Tuesday 24 Nov
Race Day 2
Hello world!
Spinnaker has just been hoisted and seems to still be in the right place still…
Events over the last 24 hours include some drama with a torn Yankee 1 sail, to be replaced with Yankee 2 and now the spinnaker, sighting of a moonbow (or moon rainbow?). Apparently like a rainbow but without colour…), some successful showers due to the brilliant water maker (Be is even about to take a second shower), everyone has had a go at helming and there’s been an improvement in seasickness (I am now able to walk around down below without having to rush to my bunk. So unpleasant!). Some people reported a dubious dolphin sighting (Jerry says next to the dodo and the unicorn). Had some rain overnight but now blue skies. Sewing up the torn sail has commenced.
We have travelled 398 miles! Nothing to be seen but water, turns out the Atlantic is quite big and wavy.
Dave’s fact/joke/quote of the day: “First Class Sailing, helping sharks get their 5 a day”.
Bye for now! Jenny and Bruce
Ocean sailing is never boring. Sometimes you wish it were, but you are always busy. The wind has been up and down all night and morning. After a lengthy lull we changed to a polled out Yankee 1 and boat speed and roll of the boat improved with the extra drive from the bigger sail. All was well again.
I went to my bunk and had some crazy dreams as is normally the case at sea, to be woken to the call that the Yankee 1 had ripped ! Never a dull moment.
The crew and particularly star watch leader Kirstie has already tidied up most of the mess, and I helped getting the Yankee 2 hoisted and polled out. The wind has built a bit, but it was very temporary and we were soon back with a boat speed less than 8 knots.
After a further tidy up and getting the sewing going on the six meter tear on the Yankee 1, it was time to break out the spinnaker and get the boat racing again.
Thankfully the hoist was drama free and we are back at 10 knots of boat speed and hopefully catching up on Challenger 1 who seem to have taken a 5 mile lead on us on the first day. It is a long race which should take 14 days or more, so five miles is not a disaster – but we need to shake off some of the early race conservative sailing and start pushing hard.
Of course it is a fine line between pushing hard and pushing too hard, but that I am sure is drama for another day and another blog.
Ricky (Skipper)