ARC - Day 10
Rainmaker
Donald Macdonald
Wed 2 Dec 2020 15:07
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Position 21.01N 42.59W
The spinnaker flown into the night with wind increasing
and the sea swell not discernable with the waves. To add to this it was very
cloudy therefore no moon to shine on the sea and boat. Although not recommended
it became compass watching to stop going off course which we both did with
regularity as senses tell you one thing the boat is doing the opposite. WE tried
adding a further reef to the main to decrease the screw ups to wind a little
easier just not enough. At 2 a.m. the wind was 27+ knots and a few broaches
decided time to take the sail down. This sail is in a snuffer and having let the
guy right off the sail would not collapse and all my body weight on the suffer
line was not bringing it down noticeably. After probably 10-15 minutes it was
snuffed but not until my hands had some friction heat when the odd time lost
tight control of the line. Hands look OK today no blisters etc.
The rest of the evening sailed with white sails
only with a little loss of speed but no screw-ups so probably net the
same. Just after light this morning, 9 a.m., although you would not know it as
was thick cloud and rain for a few hours, same as UK weather on 2nd December
although a far better temperature at 24C, we prepared to hoist spinnaker
again. Once prepared 25 knots wind arrived on the beam, belayed that
decision. Sail secured on deck. Probably will not go up today as we have a
forecast of wind moving forward about 30-40 degrees and expecting stronger winds
overnight.
As well as this sailing thing there are a whole host of
other tasks that need completing everyday which does both of us to be on watch
together. Normally after 1st light we both take our temperatures, a requirement
to get into St Lucia without quarantine if no indications of fever. The
PredictWind application on the computer opened, update our position on it and
request latest weather forecast by email for our route to St Lucia using
satellite phone, on this same call we get a weather forecast update from the ARC
team for the various boxes of the Atlantic. This needs understanding and also
Bluetooth a copy of it to the tablet in the cockpit. A second call is made a few
minutes after the initial to get a response from PredictWind. The file they send
moved into the application and also file sent to tablet. Data digested to get
understanding of what we may expect now and up to next 7 days. Both ARC and
PredictWind do not always have the same information for where we
are.
In good light inspect rig for wear and chaffing and
anything that does not look right and rectify.
Check bilges and monitor battery power and charging. So
all charging done from EFOY fuel cell and solar panels. WE do have engine
charging if required.
Inside check bilges are dry, look in fore and aft
cabins to ensure no water getting or anything else untoward,
Mid afternoon at a convenient time write this blog and
use the satellite phone to get it uploaded.
Before dark cook evening meal. As all regular jobs done
through the day we hopefully get more sleep at night which boat sailing
configurations have intruded into.
For those of you who always would like to know a smart
ass, I did all my Xmas cards in October and hopefully were sent yesterday the
1st December.
Dinner tonight will be Irish Stew, hot baguette, cheese
and for sweet, pineapple slices in juice.
Our trip distance so far is 1668 nm.
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