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Exody - Days 260-265: Quarter way to Mauritius



Four days in to this 2340 mile passage and we clocked 637 miles at 10am this morning Friday 2nd October with daily runs to date of 180,168,134 and 155 nautical miles. Just over a quarter the way there, the wind has now picked up again and veered to a comfortable 20 knots southeasterly - Exody is romping over the Indian Ocean at well over seven knots on a reach with double reefed main and single reefed genny, doing her best to maintain a midfleet position behind the big boats! The forecast large swell generated by a distant Southern Ocean storm is not yet impeding orderly, mostly dry, progress along the rhumb line. The sea and long deep swell is impressive - sparkling white waves, sometimes translucent aquamarine, over deep blue.

We spent our last day at Cocos Keeling on Sunday 27th with final preparations. I did an early morning dinghy run to collect pre-ordered groceries, returning through quite the most vivid range of turquoise colours making dinghy pilotage of the shallows and coral simple. The briefing and barbecue ashore were delayed but the the meal was worth the convivial wait. Laundry was delivered - this one of our more unexpectedly expensive overheads - here, for example, the quoted price for a large bag doubled and then the interpretation of a large bag halved, so we spent £40 for ten day's laundry - but, to be fair, it was sun-dried and delivered to an uninhabited island! I went ashore after dark to squeeze the last out of the internet hotspot at the coconut tree, skyping the family and finally updating the blog. The only company I had was three of the younger set reviewing European football around a beach bonfire over a large bottle of Tequila and several beers- the rest of the fleet all retired aboard with dinghies stowed.

Eleven of the fourteen boats crossed the start line on Monday, three opting to leave earlier. We were soon goosewinged averaging 7.5 knots and kept that sail plan for three days. By nightfall we had more than half of the fleet's sails in view but the bright full moon denied us any lights to track! Hugur alone was visible 8 miles ahead on Tuesday morning and since then we have had the ocean to ourselves, apart from one cargo ship and one Japanese fishing boat (destination on AIS : Fising Groung!).

Our side decks are a flying fish morgue, many juveniles at about 25mm - we have twice cleared 50 sun-baked carcasses, with the 'fingerprints' of the wings and the scales since cleaned off by the sea spray. We had other fish yesterday, about 500mm long, a good meal size, frequently skipping inelegantly clean out the water and swimming alongside tantalisingly within reach - blue/purple backs- I have decided they are skipjack tuna as they look like the picture on the tin!

We are settling in to our established watch routine for this the longest leg for the two of us crewless. We both find our daytime offwatch essential for sleep management! The fresh veg and meat supplies from Cocos are lasting well so the fishing lines are not out yet. As usual the daily radio nets, now including the noon children's net run by Aretha, provide a focal point of human contact and we still have Hugur 20 miles to the south on a parallel track.

Peter (Skipper)




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