21 July 2010
Day Five
At around midnight last night the wind died to nothing. It started drizzling then heavier rain. Skylark were just 5nm ahead of us. In spite of having very good and bright LED navigation lights we could not see them at all except for their blip on the radar. It was two hours before they reappeared from the gloom. At last we were out under the canopy of stars again but the wind did not really fill in until dawn. Today we have made slow painful progress in winds of ten to eleven knots. We will be struggling to reach Mackay by Thursday.
Lunch - Cold meat salad/Sticky toffee pudding with crème fraiche. Dinner - Fish Curry / Sticky toffee pudding with crème fraiche.
Day Six
It was back to the trades again today and the weather is perfect. Skylark have now forged on ahead but Liza has appeared so we always have some company. Andrew announced amended coordinates for the finishing line. Originally it was to be off our landfall of Mackay. Now it is at the entrance to the Hydrographers Passage, our chosen route through the Great Barrier Reef. This is because he has realised that to make progress through the pass we would need to use the engine.
Lunch - Six sausages each, a packet of bacon, French toast and tomatoes. Dinner - Yes, you've guessed it! Corn on the cob / roast chicken, mashed potatoes and veggies.
Food Mountain
With just two days left David and I are losing the battle with the bulge, by that I mean our piles of food. The portions are now gargantuan in size. David complains of the plate being too heavy to lift. Half way through our evening meal our appetites are no longer. The sight of food on the plate is a real turn off. It goes over the side. Neptune is doing well.
Susan Mackay