We're back in the Western Hemisphere.
Unlike crossing the Equator, we slipped quietly across the Greewich
Meridian and back into the Western Hemisphere without anyone really
noticing. It was approximately 0330 hours (GMT, of course), half an hour
after Graham and the Skipper had taken over. It's the time
when one's body clock is at its daily low, so it's not surprising they
missed the precise moment, but Graham, on the helm at the time, swears in
retrospect that he did feel a distinct bump as we hit the meridian and then slid
across it. Actually, this happens every time you cross a line either of
latitude or of longitude, but unless you are expecting it, it's easy to
miss. These lines (shown, accurately, in black on charts and maps, are the
massive cables that hold the globe together; every tenth minute of latitude
or longitude the cables are even more massive and are shown as thicker lines on
maps an charts. Without these cables, the planet would fly apart as the
result of the centrifugal forces caused by its spinning. Though far
beneath the surface of the sea (and invisible far beneath the land's surface),
these cables cause a disturbance in the water that can distinctly be felt
as you cross over them in a small yacht, though they are seldom noticeable in
big ships.
The other point of external interest has been the yacht Running Scissors,
an extraordinary name but aposite in the circumstances. She is one of the
Governor's Cup yachts racing from Cape Town to St Helena. Only 24 feet in
length, she is a Mini-Transat, a purpose-built single handed flying machine with
a big rig and no engine. Three days ago, she lost her mast. Although
not in immediate danger, she was drifting slowly towards St Helena, but
with no real prospect of ever getting there. Having been alerted from Cape
Town, Kealoha 8 passed the news; several other near-by yachts volunteered to
assist. But all went quiet for two days. At yesterday evening's
radio schedule, Alley Cat, a Cape-to-Bahia yacht, announced that she had just
passed by Running with Scissors, who was still adrift and apparently awaiting
assistance. Having talked to the Skipper of Running Scissors, Alley Cat
was unable to take her in tow, but she was able to brief us all at
yesterday evening's radio schedule. Realising she was only
thirty two miles away and the closest yacht, La Boheme immediately volunteered
to make her way to Running with Scissors, and take her in tow if
necessary. Progress was monitored closely by the World ARC duty operators,
and by 2200 Running with Scissors was safely under tow, with her very relieved
Skipper being able to get some proper food and rest for the first time since he
lost his mast, by now some three days ago. They are making good progress,
and all being well she and her rescuer La Boheme should arrive in St
Helena in a couple of days, on 15th January.
Cleone's recent progress has been more purposeful than of late.
Powered up for the first time for several days, we have been making over six
knots for some time now, and it is great to be making such good speed
again. The spinnaker behaved itself until just before the morning radio
schedule, when the rising swells made it prudent to furl it. But who
knows, we may be able to re-set it later on. It's great to be alive and
out sailing, particularly as Shayne has just caught a lunch-sized Mahi-mahi, now
made into Mahimahimayonaise and the Skipper has baked a fresh loaf of
bread, just in time for lunch.
A much better total of 148 miles today is making us all look forward to our
land-fall in St Helena, hopefully on Thursday night or Friday morning.
You'll be the first to know when we arrive.
All well on board, and best wishes from
James, Graham, Jenni and Shayne