What a nice sail! We have wind force 4 from north east and pleasant waves. Astahaya cuts through them in a steady rhythm. We feel safe here. It is midnight local time. The moon is blazing up a silver track from the bow and in our direction, just where we are aiming. This gives a feel of eternity and is good for the soul. This night we sail on the moon’s silver beam….
When you sail like this – westward – on approximately 270 degrees, you sail into the sunsets until it is dark, and drag the sun up again with the stern the next morning. Every evening we sail after the setting sun as if we try to hold it back! Every evening!
Lars Christian and Tom are on watch for two hours. Last watch was kept by Jon and Åge. They had nothing but steady sails to report. Before them were Christian and again Lars Christian on watch. Tore is having his long sleep. He had his food making day yesterday and deserves a long horizontal rest.
We have been through days with as good as no winds and without the cruising shute it is not much we can arrange. The other sailboats we compare daily reports with might take us now.
Food is in focus. Tore baked bread yesterday. He says it was his first time, but we hardly believe him. It was so good. You have done your job with him, Berit! Tore’s lunch was a hotel presentation of all available spreads nicely decorated on a smørgårdsbord. A thing he could only do in quiet weather. When the winds die out for a couple of days it is hard to keep the motivation going. He lifted the day!
Then the rain came. This was the first real rainfall on the rally. Water fell down in buckets for half an hour! Astahaya was clean from salt! And afterwards we could enjoy better sailwinds.
Later in the day – dinner. In the sunset Tore served Spanish sausages with pasta in sauce. We have not much greens left so it will be a challenge to make interesting food the last days.
After dinner Christian handed out an invitation from the Management! There will be a Togaparty tomorrow Monday 8th to give Åge the deserved focus on his birthday! Awards will be handed out! Immaculate toga, beautiful garnish, success from fishing, best musical feature and best order in own bed will be awarded. The last is added by the management as an incentive to upgrade the general order on board!
We believe we will arrive St Lucia on Saturday.
Celebrate Åge’s birthday you too! You might find it fun…….
On behalf of all on board
Tom