Where Sibilation sails well, she motors slowly!
Another massively frustrating 24 hours motoring along at 4.5 knots trying
to be as efficient as possible to ensure the diesel we have on board lasts
throughout this period of no wind. We are now thankful for the huge jerry cans
of diesel we bought in Las Palmas, but gutted that we’re having to use it.
Before starting the trip if someone had offered us 19 days with a bit of
motoring we’d have bitten their arm off, but after the excellent progress in the
first 12 days, our expectations and goals shifted significantly. At one point it
looked possible to make it in just less than 18 days, with no motoring at all.
On a positive note, currently we’re still on track to make it at some point on
Friday and achieve a number of days that starts with a ‘1’!
It’s also been another scorching 24 hours (so weird to hear about ice and
snow in England!). Absolutely everything on board is at least 30 degrees, and
we’re almost able to save on gas as you could make tea with the bottled water!
Provisions are lasting well, although their is no question that we’re all
craving a cold beverage and something that isn’t based around pasta, rice or
part bake baguettes. Nick is regularly disappointed with his request for a
Hawaiian pizza for dinner!
With regards to jobs on the boat, the level motion has allowed us to take
off the mainsail and properly inspect and repair the hole we’d worn through
chafe from the Spinnaker sheet. The sail is back up, so lets hope we have a
chance to use it before we get to St Lucia!
Sibilation crew