Last night was abit more eventful than we might have liked! Having taken down the spinnaker before dark to give ourselves an easier night the first 2 watches went well but on the third watch while Dad and I were asleep one of our sheets chafed through, now before you think we were not checking we state of our rigging, we were and had even added chafe protection in Mindelo after noticing the amount of ware on the first leg. We had been monitoring our sheets carefully to try and avoid such an event but these things always seem to happen and of course with great timing!
Mum and Henry were on watch and I was asleep in the saloon to be woken by a lot of flapping and mum being quite confused. Once I turned the deck lights on it was apparent what had happened, luckily we had already discussed what to do if this happened. So I hurriedly put my lifejacket on came on deck and we furled away the sail. We had also thought ahead and tied a 3rd sheet to the sail so changing from downwind to upwind sailing would be easier, this would have worked really well but after half an hour of grappling with the pole and various ropes we discovered it wasn’t long enough! We did eventually get it sorted by cutting off the chafed end and retying it. Now you might think this to be the easier part, but no… the point to tie the sheet to is about dads and mine height combined, so Dad slightly precariously climbed up the furled foresail to reach.
This morning we once again put the spinnaker up and still find ourselves within sight of Aquila! The fourth day at sea and we haven’t lost sight of them yet.