Monday 29th Day 8 18:03.950N 030:25.223W
Shaya Moya
Don & Susan Smyth
Mon 29 Nov 2010 12:18
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The ARC brochure continues to be found misleading.
The trade wind sailing as advertised has still not materialised. We spent the
last 24 hours beating into strong headwinds from the south west. The only point
of sail that we could make that would give us some distance wards St Lucia was
to the north, potentially taking us further away from the trade winds if and
when they do materialise.
After some debate we decided to take the punishment
and get as far west as we could albeight further north than planned. Each of the
watches spent ime trying to maintain boat speed while pinching some distance
west. This morning, looking at the track over the last 24 hours, Reece did the
best on his early morning watch, clawing us well west with very little give to
the north.
As the watch changed at 7am the wind veered into
the west. We quickly took advantage of this by tacking south onto a heading of
190-200deg, giving us a little west while we work our way back south again
looking for the trades. Reece amused himself with a salt water shower on the
fordeck.
  Imagine our dismay to read the weather report this
morning which is predicting another low developing mid Atlantic Wed/Thurs. This
will further delay the trades filling in as normal. So more beating against the
wind for this week. Our tactics remain the same, make as much westing as
possible without going too far north.
Last night was one of trying to dodge the squalls
that appear ominously on the radar as huge red and blue rorschach blots and are
just as hard to interpellate. Inevitably one got us. The wind built from a
steady 22kts to 45kts in the space of a few minutes. We were sailing with reefs
in all three sails at the time so it was a matter of furling the genoa away
reefing the staysail and feathering the main. THe noise was deafening, with the
boat shuddering as the main flogged. Then the rain came like flying pellets that
would not let you open your eyes. Suddenly a new noise in the cockpit,a
thrashing banging sound, whats broken now?? When I finally got the boat under
control wiped my eyes and there in the cockpit was a flying fish. This time I
think he was just swimming along untill we came and scooped him onboard. I had
pity on him and flipped him back overboard. Through all of this mayhem, not one
crew member woke up. Just goes to show.
Just as quick as it came we were through it. The
entire epeisode lasting for about 20-30 minutes. Shaya Moya shrugged her
shoulders with disdain, and with a flick of her stern was off like a rocket
at 8-9kts again handling the 5-6m swell with ease. What a great lady to cross
oceans with.
Living on board has taken on a new meaning with the
boat healing at 20-30 deg. One has to move around crab-like holding on for dear
life. Cooking is quite a chore. Luckily for Tony, yesterdays chef, Jane had
already cooked the evening meal on Sat when Reece caught another fish, so fish
for dinner it was. This left the meal pre-cooked for Tony to use last night. I
shudder to think what we would have had to endure otherwise, Fray Bentos pies
in a tin-this must be the point of last resort!!!
Heeling at 25 degrees, or is it 30??
Today its Daves turn, he has the breadmaker going
with a recipe from New Zealand that does not require a scale etc Gavin, watch
this space tomorrow .Not sure what he has up his sleeve (lets hope literally)
for todays meals. ( Dont tell there are precoocked meals in the freezer). To add
insult to injury, Reece has the rod deployed again.
The leak in the forward cabin mentioned in
yesterdays blog I thought I might have conquered, but no luck this morning. The
cunning little devil, being thwarted by my judicious use of silicon sealant,
found another route to manifest itself on the starboard cabin seat. I can see
this is going to become a battle of wits.
Today we have sunny skies 20kts of wind from the
west, a swell of 5m and its humid and hot 32deg 73%. Have to go now loojks like
the generator has just stopped charging! More later
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