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Skyelark of London - The pacific



7th Feb

After the ceremony and formality of the World ARC starting line we enjoyed agreat early sail amid light winds with Dan opting to forego the spinnaker while we watched other boats drop behind to wrestle theirs. Gradually though the conditions became ripe and we launched te spinnaker and made good progress, albeit listening with some frustration as crews around us taunted each other with fishy tales. We opted instead for Sams sausage pasta, but just as the sausages thawed our lure tactics paid off and George expertly landed and seamlessly filleted a 5ft Dorada or mahi-mahi.

Around 9pm a loud thump from on deck signalled a turn around. Our skipper Em had received news of a family emergency necessitating our return to Panama so she could fly home. We spent the night sailing upwind and the night watches were enlivened by shooting stars for those on deck and some pretty robust cradle rocking for those below.

8th Feb
After a morning motoring due to a headwind we arrived back at Contadora around lunchtime on the 8th. We said farewell to Em who will rejoin us in the Galapagos. We set back off at 3.30pm and as I was on galley duty it fell
to me to cook the dorada from yesterday - so no pressure then......I opted to cook it jerk-style in the oven with rice and green beans and everyone seemed to feel I had done it justice. Cooking at sea isnt a simple task, imagine working on a seesaw in a small box about 4ft square while every ingredient must be searched out from different compartments around the boat Fortunately after a day sailing the crews appetite greets every dish with
enthusiasm. if the galley was hot, the fishermen among us were on fire as in rapid succession they landed a large mackerel and its slightly smaller cousin to replenish our fish stocks. In the evening we set up the spinnaker pole for a gull wing configuration and continued downwind.

9th Feb

Dawn broke to a sea shared only with a container headed for the canal and the morning star bright in the sky.

Sarah

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