28:38S 175:51E

24 hour run – a very slow 120nm

conditions at midday – blue skies, no wind, 1-2m seas

 

After a fickle afternoon yesterday with wind coming and going (hence engine on and off) the wind returned just on dusk.  We sailed out from the gloom and overcast conditions which we’d had for two days into blue skies and a setting sun.  It was a wonderful evening topped off with the sun giving us a green flash.   Well, the green flash has been renamed the “green glimpse” on Bandit as it’s really not a flash at all......it’s just the merest hint of green as the sun ducks beneath the horizon. 

 

As Bandit romped along the seas changed from the large rollers we’d been getting to shortish swells.  I was on first watch and it was a frustrating time trying to stop Bandit crashing off these waves and trying to let the guys get some sleep.  It was one of our roughest nights – the last time it had been this bad was in the Bahamas when we had Annie (David’s middle daughter on board).  Like Alastair, she was sleeping in the forepeak and with every crash it seemed like she’d hit the roof!   We did thank our lucky stars we weren’t on a flat bottom boat – it would have been ten times worse.  Worst of all was that every time Bandit hit a wave she virtually stopped meaning our overnight progress was incredibly slow, hence a disappointing 24 hour run.

 

It was a wonderful starry and clear night – some compensation for the conditions – and this morning dawned beautifully fine with not a cloud in the sky.  Shirts are off for the first time in days and I’ve even dragged out my shorts!  Unfortunately the wind has again died so we’ve been forced to use the steel spinnaker.  While I had my morning snooze the boys did try to fly the kite but it was even too light for that.  Naturally we’d like a bit more wind....but be careful what you wish for!