The big day has arrived....
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Fri 16 Sep 2011 13:32
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Friday 16th September 1155 UTC 1255
BST
22:53.537S 003:49.732E
Wind: 18 Knots ESE, COG 298deg True, SOG 7.8
Knots
Very little is happening out here - though that is
probably not a good thing to say lest I temp fate to intervene.
Four days ago I saw a ship six miles to port and
bound for Durban. Three days ago I got a radar mark from something off my port
side again about five or six miles. It was not however carrying AIS and the mark
came and went. I did not get a visual on it but it must have been a small craft
or small ship going south. There have at all times been a few various types
of seabirds around and three nights ago we had a vigorous high speed pod of
large dolphins with us. I suspect I have had them on the bow wave often on this
passage but so far little time more than is necessary is spent on
deck.
Also due to the deep downwind rig with poles and
preventers the fishing has been postponed for now. That is because when I get
that big one it will be impossible for me to derig and slow the boat down enough
to retain my line and gear. So I have decided to wait until all the marginal and
past its sell by date food is eaten up, for which I am doing my
best.
The temperature is only improving slowly. There is
still just a chill in the breeze. I hope we have cleared out of the paths of the
South Atlantic lows now and that risk is behind us. Cloud cover yesterday was
100% and today it is about 95% though sea temperature is steadily
climbing above 19 C. Maximum sea temperature lags air temperature by as
much as two months. This will become about 28C or higher north of the equator.
This is the temperature needed to spawn hurricanes. And at this time of year it
does. To the west of the Cape Verdes from where they travel west to
the Caribbean then curve to the north along the eastern seaboard of the
States.
Those observant among you may have noticed that I
have already crossed north over the Tropic of Capricorn. I am more than 1,000
nautical miles north of Capetown and there is just less than 700 miles to go to
St Helena.
This passage is very unusual in that we (don't
panic anyone at home - when I say "we" I mean Rhiann Marie (the yacht) and I )
are genuinely going to go through three seasons in two months!
The height of the northern summer 20/21st June is
when the sun at midday reaches its zenith on the latitude of the Tropic of
Cancer. The height of the southern summer is when around 20th December the sun
reaches its midday zenith above the Tropic of Capricorn. In between times
the latitude of its midday zenith migrates slowly south to warm the south on the
way to meeting up with the Tropic of Capricorn and starting its northern journey
again. Got it? I hope I have.....
So we left Capetown in early September which is the
southern Spring. In between we are going to sail north to pass through the
Equatorial Summer and the Northern Autumn Equinox before then rapidly entering,
as we continue sailing north, the northern Autumn hopefully just beating
the northern Winter! It's no wonder I am ageing quickly! I don't mind the very
short summer in between as I have been used to short or in fact non existent
summers most of my life.
Sleep is going well and with both radar alarms on
and auto pilot remote control and a sailing data display just in
front of me I can cat nap through the night plus one in the afternoon. This
morning I was woken by a slight difference in the boat motion and noise and sure
enough wind speed had increased from 20 knots to 26 knots gusting to 28 knots. I
headed off to the galley where I noticed a sudden slowing of the boat and then
the genoa flapping wildly.
What I have already identified as a potential
big problem on this down wind run - chafe - had claimed the genoa sheet. So
there was a one hour re-rigging and wrestling match on the foredeck for
breakfast, before eventually hauling in the trailing 18mm genoa sheet which
was by now across the keel under the boat. Finally I managed not
without busting a gut, getting a new sheet rigged and the genny restrained again
and poled out.
So this gets me to the point. Lashing with sweat
and exhausted I realised I stunk and I would be getting a call from the hygene
officer this evening to warn me to not eat "past sell by date" food, keep
the boat and bedding clean and to change my clothes occasionally.
Hmmmmm .... Well there's nothing for it but to comply. The big day has
arrived. The big moment is here. I am standing by with chipping hammer and
scraper in hand and as soon as I finish this blog I am going to have a shower
AND (if I can get the old ones off) get a new T shirt and set of underwear
on!
Phew! I just went out and put in gybe there
onto starboard tack and actually I think the temperature is increasing a
little.......
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