Second Wind - Message from Chris Diggins

Contemplating arrival.As I write we are sailing under an azure blue sky with a few scattered white clouds. The tropical sun is bathing the cockpit with warmth and light, tempered by someeighteen knots of breeze coming over the back of the boat. The sea is relatively calm, at least calm enough not to feel like we are travelling in a cement mixer!It's idyllic but for all of us now the focus is on arrival at St Lucia tomorrowmorning exchanging life on board for a sable platform on which to walk and relax. Toilets and Showers where a visit is not comparable with doing ten rounds with a kick boxer! A meal out, not followed by twenty minutes in a dynamic galley washing dishes in cold sea water. Conversations with family and sharing experiences with other crews. A place where the quantity of. read more...

Second Wind - Message from Chris Diggins

If I hear one more Popeye joke the crew concerned will be forced to eat a raw onion just before he greets his wife on the pontoon on Wed. We have plenty of them. Onions, I mean. It started with that daily imperative, fresh bread. With the dough resting and tidy-up underway the olive oil was secured in a bin on non-slip matting. Cue rock and roll, our downwind curse, and as the motion of the boat made us feel like kittens in a tumble dryer cue olive oil bottle sumersaulting over both sinks and landing at just the right angle to spurt its contents over the saloon floor. Cue bread dough and tin cartwheeling across the galley to of course land upside down on the floor. Now, when kitchen roll was provisioned there was much criticism of the amount. We now have one roll left and a beautifully. read more...

Second Wind - A chance meeting

The Atlantic is a big place.People watching the ARC on the fleet tracker could be excused for thinking that the yacht get to see each other often but, for us at least, that is not the case. Up until yesterday it had been 10 days since we saw any sign of humanity, no Yachts, no ships, not even the twinkling light of an overflying aircraft. It is strangely serene being isolated in this way and perhaps one of the experiences people look for from the event.Last night started out like any other but with the added spice of big winds, big seas and a sprinkling of squalls. In the middle of this maelstrom we spotted the single green light of another yacht. It gives you a lift to see that you are not alone out here doing battle with the elements.The lights got closer and at dawn we established. read more...

Second Wind - Message from Chris Diggins

Cometh the hour cometh the tinned mince. The last red pepper now feeds the fish and the onions look on in smug satisfaction as their time has surely come. I open the tin and contemplate the grey sludge within. I am reminded of a fable.A long long time ago in a castle far far away the cook was commanded by the king and queen to prepare a warming meal. Winter had set in early and Cook had not set in supplies but she did have a smooth, round stone which she set in a pot of boiling water. "I shall make stone soup" she decided. Now as we all know to bring out the flavour of stone it is necessary to add many ingredients. She sent her staff to the village and back they came with carrots and peas, barley and herbs with which to draw out the flavour of the stone. Into the pot they went and soon. read more...

Second Wind - Message from Chris Diggins

Rock and Roll.Having experienced light winds (and no winds), for much of the journey, the words "if only the Trade Winds would set in" have often been on our lips.Well, now they have set in and things are starting to rock and roll!Today we have Easterly winds of 25 kts fusing to over 30 kts and the sea, in response, has taken on a confused pattern of waves of around 3 metres in height.Several things happen in these circumstances. Firstly the boat, trying to make its way down wind takes on a rocking motion, rolling from one side to the other and back about once every four seconds. The severity of the rolling is variable, sometimes almost negligible and sometimes building to a crescendo where anything that is not tied down takes on a life of its own and leaps from one side of the boat to. read more...