Taistealai - Squally Start

Squally Start

Yesterday's tradewind clouds - our friendly little pillows - have morphed overnight into rain squalls, all muscular teenagers with attitude. They are determined to vent their pent up energy upon us. The 0800 on-watch had a sudden need for foulies and on-deck action to reef before the first of the morning's troubled teenagers came knocking on our hull. Since then, it has been a game of dodge the squall. Luckily our Raymarine digital radar shows the squalls well, so we have not been taken by surprise. Still, they have made for an energetic morning. We have had to work for our fun on this passage so far. There have been tough times with difficult sailing, but equally many moments of sailing magic; scooting along on the wave crests across a big blue sea with our spinnaker flying. It may not have been the passage any of us expected but it has been fun all the way, even the bad bits fade quickly in the sunshine.

Just 153nm DTF remaining and all eyes on keeping up our magic 7 knots into tomorrow afternoon.

Chris, Helen, Will, Jem (and the Penguin)