Beetle - Beetle - day 9

Well, it's been some days since the last log. I assume some of the boats in weather grid Hotel will know why. Yesterday monday was actually very nice, but we spend all day cleaning the boat and drying clothes.

The previous days didn' t resemble Trade Winds very well to say the least. It was the usual SW winds, that made any southern progress impossible - unless one fansied sailing SE.

3 days ago we had serious wind forces and a sea to match. Sea water as well as fresh water (rain) was flushing over the boat. Everything below deck was wet. All clothes are wet. Foul weather clothes, shoes, socks, trousers - even the contains in the laundry bag was soaked.

Beetle was pounding through the waves beating as much southwards as possible, since we were earlier on advised to be south of grid Charlie. It' s really amasing what boats are capable of withstanding. A 10 feet vertical drop after sailing through / over the top of a wave. Since we were were reaching, the boat landed healing, but what forces the shrouds are holding up.

Anyway, one ting positive about all this reaching is the wind generator, the Air Breeze Marine. It has just been throwing Amps into the batteries, so food and drink are in good supply and condition.

Yesterday the sun was shining, the sea state had abated and the cockpit was full of drying clothes. All windows were opened to send a drying breeze through the boat.

Today is the Skipper' s birthday. For breakfast we had scrambled eggs, bacon and baked beans and a glass of orange juice. Mrs. Skipper is now preparing sirloin, with oven roasted potatoes and some pebber gravy we bought in Cortes Inglés. Afterwards we will most likely see the second half of Life of Pi, which we started last night.

Today we had the genakker up. Thanks to Danina on our pontoon T, who set us up with a sailmaker, who Saturday afternoon shortened the torque rope half a meter, since we had had trouble furling it.

Today we have been side by side with Easy Rider, whom we also were side by side with some 600 nm ago. On our starboard aft side, we have some white sails some 10 nm distant, which according to daily noon positions most likely is Athena II.

The potatoes in the oven are already smelling nicely, so Beetle is over and out for now.

Beetle

N19.12, W34.14