We have just passed the 2,000 mile mark since leaving The
Galapagos Islands and contrary to our expectation we have been on a broad reach
with wind consistently blowing from a south easterly direction and a fairly big
swell from the south, for the last 11 days. This means that we have been heeled
over to starboard
on a lively sea
for almost a week and a half. Apart from the resultant lean to port that we
have all developed, there are various sensitive items of equipment, notably
thermo and our refrigerator, that are struggling to keep up normal working
duties under these conditions.
Frankly, who can blame them? Not only are they expected to
work at acute angles and on a highly mobile platform but to do so in oppressive
heat. With all the hatches firmly closed – essential when waves are
constantly washing the decks – the temperature during the day goes way
past the health and safety guideline levels. A brief breath of fresh air into
the saloon yesterday was promptly rewarded with a salt water dousing through
the large open deck hatch, a lesson to us all that when the signs say ‘
keep closed when at sea’ means just that. Perhaps our gifts to Neptune
earlier on the trip were lacking!
In the galley the heat is also causing our fresh fruit and
vegetable store to wilt and the store of fresh eggs are struggling too.
Today’s mother, Andrew, had to break 16 eggs for our lunchtime omelette
in order to find 8 good ones and the remaining red peppers had to go over the
side with the other ‘fish food’ remains. You would have thought
with all this feeding of fish we might have been rewarded with a tasty marine
morsel for supper – but sadly, despite his daily promises, the skipper
has failed to haul in anything on his expensive rod and reel. We have now put
out the ‘doctors’ line as a second string to our fishing strategy,
but it hangs limply on the rail more in hope than in expectation.
Anyway, we must be thankful that typhoon Pam is the best
part of 4,000 miles away and frankly even if she was imminently upon us, I know
for sure that our skipper would have a plan – as well as a couple of
backups! He has skilfully put us in a strong position to take line honours on
this challenging leg and as always the sailing aboard Juno has been an exceptional,
life affirming experience on what will be my 10,000th mile within
her protective hull.
As I pen this guest blog the wind has backed to 70 degrees
and we have had our first opportunity to setup our downwind rig, with the pole going
out for the first time on the passage. Blessed relief as our heel to starboard
is replace by a rather pleasant roll from side to side as the genoa, jib and
main sails begin powering us directly towards Hiva
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