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Adina - Day 17 Friendship bracelets and halfway party



Day 17 and we had wind - lot's of it. Against that, the washing machine style seas were back. On a boat things tend to take twice as long to do as you move all over the place. When the seas really start going things take four times as long and you have to plan for it and factor it in. Cooking becomes far more difficult so you have to watch the weather and plan ahead, cook a few meals in advance.

Overnight, Gareth and Susie had left a drive belt glued up to test on our broken electric furler in the morning. Sadly it didn't work but they didn't give up. During the day various models appeared, Blue Peter was being pushed to the maximum. A new very clever model then came out. Using blue 1.5mm diameter rope they formed coils and Susie sewed the coils together into a belt. It was stiff with a little stretch. Picture a friendship bracelet and that's what it looked like. That worked for a short while. So next Sikaflex (like the sealant you use at home for the bathroom) was added to give it a rubbery surface. They branded it Mark V. The rest of us called it the Adina friendship bracelet - it worked and even better is still working! Persistence pays off.

The other highlight of the day was the Half Way Party hosted by Lindsay and Susie. Overnight we had luminous balloons in the cockpit and luminous tubes on the helm. At lunch time the party hats and balloons came out. A range of canapes - good old cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks, chorizo and mini gherkins on cocktail sticks and arranged on an orange which we called a sea urchin. Various blowing of paper horns - it was jolly good fun. Not to mention bursting balloons to make Susie jump.

Overnight the wind picked up and we reefed the sails. The seas picked up and most got little sleep as bodies were tossed around.

The next few days the wind is due to pick up further. It's also due to be right behind us so we need to work on steering deep. It's a shame it's too windy for the parasailor; looks like a few gybes will be needed.

As to the quiz question on who woke the skipper with the understatement "It's not a problem but ..." when the furler broke - it was Susie.

New quiz then! What date do you think we will arrive in St.Lucia? At 18:00 London time on 11th December we are 930 miles from St.Lucia. If we travel at 5 knots, we cover 120 nautical miles in a day, if we do 5.5 knots it's 132 nautical miles, 6 knots it's 144 miles, 6.5 knots, 156 miles, 7 knots it's 168 miles and so on.

Mark V Adina Friendship Bracelets now on order (100% hand-made).


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