For the first
time since leaving Las Palmas, we have sailed every inch of the way for the last
24 hours. Moreover, from Noon yesterday to Noon today we have also sailed 133
miles, which is our biggest total so far.
Heavyweight
cruising yachts like Cleone neither accelerate easily nor do they plane or fly
across the waves. They take time to get up to speed, and because they have a
large hull, keel, skeg and rudder, there is more drag and it takes more
horsepower to keep them going. On the other hand, they take the ocean swells and
waves more easily than their lighter-weight sisters, and as the weather gets
heavier they will always be more comfortable and often can cover more miles than
the light-weights (NB: I wonder what it must be like to sail one of those
foiling monsters presently sailing the Vendee Globe? Quiet and comfortable?). We have just enjoyed 24 hours of what we came for, and looking at our
current position, our intended course towards St Lucia and the weather forecasts, it looks like we may
just have reached the Trade Winds. And now it's a mere two thousand one hundred
and six miles to the northern tip of St Lucia. You can all do the maths; even
sailing twenty-four-and-seven at six knots or so, it is going to take quite a
big chunk of the time between now and Christmas before we arrive in Rodney Bay
Marina and sup our first Rum Punches.
The sea around
us is now more or less empty, which because the horizon is only four miles or so
away is not surprising. At night we can spot the mast-head lights of commercial
ships at up to about fourteen miles but have seen none. And none of our fellow
ARC yachts have been within sight all day. However we never feel alone. We can
always here chatter on our VHF radio and know that although we cannot see them,
there will be someone within about 30 miles of us. The Skipper also fiddles with
the mysterious Marine HF Radio Set every day at noon and talks to a small group
of rallyers who still use this old-fashioned method of communication. During the
other World Cruising Rallies that Cleone completed, everyone had HF Radio and
used it daily, even if most of them had Satellite Phones for sending emails and
making emergency contacts. Times have changed; thanks to Mr Musk and his
Starlink system many the ARC yachts have near broad-band internet and
communicate on WhatsApp and use their mobile phones and tablets to send emails
and exchanging photos as if they were at home or in the
office.
Aboard Cleone
the crew delight in not being distracted from the pleasures of being
self-contained, self-sufficient and self-reliant. We came here to sail, and
that's what we are doing in the warm sunshine increasingly steady winds. We are
closer to the natural world than most people ever get.
All are well
aboard and we are truly thinking of all of you at home whatever you may be
doing. Meanwhile, we now have some music (Yup. One of them has bought a boogie
box, and the Skipper has made a hook for it so it can dangle safely in the
cockpit. I think he really is going senile) and can sing along to
sea-shanties and old favourites.
With very best
wishes and love to you all,
James,
Francesca, Louisa and Kaya
Yacht
Cleone
At
sea
Position at
1200UTC on 30 Nov 2024: N22deg31min:
W025deg13min