Date: Sat 8th Dec 2012
Time: 12:50UTC
Position: 15’34.8N 48’25.8W
SOG: 8-10 knots
COG: 282 M
Weather: Big Nasty Squalls
Wind: All over the place but mainly ENE 18-25
Well – what a night ! (aren’t they the words to a song somewhere?)
We finally inched away from our almost surreal, flat calm sea and wall stars at night with the wind and our boat speed building using our light weight spinnaker. The afternoon was great with sunshine and a lovely warm breeze. We were all thinking of stepping ashore at Rodney Bay and our first rum punch ... However at about 16.00 we encountered the first squall with heavy rain. it was great to get the shampoo out and wash our hair in the pouring rain.
Jacko’s 21.00 to midnight watch saw more squalls on the way and changed our, then heavy kite to a poled our headsail. The squalls continued into the evening and all night with very heavy rain and wind gusting from – it seemed – every direction alternating with short periods of very light and extremely shifting winds causing hard flapping of the main with all the water on it slapped around in bucket loads adding to spray us on top of rain and waves! Both watches had the boat turn through 360 degrees, but Neil was the hero with three 360 degree turns. Everyone was drenched and as I’m writing loads of wet clothing is being pegged to the rails in the watery sunshine. and we’re all in great spirits.
As I’m writing ( 12.41 UTC ) the GPS we have 732.1 nm to go to Rodney bay which will take us 90 hrs 44m and 50 secs ! Jacko recons we’ll be there between late evening on the 11th to 6.00 am on the 12th December ?? !!
Jut to let someone know our thoughts are with you and Florence
We’re heard its freezing in the UK !! Ha!
Mum & Dad – thx for your best wishes – Trasher
Chris / Jez – believe me the beers will go down very well and quickly in St Lucia and we are sailing as hard and fast as we can
Callum – two fish got away this morning – they broke the line so must have been large !
Love to all