So we are now in day 6 after leaving Cape Verdes, however we've stopped counting how many days we've been out at sea, simply because we had a 1 week stop over for repairs and don't really count that as "Under way" it was more "under the influence"!
What is more important to us is our ETA and if we arrive in St Lucia in time for the Prize Ceremony on the 17th because what's the point of coming in last if you can't collect your "last place" prize.
And we still have a chance of winning a prize in the Basil plant competition. Since Heidi has taken over Valerio's job of looking after Sybil, she has grown a few more inches and is even sprouting new tops, we think it is all the tea bags and coffee grinds she keeps feeding her. Heidi also takes her for walks on the deck every day for fresh air and exercise.
And if it wasn't for the fact that I had to hand steer the boat while Bob was repairing the Auto Pilot i could have taken a picture of those 4 Dolphins that did synchronized jumps 4 meters out of the water just of our starboard side we could have pulled in that Photography prize.
Or what about the Fishing competition, because we've been catching fish every day until our freezer was full and we got a bit tired of Mahi Mahi all the time until we caught a 1 Meter Wahoo the other day and could make some Sushi and Ceviiche.
But most importantly we don't want any prize except for a safe arrival without any more stuff breaking down and get there either before or Christmas or any time this year (as in 2011)
We have been heading a bit more south in the hope that the fabled wind shift to the NE fills in and we can gybe onto our rhumb line with a better and smoother angle.
C U on the Sunny Side,
Sietse the Fishing & Radio Controller
Captain Bob
Heidi our Basil plant caretaker
and Jim our Galley Wench