We had a very slow and slightly frustrating second day yesterday. After we
managed to make some progress in fairly light but steady conditions during the
first 24 hours, yesterday afternoon we found ourselves pretty much in a wind
hole averaging about 2 knots for over a 12 hours – while most of our fleet
managed to stay in some breeze and pulled away from us. However, massive credit
to the crew for staying focused all that time and doing all they could to keep
the boat moving. Wind finally filled in at around 3am this morning and we’ve
been trucking along averaging nearly 9 knots since, which means we’ve covered
over 100 miles over the past 12 hours. Crew is very happy.
We’ve made the decision to choose the southerly route and pass the Cape
Verde islands to port (left) before we can turn right and head for St Lucia.
This is to avoid a low pressure system which sits mid-Atlantic moving to the
north east but very slowly with no wind in the middle. This is the reason why we
cant sail the rhumb line and head straight to St Lucia. Some boats chose a
northerly route, most of us the other. We’ll see in due course which will be the
faster route.
Lovely conditions right now, bolognese is cooking, 18-20 knots on the beam,
happy days.
Here’s a few lines from our Second Mate (Jimbo) & our inhouse Marketing
DIrector:
The watch system is settling in where we have two teams, Priceys Pirates
and Jimbo’s Jollies each doing four hours on, four hours off until 4pm when we
do two hours on, two hours off in order to alternate the night watches – every
other night is a RedBull night with eight hours of blind sailing. On 23rd
November (Wednesday), Pricey’s Pirates start the day at 0000 with a watch change
at 0400, etc...
Less dull news includes:
- To perk up the crew Andras ordered a pod of dolphins. And the DJ has
confirmed that the dolphins preferred Wham to Norah Jones.
- Stormey is the self-elected Snack Managing Master, due to crew
self-control issues.
- Doug’s Asymmetric quote of day: “make it wink, not blink”
- We can confirm that Orion’s Belt does exist after Starkey and Stormey’s
star gazing session.
- P.S. Sincere apologies from the on-board Marketing Director, Bob was
mistaken as Tom. They both have three letters and an ‘o’ in the middle... (The
kid also wants to know whether his ‘plan’ for next November has been
approved?)
Second mate
and EH01 Marketing Director
Out.