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Cleone - CLEONE Leg 22 Day 10 - Lines of Latitude and Longitude



We're back in the Western Hemisphere.
 
Unlike crossing the Equator, we slipped quietly across the Greewich Meridian and back into the Western Hemisphere without anyone really noticing.  It was approximately 0330 hours (GMT, of course), half an hour after Graham and the Skipper had taken over.  It's the time when one's body clock is at its daily low, so it's not surprising they missed the precise moment, but Graham, on the helm at the time, swears in retrospect that he did feel a distinct bump as we hit the meridian and then slid across it.  Actually, this happens every time you cross a line either of latitude or of longitude, but unless you are expecting it, it's easy to miss.  These lines (shown, accurately, in black on charts and maps, are the massive cables that hold the globe together; every tenth minute of latitude or longitude the cables are even more massive and are shown as thicker lines on maps an charts.  Without these cables, the planet would fly apart as the result of the centrifugal forces caused by its spinning.  Though far beneath the surface of the sea (and invisible far beneath the land's surface), these cables cause a disturbance in the water that can distinctly be felt as you cross over them in a small yacht, though they are seldom noticeable in big ships.
 
The other point of external interest has been the yacht Running Scissors, an extraordinary name but aposite in the circumstances.  She is one of the Governor's Cup yachts racing from Cape Town to St Helena.  Only 24 feet in length, she is a Mini-Transat, a purpose-built single handed flying machine with a big rig and no engine.  Three days ago, she lost her mast.  Although not in immediate danger, she was drifting slowly towards St Helena, but with no real prospect of ever getting there.  Having been alerted from Cape Town, Kealoha 8 passed the news; several other near-by yachts volunteered to assist.  But all went quiet for two days.  At yesterday evening's radio schedule, Alley Cat, a Cape-to-Bahia yacht, announced that she had just passed by Running with Scissors, who was still adrift and apparently awaiting assistance.  Having talked to the Skipper of Running Scissors, Alley Cat was unable to take her in tow, but she was able to brief us all at yesterday evening's radio schedule.  Realising she was only thirty two miles away and the closest yacht, La Boheme immediately volunteered to make her way to Running with Scissors, and take her in tow if necessary.  Progress was monitored closely by the World ARC duty operators, and by 2200 Running with Scissors was safely under tow, with her very relieved Skipper being able to get some proper food and rest for the first time since he lost his mast, by now some three days ago.  They are making good progress, and all being well she and her rescuer La Boheme should arrive in St Helena in a couple of days, on 15th January.
 
Cleone's recent progress has been more purposeful than of late.  Powered up for the first time for several days, we have been making over six knots for some time now, and it is great to be making such good speed again.  The spinnaker behaved itself until just before the morning radio schedule, when the rising swells made it prudent to furl it.  But who knows, we may be able to re-set it later on.  It's great to be alive and out sailing, particularly as Shayne has just caught a lunch-sized Mahi-mahi, now made into Mahimahimayonaise and the Skipper has baked a fresh loaf of bread, just in time for lunch.
 
A much better total of 148 miles today is making us all look forward to our land-fall in St Helena, hopefully on Thursday night or Friday morning.  You'll be the first to know when we arrive.
 
All well on board, and best wishes from
 
James, Graham, Jenni and Shayne
Yacht Cleone
20o03'S 000o41'E



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