what can be repaired, has been repaired, so i decided we would leave at midday, after replacing the jib with a big "downwind" genoa, WH40'ing everything that needed a bit more ease of operation, and getting jean pierre new shoes to help healing, his heel...
meteo looked good 10-15 kn ese, but once we got going at 13.45 the sea was a mirror, and remained so for the whole of our beautiful trip down the canarian coast, on engine and autopilot. engine on slow revs, so i wasn't too worried about our diesel reserves, especially since i'd just brought another 80 litres in cans on board (total reserve:300L) what a gorgeous feeling though, to be on my way again, singing and humming at sacha distel's "c'est la belle vie" with what singing voice the years have left me, then making the few last phone calls, just as we loose sight of the ultimate piece of european land, before the big leap. harald and jean pierre, happily sailig on himinglaeva, as the sun sets in front of its bow...