No bragging
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Wed 14 Sep 2011 11:40
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I'm already losing track of the days but according
to my iphone it's....
Wednesday 14th September 1116 UTC 1216
BST
26:35.18S 009:00.18E
Wind Speed: 9.5 knots SSE, COG 307 Deg True, SOG
5.5 knots
Bragging services suspended till further notice.
There will be no bragging today about distances covered, VMG, top speeds etc.
This is a slow grind. It is hard work trying to squeeze the best progress to St
Helena out of the conditions. The barometer is very slowly rising and I am now
sure I have tagged onto the bottom of the high pressure system but winds are
still light and way far behing the beam to progress is slow. But comfortable
which is just as well.
Last night I decided to take down the spinaker just
after it got dark as I had felt some very sharp pain in my back during the day
and did not feel that a potential wrestling match with a couple of thousand
square feet of canvas would be a good idea. In coming down inside the snuffer
tube about 10 metres of the sock and sail ended up in the water normally that
would be no problem but in my weakened state it was an inch by inch slog to haul
its soaked mass back aboard.
Back below I took a lie down and when getting up
again there was an agonising pain shhoting through my lower back. Damn it! It
was bad enough to have me howling out loud but I think I must just have twisted
my back and I think it is the same thing I suffered from a few months ago while
climbing out of the water into our dingy in the Maldives. No harm was done then
and it just needed some rest so I think the same prescription will do just
now.
The temperatures are rising every day. I think it
may be about 18 deg today and the water temperature is now 18.5. What I
really want though is the forecast steady trade winds which just seem to
continually be creeping forward out of my grast.
The planned fishing tripo so far today has been
substituted by fetching some previously caught Tuna out of the freezer for
tonights dinner and the philosophising may also have to wait. Speaking of which
you may be intrigued as to why I would want to spout forth about my views
about such personal matters as we have discussed and will discuss. Well you see
it is not to entertain or impress you it is simply the collecting and
culmination of my own thoughts and experiences built over a lifetime but
examined through introspection and reflection forced by this adventurous
journey we have been on these past two years. Now is the perfect time to clarify
my views and outlook, consolidate what I have learned while isolated and in
a unique once in a lifetime priveliged posion to do so. You see self serving and
selfish as always....
Anyway though I do not today leave you with any
great insight into the world we live in I can leave you with this thought
uttered originally by Grouch Marx: The secret of life is honesty and fair
dealing. If you can fake that you've got it made.
Thanks again for the daily stream of e-mails. Send
yours to Rhiann {DOT} Marie {CHANGE TO AT} gaelforce {DOT} net
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