Day 37
leeonsea
Lee Price
Thu 3 Jul 2008 17:14
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N46.53.89 W013.03.75
Wind F6 Heading 030T
What a difference a day makes,
(All together now)
24 little hours,
All the Sun and the Flowers,
Where there used to be rain.
Milage for yesturday was 106nm. Not bad but not
great considering the wind was a good speed, just to gusty and to much swell to
be usefull but last night was better and I kept a little headsail out
till about 0330 when there was a really big squawl, I put it away again then and
went down for another nap.
Then at 0530 I went up on deck for my check to
discover that the wind had backed and died, I was heading almost north in less
than 10kts.
So there's my choice, calms or gales and nothing
but a few hours good sailing inbetween. I had changed the fan belt by 0630
and was motor 'sailing', had a nice comfortable breakfast, emptied the bildges
which had begun to start slopping dirty oily water over the cabin
sole as the pumps to port and I was on the wrong tack and hadn't tacked for
three days! and boiled a kettle for a wash, I haven't had one for 3 days
either and my socks smelt like wet dogs. The batteries where getting a
good charge too and by 0900 the wind had picked up to 10kts or so and, putting
it on the beam as has become custom, I was able to sail at almost 4kts just east
of north. There was still a good'ish swell from the last few
days which knocked the wind out of the sails a few times but on the whole
it was ok.
Then at 1000 the wind died, swung through 180 deg
and came back with a little more force than before, I was lovin it! right
on the Beam 10-15kts making the best part of 6kts on a direct course, how
marvelous. It's been overcast and there a few squawlly showers so popped a reef
in and furled a little headsail to cope with them but on the whole it's been
great, great sailing.
About 1200 I saw a herd? no, a Flock? no, no, no. A
Gaggle then? yes, thats it, a Gaggle of Fishing boats, about a dozen all running
this way and that, trawling their nets, I sailed right through them. It's the
only time a sail boat should give way to a powered vessal but it was no problem,
was very funny to see so many all wandering about. Some got quite close and I
could see the crews with fishing rods!?! over the back, clearly not content with
what the nets could pick up.
Gotten a bit blowy this afternoon though, F6 now
and I've moved off course a bit to make it easier on me and the boat, great
sailing still but was all getting a bit leany over and I'm far to much of a
gentleman to sail to windward, spills your G&T.
Had a 'Dub' day today, Jackie Mittoo, King Dubby
and the like, I'm down wid de Rydim my brother, stop your
foolishness!
Lee.
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