Great day yesterday with a good mileage for the daylight hours as we were
surfing down 4-5 meter waves with double reefed main, wind veered and we gybed
to get between a couple of the islands, met with a current right on the
nose! Very strange. Sundowners went down well with Poyner arriving
on deck saying that it was the first time he had spent all day in his pyjamas
(to be fair he was on mother watch and did a great job getting the evening meal
out in very lumpy conditions). The Stowaway ready made meals were a big
hit with everyone able to choose from a menu of 12.
It is a strange feeling motor sailing through the Cape Verde islands with
1/3 of our tank fuel gone and not stopping for diesel. Perhaps we are
tempting the wind gods? It was after some debate that we decided not to
stop because there is no way our limited range was going to make much
difference, we are after all a sailing yacht! The problem with refuelling
was that we would have had to cleared Customs, not possible until Monday
morning, then the bun fight trying to fuel up with all the other boats doing the
same, the crew would have immediately wanted to go ashore to buy more food and
drink ended up in the pub and we would only have left after clearing customs out
about Tuesday midday! Clearly not an option. However now rewarded
with fabulous sailing, big spinnaker went up at first light and we are bowling
along at 8.5knts 15-18knts of wind in moderate sea, just passed 1000 miles on
our trip log. Sweepstake on arrival times have been done, but a lot can
happen in next couple of weeks.
Nick
The Astra Navigation starts in earnest today (if I can find it!) a fix was
taken (navigational, the boat is almost dry!) when ducking down through the
islands last night and am looking at doing a morning sight this morning and even
an afternoon one as well. Trace wants to do the noon sight so we are all
learning with the master teacher Tyrone giving guidance. Fresh fruit again for
breakfast, and a glorious day today, this is why we came, sun heat and a big
spinnaker pulling us towards the Caribbean. It certainly beats the previous day
with a scrap of head sail and two slabs in the main, all hatches closed and
lifejackets compulsory when on deck. The first 1000 miles under the belt
the next 2000 to go, hopefully the hard work has been done. The watch system
working well but all tired as the sleep often disturbed with sail alterations
and the ever needed generator. Tons of flying fish all around us but so far only
two on the deck, but that’s two more than the fishermen have achieved. Trace has
almost finished the washing up so I can again head towards the galley to offer
help!
Mark H
Days at sea – 8
distance travelled – 1000 nM yippee!
flying fish on deck –2
shooting stars sat eve - 9
oranges consumed – 50/750 (communication error in supermarket!)
gybes completed in under an hour – 4/16
Trace
Tyronne just caught a Dorade, so fishermen now
happy!