Well folks, yesterday, Tuesday 17th, was a bit pooey to say the least. It rained, it poured, it blew, it stopped, we went backwards and sideways, but not forwards. Sails up and down again and clothes from foulies to shorts on and off again. Finally becalmed all evening, so after a few hours of angst (and we know what this skipper is like about angst)we sadly decided to bend on the iron topsail for a bit of chug-chugging. Megga penalty points at the end of course, but probably better than going backwards and meeting the back end of the fleet.
Anyways folks we put-putted for a few hours and stopped at ohcracksparrowfart this morning so we could drift a bit and ponder fings under Orions belt. Nothing in sight. No whales. No wind. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Other yachts have seen pirate ships, fin-whales, nuclear submarines, lost 2nd WW Flying Fortress bomber squadrons, seals, the kon-tiki raft, Lord Lucan, and suchlike.
So it went on drifting until brekky time this very day, when, inspired to action by our intake of vorsprung durch technic black Rye bread, we ups and bends on the big coloured spinmaker type sail. Our speed (or velocity to be precise. Although as we know the mass of the boat and its speed and position, we can never be entirely clear as to its precise velocity. See Heisenberg) ups to a stunning 4.3 knots, mostly in the right direction.
Now its midday Day 18, Wednesday, its hot and perspiry, and tomorrow is our last payday on board. We are ghosting under our chute. Nick the Lofty GM is fishing with a huge plastic lure thingy. Dr Beardy Mac is writing his memoirs and musing on the use of newly discovered quasi-crystals, and the skipper is making lists about where to store various pieces of string and small dusty items of no intrinsic value. If anyone can tell David of what use Nobel prize winning quasi-crystals are can they please let us know. There may be a reward in it. Or not.
As far as we can tell, using bog-roll tubes, sellotape, and string, we have 370 miles to go to the tip of St Lucia, but at this stage this could take up to 6 weeks to cover. Our original ETA was for Saturday sometime, so we could attend the jazz party that evening. Perhaps if Nick catches a big enough Reef Shark we could get towed in.
Mike the Skip
Nick (Lofty)
David McA (Beardy)
RAPAREE. Day 18. 15-37N; 54-53W.