This trip is nothing if not unpredictable! We were sailing along nicely this morning minding our own business when through the binoculars we saw another sailing boat heading right for us with crew on deck waving frantically. Despite a number of attempts we could not make radio contact. What to do? Are they pirates? Are they in trouble? A short crew meeting determined that we could not just sail away and leave them. We dropped our sails and waited. Eventually we made contact and it transpired that their battery was flat and they had no power. Over the radio they requested that we disconnected ours, sent it over to their vessel, they would use it to start their engine and we would then be sent it back. This didn't seem like a good idea as we didn't fancy watching our precious battery disappearing into the watery depths. Another plan was hatched...their skipper was to get into their raft, paddle over to our boat with their battery and charge it off our battery. Bearing in mind that this was in quite a rough sea, it was quite a plan! To make matters worse we then lost the ability to start our engine and all of this manouvre had to be undertaken under sail.
Miraculously the plan worked and Adam (our temporary 7th crew member was on board for 2 hours while we charged his battery. Then the process was reversed. So a few hours and miles lost but humanity satisfied!
Which reminds me, if any of you are looking at the positions and thinking how bad we are, just bear in mind that not all of the boats are racing and can use their engine when things go flat. Thats a fact not an excuse. Our plan is still holding up and should reap rewards in a couple of days. Hold the faith guys, here we come!
Cornbeef hash for tea, we are really living it up!
More tomorrow.
Mark and Tony C