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Webster - Log 23: More of the same old, same old...... just windier



Saturday 14th December: Position 14 41'N 53 57'W. Have had the best part of 30 knots of wind all day and big seas throwing us around. We noticed a particularly horrid squall cloud at first light looming from behind and it was already blowing hard enough to have all three reefs in the main and a couple in the genoa. Nothing for it but to take the main down completely and it was a good job we did - it blew over 35 knots! The wind has hardly abated much all day, minimum 25 knots, so we have continued with poled out genoa and a scrap of main to balance us and have set the auto pilot which has managed alright today with essentially a storm rig set. Still doing 7 knots. The sun has been out though so it doesn't seem as bad as it actually is! Forecast is for 25-30 knots of wind for the foreseeable future so we have this for the duration. We are just headed straight for St Lucia which is dead down wind - if we set any mainsail we would not be able to sail so deep and so, although we would be faster we would be sailing further so have decided that the present rig will produce the best VMG and get us there by maybe late Monday afternoon, and with less stress on bodies and boat.

Managed to go base over apex down below today and very lucky not to cause serious damage to the boat or myself - feel like I've been a couple of rounds with Mike Tyson, on the losing end. Still nothing that a rum punch won't fix I don't suppose for a moment.

We all would like to be there now but have tomorrow and Sunday night yet to go before we set eyes on the island. sweep stake on who spots it first.

Evening has fallen again and Ken made a corn beef hash for dinner. Immediately we finished another line squall hit and fair blew my wig off. This is what happened yesterday so does not augur well for tonight.

0445 this morning a massive squall cloud came through and I had to helm for an hour and a half with torrential rain and gusts in excess of 35 knots. The boat under poled out reefed genoa took off and was as close to planing as you could get a boat like this to get. A few profanities were uttered I confess.

Anyway, we have about 260 miles to go and I am proud to announce that I today won the Dick of the Day award. Searching everywhere for my lifevest I started accusing everyone else of picking up the wrong jacket only to find I was of course already wearing it!

Roll on St Lucia. Please.....

Charlie - Webster
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