WE HAVE WIND!

The last full 24 hour period saw us cover a stunning 100nm. A big improvement over the last two days. Today we have had ENE to NE winds of 10 to 15 knots. Not only that, but I have discovered that if you chase Thunderstorms. That is get in the way of them. You can get winds of 30+knots. This is a little hazardous as a pastime, but boy can you have some fun!! In between getting soaked, you can surf the boat at over 9 knots.  Jennie hates it, and wants to reef right down. But in the daylight we just kept up the full rig, albeit ready to put the Genoa away at any time. Then roared down the big rollers. Brill fun.

The other thing that has happened, due to the lack of battery power is……..Hydievane. I have now mastered how to get her to work, hour after hour, down wind. In all but the lightest of airs, she works a treat. Even during gusting thunderstorms. We do not yet have the courage to use it at night on Jennie’s watch, but we will be doing so soon, I am sure. This is when we are reefed right down anyway, to the risks of “things” going “pear shaped” are minimal.

The other funny thing, happened last night. I was blissfully asleep in my bunk, when the crew started shouting for my attention. You know the one…DAVID!  DAVID! DD  AA VV II DD!!!!! I NEED YOU UP HERE NOOOOW………….

It seems there had been a loud bang followed by lots of metallic clanking noises. Now in the pitch dark in the cockpit, on your own, at 0400 this can be a bit disconcerting. Jennie thought the steering had failed, and all manner of scary thoughts were running through her head. In fact the Flying fish that had landed in the cockpit had hit the steering wheel and was thrashing about all over the place. The sounds of Jennie trying to catch this “slippery little thing” in the cockpit, in the dark, was just hilarious. Even if I had just been woken from a deep sleep.

Hey ho, need to get back on watch……………Oh, nearly forgot. A mere 483 NM to go. Less than a Biscay crossing and much more benign.  I hope.