19:43.5N 22:56.4W Downwind rig and Thanksgiving Dinner

Niord's Big Adventure
Tony Gratton
Wed 6 Dec 2023 18:50
Thu 23 - Fri 24/11/.2023 Atlantic Day 5 (Days run from 1200 to 1200 UTC)
Distance run in 24h 139 nm. Atlantic distance 691.3 nm. Total distance to date 2622.3 nm.
 
Should have reported this yesterday. I didn't manage to catch it exactly, but our Lat and Long were identical!
Karen cooks us a Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and the trimmings as a special treat!
And the best fisherman on Niord is... Niord! We see lots of flying fish now. This mornings catch on deck one baby squid, and two flying fish!
Another major milestone on Friday morning as we raise our downwind rig for the first time in anger! Why didn't we do it yesterday when the wind was lighter, as we now have a proper NE5!! Jamie, Ray and Tony struggled to get it up, with our second headsail threatening to get out of control. Only the vast bulk of Ray can bring it to heel, by lying full length on it as our foredeck plunges up and down in the swell.
Our large, expensive solar array is not proving man enough to keep up with our electrical needs. As we head South, the fridge has to work harder, so consumes more electricity. This is not helped by the locker in which the compressor is located being crammed with bottles of water! We turn off the radar for good, together with the inverter and electric kettle, moving onto gas for our hot drinks. We decide to hand steer for half the time to ease the use of the autopilot.

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