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Annabella - Log 8 - 3rd December



Position: 17 18.38N
30 32.94W

Distance since blog 6: 96NM

Disappointing 24 hour run with very light winds of 4 - 7 knots for the duration (giving boat speed of 4 - 5.5 knots). On the positive side the wind has shifted (veered) from NE to E which is where we would like it. We have tried goose winging with main sail and big genoa but it was taking us off course. The solution to our dilemma is more wind. Expectations are that it should happen sometime today. 1760NM miles to go.

We encountered our first commercial vessel for a number of days at 0200GMT. The Regno Marinus passed 2.5 miles to port on a course of 051 degrees. We now have Ocean Venture, an Ocean 60, 5 miles to port and slightly ahead and currently doing 5 knots. We seem to be keeping pace with boats that we would have expected to be ahead. Positive thinking is essential.

Our first fish gave itself up and flew (last flight) onto the deck during the night. Unfortunately it was no bigger than a sprat and too small to eat. Hopefully that will spur Conor into action again having managed to catch an old boot yesterday (a la Pug). It took two people a good half an hour to land the boot but Conor eventually saw the funny side of the gag.

Pug's galley duty lived up to the promised potential when he served bulls tails (less palatable descriptions abounded) with potatoes and green beans. It's amazing what they will put into tins these days. It was actually part of the emergency rations. However, never fear, we still have frozen meat (beef, lamb and chicken) for about 12 days. Freezer is still working well and the fridge is ticking over chilling the contents sufficiently for cool drinks. Breakfast consisted of fresh fruit salad, muesli and yoghurt and we will probably manage that for another week with the supplies of fruit. Yoghurts will be gone in a couple of days. The avocados won't last past today which means that we will probably have our last mango and avocado salsa today with cheeses and iberica ham. Dinner tonight is chicken stir fry a la Stephen.


We got to grips with the celestial navigation yesterday and managed to plot a couple of positions using the sextant. It will take a bit more practice to get use to the tables, but we are confident that, if we had to revert to celestial navigation, we would manage to reach our destination.

Water maker producing 8GPH, 35 LPH, of water so we are all rationed a shower every other day or unless ordered to by skipper. we run water maker about 3 hours a day. Generator working dutifully in charging batteries three hours a day with the benefit of producing hot water. All systems running well. Twin headsails worked fantastic on the two days we have used them and looking forward to trade winds to use again.

Bring on the wind!

Till blog 8........

Peter (Pug), Craig, Conor, Stephen and blogger

Terry



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