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Northern Child - Daily Log 6 - 2/12/12 -The Oily Black and the Humour Lack



Daily Run    241nm
DTT             132nm
DTG (distance to go to St Lucia)            1601nm
 
Lunch           Pasta Cabonara
Dinner           Chinese Beef Stir Fry
 
So the last 24hrs have seen us dive quite considerably South, hence our distance to target being only 132nm.  In doing this, for now, we have sacrificed our lead on some other baoats in our fleet who have taken a slightly more direct route.  However, there is method to the plan and I am hoping that our tactical move South will start to pay in the next 48hrs.   Hopefully we will have the wind freeing behing us and slightly stronger, allowing us to sail faster with the Spinnaker while the others slow in less wind further forward on the beam.  Time will tell on that one!
 
The change of heading from downwind to a beam reach with apparent wind (apparent wind is the combination of the true wind and your speed which brings the wind forward. If you imagine 10mph of wind hitting you on your right hand side at 90 degrees, as you move forwards, the apparent wind also moves forward.  Once you are doing 50mph in your car, you would no loger feel the wind at 90 degrees, only a the wind directly in your face) was a welcome break to start with.  Easier to steer and a different less jarry motion which was very welcome.
 
However, as nightfall drew in, with no moonlight and a very dark sky, steering became a little more difficult.  I was down below at 0100 reading a book (yes for those of you that know me well, I was actually reading a book - Branson's Like a Virgin) and heard the watch on deck start saying "where are you going, where are you going".  I sensed the boat starting to turn so ran on deck just as we gybed.  It was blowing about 28knots and the preventer did it's job of holding the boom to avoid it flying across the deck.  I steered us back on to the correct course and we were once again off.  As you can imagine, in the middle of the night, the boat lurching from side to side alarmed the off watch crew who were in their bunks and so I put Tim on the helm and went back below to let everyone know what had happened and that everything was alright.  I then donned my jacket and went back on deck to take the helm for the next 5 hours through watch B's last hour and watch A's watch.
 
By the time watch A were on deck, the sky to the South West of us was Oily Black, the most disconcerting colour for a yachtsmen on open Ocean.  The wind had reduced to about 20knots from 100 degrees and it seemed clear that we would be in for some squalls under the cloud.  As we sailed closer, you could have heard a pin drop for the lack of conversation between watch A.  So I thought it was time for some jokes to pass the time.  I started with some 'Little Johnny' which eased the mood and we passed the time with some laughter.  The squall did hit us and was 30-35 knots but only lasted for about 10 minutes and was just a little bit of excitement and some improved boat speed for a short time.
 
Our crew profile today is Richard:
 
Richard got the sailing bug as a teenager when his family spent 4 years in Barbados in the mid-70's and then found that while working as a young engineer in Saudi in the 80's sailing and scuba were among the best (legal) forms of entertainment available there. He graduated to yachts about 7 years ago, through his employer's sailing club, and quickly did his Day Skipper but while that lead to some great sailing holidays in Turkey and the BVI - and the RTI race earlier this year - the trip back across the Atlantic to his sailing roots in the Caribbean has always been a long standing goal.  Earlier this year on completeing 25 years with his company they congratulated him with the words "That's a great acheivement; you must be thinking about retirement!" When he realised that the emphasis was on the "must" it quickly became a case of "You must be thinking about the ARC"!  What better way to celebrate escaping the daily commute and set the first of many exciting challenges for the next phase....
 
As we woke this morning the conditions had once again eased, very slightly and through the rest of the morning continued to make our journey to St Lucia more pleasant than it has been to date.  I can feel it in my bones (or perhaps it is the satellite forecast downlaod) some easier conditions are on their way and by Wednesday, we should be poled out again hopefully with a spinnaker set and probably pointing straight at St Lucia.  Some of that elusive downwind Trade Wind sailing is out there and we WILL find it!
 
Till tomorrow
 
Christian, C and crew



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