Position:  28:48.6N 54:37.16W

 

The Ship’s doctor writes:

 

Still making progress but not quite as swiftly as we would like.

 

Having elected to motor we were fortunate in that at about 21.30 the wind picked up and we had a glorious overnight sail – doing about 6 knots in 9 to 10 knots of south-easterly breeze. Alone on watch this morning the dawn was really special – the sun rising out of the ocean into an almost cloudless sky – heralding another lovely day.

 

At about 9.30 Stephen – who had been mending a snap-block – said that he might like some help as he thought we had hooked a fish. The “fish” turned out to be a 14kg Blue Fin Tuna – which took about 20 minutes and a bit of gaff work on the transom to get aboard. We had to drop the headsail to slow the boat down to make landing it a bit easier. The fish a fantastic irridescent blue – with silver flashes that sparkle in the sun – but within a couple of minutes aboard the colour goes and it becomes a dull blue-grey monochrome.

 

There then followed an Extraordinary Meeting of the Fish Filletting Board – which resulted in a LOT of Tuna. Simon, however, proved up to the challenge and at lunch produced not one but two raw fish options – a sushimi  with soy sauce and  tabasco accompaniment – no wasabi (tsk! tsk!) but horseradish instead – AND a carpaccio with olive oil, lime and Worcester Sauce. Both delicious. (Our immediate thought was that we should have a dinner party – but were at a loss as to who to invite.) I believe that it is Tuna Steak for dinner and I dare say a fish stew – Tuna in all likelihood – tomorrow. We have agreed to knock the fishing on the head for a day or so.

 

The wind held for most of the day under a cloudless sky but as I write in early evening has dropped again. We persevered for an hour or so with the big spinnaker – Stephen playing it as though in the middle of the Channel Race  not cruising the Atlantic – but eventually bowed to the inevitable and we have just started motoring again.

 

We are trying to get north into the northerly and westerly airflow generated by the depressions in north Atlantic but they are tantalisingly out of reach. The GRIB weather files that we have downloaded suggest that we should be in amongst it by the end of the weekend.

 

Morale still high. Tuna anyone?

 

David, Stephen and Simon.