14:01N 44:52W Tranquilizer trades wind for Trade Winds

Tranquilizer
Sail Ionian
Tue 7 Dec 2010 21:55
If you're tracking us at home you may have noticed that we have suddenly got a bit of a spurt on. Yes,we have finally found the trades or to be more precise they've found us as Rich put us in the right place at the right time. Last night's run saw us battle squalls and high seas to keep up a steady 11 knots under full sail in up to 26 knot winds. Good eh?Ros would hate it!There is,of course,a price to pay at the end of the day. Sunrise saw 5 very bleary eyed crew who had had little or no sleep ( Rich can sleep through anything ). We started last night with two yachts behind us ,two just in front and 2 far in front and by morning we'd left them all behind. The days' run time for the last 24 hours was 190 nm , a record for us.The other downside is that the auto helm can't cope with these seas and speeds so we're now steering by hand all the time, all except the "boy Ninky " who'se framing like a girl and persuading Robin to do her steering in exchange for her doing more in the calm Caribbean waters.
Lunchtime brought Tuna mayo wraps alla Robin and Ninky, the first tinned fish of the trip. Mid afternoons High Tea was served at 1500 hrs and to celebrate going over the centre line on the chart we had Ros's fruit cake again but only one piece each as it's reputed to contain a bottle of Metaxa brandy per slice. We now realise that there is something odd about the boy Ninky as he also doesn't like fruit cake as well as tea.
Other celebrations today was Neil's distance record of last year beaten as we just passed the spot where he transferred onto Superservant 3 last year so new ground from now on.
Tonights evening meal was a first. ALL tinned food , until Robin got his hands on it and added some cabbage that he found in the bottom of the front heads. Well, it is being used as a food store!
As a final note I'd like to point out that Lee has put a new slant on doing his washing. He's decided to just wear it and sit at the spare helm and wait to be dunked again.
Neil

JPEG image