Sunday 29th Heading for the setting sun.
19:33.84N
26:36.66W Sunday
29th November 2008 Its
09:45 on Sunday morning, the sun is up and the temperature is rising, we had a
late start this morning as it was Sunday, but life goes on. Breakfast was
shallow fried Dorado washed down with chilled orange juice, the fish caught and
filleted by Bob last night weighed in at just over four pounds. I
went to check on the systems this morning and found the batteries had
discharged to 12 volts and there was not enough to start the
generator even with all batteries on .It's a bit of a worry! I switched to
engine starting and fired up the main engine to give a boost to the domestic
pack and away she went so, now we are charging like mad with only the water
maker and essential instruments on. We will have to re think our strategy of
power management to conserve more using our LED lighting when possible. The
Areogen wind generator is not producing any charge in these following
winds. We
have had a good nights run with the average going up to 5-1 knts,
since noon yesterday we have run 116 n.m.which could mean a twenty four
hour run of 130 n.m. an improvement, if not quite as good as our first day
out For
those with a nautical bent, and there are still a few around, we are now
below latitude 20 degrees and I hope we are established in the equatorial trade
winds .Through the night we have been travelling at 5.5 to
6.0 knts
on a course of 260 degrees magnetic just south of west. It is interesting that
the magnetic variation in these latitudes is enormous, ranging from 13 degrees
west at our present location , rising to more than 18 degrees west below 10
degrees latitude, decreasing annually by 8 degrees east. Here ended the
first lesson, well it is Sunday! The
crew are busy cleaning the heads (toilets) and galley (Kitchen) it is important
to keep everything clean with five people living in such a confined
space. I
asked for a volunteer at breakfast to bake a fresh loaf of bread and James
offered, he has read the instructions an asked, where is the mixer? He
has just spent the last ten minutes needing it by hand! Fresh bread in time for
lunch. We
have just about run out of fresh vegetables now but we still have
some bananas, limes ,lemons and apples .Last night we celebrated our
first week at sea with a dinner of beef ribs in a red wine sauce with the last
of the fresh courgettes and carrots and baked potato wedges. Washed down with a
bottle of Spanish wine. The dessert saw the last of the Bramley apple pie and
custard. Some
are finding it hard to sleep when off watch, the noise level on the boat is
high, with rigging banging and things in lockers rolling around, for some the
constant rolling motion of the boat going down wind is soporific for others it
is an annoyance, leaving them in constant need of sleep. Well
I have a SSB schedule to make soon so will vacate the computer to let others
have a few words. Best
wishes and love to all Paul. |