Day 5 Noon Position 23:32.149N 27:07.095W
SeaTrek
Bill and Judy Stellin
Wed 5 Dec 2007 15:52
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Gee, has it only been 5 days. It seems like an
eternity.
We made good progress yesterday, 187 miles, but through
very heavy seas and high winds.
As is usual the winds were and still are square behind us,
which means a poled out jib and main on the other side with a preventer.
Did I say preventer. The blasted thing didn't do what it was supposed to
do, which is, prevent an accidental jybe. We had not only one, but three,
all together at 3AM in the pitch dark. I thought we were on a merry go
round. With the last one, the main sheet got around the steering pedestal
and luckily only took out the pedestal guard. That's the handle thing you
grab on to in front of the wheel. It could have been much much
worse. It's repairable and fortunately the grab bar didn't get taken
overboard. Also I shudder to think of what could have happened, like the
boom break, the mast come down and people hurt with the boom flying from side to
side with the force of tons. On the west to east crossing Judy tried to be
a preventer and had her arm broken in the process.
I mentioned yesterday how difficult it is to sail dead
downwind. Last night there was a subtle wind shift and the next thing
chaos. Today, we are just using a jib, poled out, no main. Once
bitten twice shy. If the seas would moderate we could go back to using both the
main and jib. As it is we are flying down the face of some really monster
waves. The weather forecast called for "some fifteen meter seas".
We've seen more than just "some". By Saturday, we should be back to normal trade
wind conditions but that means two more days of this.
Both Judy and I are now hearing voices. I kid you
not. Several times she has asked me if a radio was on. Once she was
sure she heard cannon fire, like over a firing range. Not
likely.
We had our first flying fish on board last night. It
was in the cockpit along with half of its scales. I can't imagine where
they all came from. Judy is dipping a pail of water out now to wash them
away. I almost think a bird may have brought other fish on board and eaten
them while we were not looking. Hey, if we are hearing non existent
voices, maybe the birds are just a figment of our
imagination.
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