Possibly RAPAREE's last full day outward a l'Atlantique
Made a mitsake there on last blog. Of course day 19, yesterday, wasn't 12th Dec. To be sure it was only the 8th Dec. Anyway it was a most remarkably windless day. Surrounded by a great curving panorama of sky with huge distant cumulus clouds hull down on the horizon. A big slow easy swell gives the illusion that our horizon is tilted down to the south west and that we are gently sliding across a huge sea-meadow down into some distant valley. Its hot and sticky so we stop to allow us to jump into the clear blue sea and swim around the boat with 6000 metres below our toes. The after waterline and counter are covered with barnacles so skipper sets to with the brush.
Under way again, lunch of marinaded tuna chunks in couscous with homemade bread. No wind and much motoring forecast so we top up the main fuel tank from 3 jerry cans using a jigger-ball syphon tube.
Teatime and another bite on Nicks line. No fish but plastic squidlet thingy bitten half through. No problem as Dr D gets surgical kit out and sews squid together.
Night comes on and its eerily quiet. Occasional wind flurries so we keep trying little sailing bursts under main and genoa. Visited by some bored teenage dolphins at midnight. They kick some tin cans around and then go home.
There are still a few (useless) rain squalls in our areas and we experiment successfully with steering around them using our old radar.
Day 20 (Fri 9th) and its still bizarrely quiet. If we have to motor along the whole way with main up, we'll just have enough fuel to make Rodney Bay at St Lucia. Now only 115 miles away 1st thing this morning. Should be there with luck about 0400 tomorrow Sat AM. Time to put some wine in the coolbox and dig out the flags.
Late development: Stopped the motor and spent the late afternoon in a high seas drifing duel with a beautiful Italian 48 footer, Futura. Both of us with spinakers up and on the limit for close reaching. Wind only 5 knots so our duel is colourful but in very slow motion. This fun will delay our arrival and push us back further but as its the last days sail,its got to be done.
We'll try and blog tomorrow. Don't know yet what the wifi/mail/phone/hotmail situation is until we get in so not sure if our radio sailmail address, or Raparee's own hotmail e-mail address will be the way to go over the next 2 weeks. Will try and keep some kind of bloggette going either way.
David Mc will be staying in St Lucia to help for 1st 10 days or so, but Nick returns to Spain this Wednesday coming. Geoff Bell & Andrew & Charlotte fly out to join Raparee on 23rd for a Christmas inter-island tour. Anyone else who wants to do a bit of sunshine island hopping during the winter months, starting early Jan, is also welcome.
Mike
Nck
Dave
On RAPAREE
110 miles E of St Lucia