Creamed along at 6-7 knots for most of yesterday afternoon and evening but during the night the wind veered and dropped and we did the last bit on single headsail, unfortunately losing some speed in the process. This morning we have deployed the hanked on jib flying with the large genoa and no main since the wind seems to be behind us. This is almost the classical Atlantic passage rig - the first time we have been able to do this. At the moment we are making good speed in (forecast to rise) winds. The only downside is that the boat is very rocky as the big Atlantic rollers sweep lazily under us. Everything that can move does (including the crew) so you will be amazed at how tidy we have become.

 

Our days start with sunrise which appears exactly to the second when the chart plotter celestial data says it should. The day very quickly warms up and the skipper is able to inspect the rig from last night and make sail corrections for the day. We usually get 'grib' files (weather reports showing predicted wind strength and direction) from mailasail in the morning and this helps us to plan the day ahead.

 

Breakfast is taken about an hour after sunrise and then jobs (making water, cleaning, general repairs etc). Morning coffee follows perhaps with a snack and then more jobettes untl lunch. We still maintain a watchkeeper who hands over after 2 hours usually with "nothing to report, no ships, no wildlife - just sea". The job of the watchkeeper is to keep pressing for more speed because we all want to get to Barbados quickly and thus home for xmas but we have to be always aware of the dangers. Some yachts ahead of us have blown out (torn) their spinnakers. Our current rig is highly manageable and gives us good speed.

 

The sun beats down on the deck in the morning and everyone who can finds a job below deck. Life on deck is hot, rolly and occasionally a splash catches you unawares but at least the seat cushions dry after the dampness of the night but are covered in salt. Everything including us is salty and sticky.

 

Lunch is something like a pitta stuffed with tuna in these rocky conditions. Anything which cannot be held in one hand ends up flying. That reminds me, everywhere we go flying fish scatter ahead of us. Apparently they do land on the deck at night but it hasn't happened yet. This is a pity as we want to know more of the anatomy of these extraordinary creatures. In the abscence of hard evidence we will just have to continue to discuss the matter without any knowledge - just like many of the other discussions we have during the day.

 

At noon we place a waypoint on the chart plotter to derive the stats at the head of this page and someone does the blog.

 

The afternoon brings some respite from the sun and we soldier on washing clothes, showering, snoozing and generally discussing irrelevancies, until afternoon tea and when Rosemary's cake often makes a welcome appearance.

 

The major task for the afternoon is to discuss what to have for dinner and to think about the night's sailing plan.  We have exhausted our fresh food with the exception of spuds and cabbage. but have plenty of tinned and packaged food left and we usually manage to rustle up an appetising meal with our ration of a can of beer a day. There are rumours, amongst the crew, that the cabbage might be accidentally dropped overboard.  

 

The sun sets after dinner and we settle down to the nightime routine of watchkeeping and sleeping.

 

Most nights pass by without incident but 2 nights ago we had two cruising chute wrap ups and, just when we were all settling down to sleep again, a buzzing noise sent everyone searching for alarms, bilge pump activation or some such problem. It turned out to be Peter's electric toothbrush which he had accidentally set off when turning over in the night.

 

Amazingly the days pass by quickly and, when you think that a major change of sail plan might consume an hour or more, it is hardly surprising that time passes by.

 

PS As I write this, a flying fish was discovered on deck!!!

 

JMH