14:07.7N 60:0.9W
We're ever so nearly there! Current predictions are that we will finish in the early hours of the morning of the 13th Dec. Its getting hotter and hotter, the sea is turning turquoise and we can smell the run punch now. How much further to go is becoming a routine question...
When we were in Las Palmas (having heard about the postponement) we did a little sweep stake on when we would arrive. the predictions were as follows (all times are in UT - British Time Zone)
Jags - refused to say for fear that he'd jinx our campaign and, as the owner of the boat, didn't want to tempt fate. However, he is now saying that (privately) he thought it would be 1am on 13th Dec (Huh?)
Ben - 1200hrs 14th Dec
Minkey - 2100hrs 16th Dec
Mike - 2000hrs 18th Dec
Julie (Mike's sister) - 1300hrs 17th Dec
Terry (Jags senior) - 0200hrs 19th Dec
Mags (Mike's Mum) - 1700hrs 15th Dec
Ian (Mike's Brother-in-Law) - 1400hrs 15th Dec
Rob (Mike's Dad) - 1000hrs 14th Dec
As it stands it looks like Rob (who has also been keeping us upto date with the latest Scheds and fleet movements) might just win this one!
Yesterday was quite a straight forward day as far as this trip is concerned, and the day passed with little of note. We didn't break anything. We did our astro navigation, we ate fantastically well, we applied factor 20... and we sailed fast all day with the Trade Winds. We passed another yacht, which was the first other vessel we'd seen in 10 days and luckily this time he didn't try to crash into us! As night drew in, and the wind picked up, we paired up and went into storm watch as we were expecting quite a few heavy squalls to pass through. Yet again, the squalls lined up and hit us one after another. At the start of the night they were dry and the sea was flat. This provided some incredible sailing condtions and Pea coped incredibly well, even holding her own in a 36kt gust with both the Countess and Debs in full, unreefed, powered up mode. However, as the night went on the squalls became wet and miserable. So wet that Mike had run out of dry hot weather clothes and had to dress like a chav in tracky bottoms.
Other key statistics for the day:
Picture in advent calendar = The calendar is now lost, somewhere deep in the bilges.
Max Boat speed = 13.2 kts
Number of Reefs = Nil
Maximum Gust = 36 kts
Number of flying fish = 1, which got Ben right where it hurts
Amount of Rain = Way too much, but only when Jags and Mike were on watch
Jags, Mike, Ben and Minky.