Chula - Log1 - Start +100hrs

I'm currently sat in the cockpit feeling the warmth of the sun, gone are
the fleeces and trousers it seems we have definelty reached warmer
climes! Its been a lovely few day and we have made steady progress
towards Cape Verde, even catching up with a few boats!

We have been experimenting with our sail configuration to be able to
point further downwind than at the start. High winds, high swell,
tiredness and exicement (or nerves?!) had resulted in a fairly
conservative sailing angle to the wind which we needed to address to
make Cape Verde in resonable time.

We don't carry poles to help steady the clew of the geona and in the
rolling waves the sail to snatches shaking the whole boat violently. Joe
and I couldn't sleep with the knowledge of the huge forces being put on
the deck fittings and early morning saw us rigging the main boom as a
makeshift pole with some success! Later that day winds dropped enough to
hoist the crusing chute, a new purchase this year. After 3 hours of
good, comfortable speed the whole sail dropped into the sea with a
crash, quick reactions meant that we recovered the now very wet and
salty sail. The cause was very apparent once we had untangled the sail -
the halyard had worn through at the mast head... We must have a serious
chaffing point somewhere near the sheaves. A trip up the mast is needed
when we get to Mindelo! In the meantime we can hoist the chute on
starboard tack and have had the chute up almost all day. The cruising
chute and mizzen sail is a very comfortable combination and we've made
good time.

We had around 48 hours of not seeing another boat in the fleet or on
AIS, a very strange experience given there are 70 boats sailing the same
route! However crew morale was good and not seeing other boats didn't
seem to bother anyone, instead we focused on getting as south and west
as best we could. The kids playing games and watching films while adults
caught up on sleep. By Thursday morning we were again in a 'mini-fleet'
of around 5 boats, we even managed to be on collision course with one -
all this sea and we end up needing to alter course!

With a new crew member for the crossing we have created a watch system
with 3 hours on watch and 4 hours off during the night. Joe and I both
have an hour overlap with Tim while he learns the ropes and gets to know
how Chula responds, and if the conditions are stable Tim has an hour on
his own, building up to a full independ watch for the Atlantic crossing.

One of our biggest wins so far is our oldest daughter, Lowenna, who had
been very nervous of seasickness before the start having been sick
several times on our way to Las Palmas. Having spoken to as many other
parents as possible I bought way more sweets that I would normally, we
used Stugeron with a sweet to help it go down. Touch wood we have had no
sea-sickness aboard! What an acheivement - its been lovely to see
Lowenna genuinely enjoy the sail, her simle beaming on her now
sun-bronsed face.