Final day at sea
Catou
Paul and Sylvie Tucker
Wed 15 Dec 2010 16:36
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14:15.42N 58:35.09W
Wednesday 15th December (Day 24)
Clocks retarded 1 hour this morning to GMT - 4
hours. (Standard Eastern Caribbean time).
Noon
Position:
14 deg 15'N 58 deg 35'W
Daily
Run: 146'
(25 hours)
Average
Speed: 5.84
Knots
Total Average
Speed: 5.30
Knots
Total Distance
covered: 3075'
Distance to
go:
138'
No. motoring
hours:
65.6 hours
ETA: St Lucia (Pigeon
Point) @ 6 Knots 1145
hrs
@ 5.5 " 1350 hrs
@ 5 " 1615
hrs
We have had a wonderful 2nd half of the crossing
with perfect winds for the last 5 days. The nights have also been
a wonderful time to be on watch. The moon has been getting
earlier and brighter each night, giving a lovely light to the night
watches. We have been sailing down the moonbeam for several nights
now! Also from the heavens - the shooting stars are always more
conspicuous in the tropics - and there have been some really fantastic views of
them streaking across the sky and leaving a trail that might just last a second
and no more. One wonders what early man must have thought of them thousands of
years ago?
Still no dolphins since we passed north of the Cape
Verde islands some 2 weeks ago. This morning we have started to see flocks
of large gannet-like birds, which have been circling 'Catou' with a beady eye on
anything we might throw overboard!
Final preparations are being made on board. A
clean up operation and some deck scrubbing is taking place. Cockpit
lockers have to be emptied, and their contents moved around to reflect their
order of importance in port! For example we have to find the sun awning
(not sure where it went after we left Las Palmas!). Sylvie has the bit
between her teeth re: laundry, dusting, washing down & shaking
everything in sight, while Ben is scrubbing the toe-rail!
It is stifling hot on board today! We envy you all
in the cold English winter!
I may not get a blog done tomorrow, due to arrival time,
but promise to in next day or two - together, I hope with some pictures.
Sadly I have lost all mine when I camera was ruined, but we hope to download
some from Sylvie's camera. Ben almost has his bags packed, in preparation
for his family's arrival on the pontoon tomorrow! We asked him if he can just
remember to tie up the for'd line on a pontoon cleat as he jumps ashore to see
his lovely little girls.
Thanks to you all for reading, and hope you have enjoyed
it. Many thanks for all your comments and replies. Many thanks
to Brian and Pam, who are kindly bringing some urgently needed spares for Catou
(+ of course, my new blackberry!). Brian has been a great help in phoning
up some marine supply companies and asking them questions about certain pieces
or equipment on board that 'require attention'! He has then been relaying the
answers back to us on board. This modern communication system is truly
amazing, and has enabled us to keep in touch, order parts as needed - from
mid-Atlantic, to do the blogs, and to download the most amazingly
accurate GRIB weather forecasts. The satellite system is very good,
though, as you would expect, not exactly cheap!
Best wishes, Paul, Sylvie and
Ben
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