Walkabout - Happy half way day!!!!

Walkabout has gone Sailing
Andrew and Traci Roantree
Sat 27 Nov 2021 09:39
N12:34.5 W42:00.5

Today we will pass through that mythical spot on the chart that marks our halfway point!! It is tricky to be precise about it, but when we pass our ‘Steak Dinner’ waypoint we will definitely be in the second half of this journey! (The WP is marked on the charts with a knife and fork symbol, so there is no confusion).

We could have had to change it from Steak Dinner to Fish Supper!!! We had our first fish on the line! But in our excitement and dithering about how to get it on board - we lost it! Since then, all we have caught is weed. We are very much the ‘all the gear, no idea’ kind of fishermen!

The wind has got up now, and we have had 15-20 knots for about the last 24hours. We went really well with the BWR yesterday - it was a bit too lively at times. We decided to swap to main (2nd reef) and Genoa over night, with a slight heading change to make this a bit more under control overnight. But we have struggled for pace - mainly due to the continuing massive amount of weed on the Hydrovane rudder. We stopped the boat at sunset, cleared it all, and within 15 minutes it was completely wrapped again. I reckon this has cost us at least 1mile per hour overnight. We may consider removing the rudder if it continues, but that will be a challenge, and putting it back on when we are clear of weed will be virtually impossible in these seas.

We had a couple of chats on the VHF with Pippin and Sundance 2. This morning the only boat on AIS is ScatCat, who we have had a chat with - they caught a marlin!!! And had to let it go before it pulled them backwards (like in Jaws!).

Life on board is good. Our sleeping pattern works well - 3x4hr shifts overnight, which alternate each night for who gets 2 sleeps. Then some cat naps during the day. So we spend most of the daylight hours together, chilling, chatting, reading, getting hot and sweaty when sail changes are required, cooking, cleaning and the boat jobs. There are not enough hours in the day!!

Thanks for all the texts - very much appreciated. We enjoy the ‘chirp’ of the sat phone when one comes in.

Last night’s dinner was Chicken Jalfrezi with potatoes. We had a really lovely, fresh mixed salad for lunch. Makes you realise that it is not all corned beef and baked beans when you are on these journeys. Excellent victualling by Traci!!

Hoorah for Half Way Day from the 2 of us on Walkabout!!

A&Tx