tomorrow and your CDM file is fully up to date? Will HRH be coming to the opening ceremony?]
Back to watchkeeping because I think Sue's gonna start our evening meal soon.............'cause I've been a good feller all day so far. Tatty bye for now xxxxxxxxx.
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Ticketeeboo MMSI 235071989 Callsign 2CED3
At 23/06/2013 17:10 (utc) our position was 36°20.49'N 004°15.73'W
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