Monday 5th December 2011
The Skipper – As we approach St Lucia
Late yesterday afternoon, with squalls all round us but none in our path, the wind died. For more than 30 minutes our speed dropped to under 5 knots in a wind from astern of less than 8 knots. The forecast showed that no improvement was likely in the next 24 hours. With only 270 miles to St Lucia, at 18h45 we started the engine. Now we were on penalty time but travelling at close to 10 knots and so through the night and into Monday. Around 11h00 this morning the wind picked up, now from the south east. We stopped the engine, as with this wind direction we can reach with the wind on the beam, managing 6 - 8 knots as the wind fluctuated 8 – 12 knots. How long it will last we don’t know and still expect to re-start the engine this evening for the final miles to St Lucia. Currently our ETA has slipped back and is now sometime early on Tuesday morning. So our crossing will have taken 15 days plus 12 to 18 hours. My central forecast was 17 days.
I cannot tell you any new information on our position in the fleet. Running the engine means everything is in the melting pot until all engine hours have been submitted. So the final positions will only be available when most of the boats are home. Our last reported position was 6th in our division and 28th overall. I expect to end 6th but lower overall.
As we get near our landfall, we are joined in close company by several of our previously distant yachts. Just now, Catitude, a 75’ monster Catamaran, is just 5 miles away. It is owned by Gordon Tourlamain, for whom Miranda skippered his earlier Beneteau 57 in the ARC 2005. Also nearby is Sapphire, a Shipman 63, Anastasia, a 52’ Catamaran that has been near but ahead for several days, and Meneldor, a Hallberg 54 owned by a Dutch family. We talk to them all on the Radio Net and this morning on the VHF.
Tomorrow we will start to put faces to the voices on the Radio Net, we have come to know so well. At lunch today, Bill and Conor were having much fun drawing mind’s eye pictures of several of them, no doubt hopelessly wrong.
At 18h00 this Monday we have covered 2,721 miles and there is just 62 miles to go, making the length of our ARC crossing 2,783 miles, slightly shorter than my first plot before we left of 2,798. My final day summary will show –
Monday 21st, 23 hours from the rally start 142.7 nautical miles
Tuesday 22nd 162.0
Wednesday 23rd 194.3
Thursday 24th 185.2
Friday 25th 187.4
Saturday 26th 155.3
Sunday 27th 140.4
Monday 28th 166.2
Tuesday 29th 180.5
Wednesday 30th 177.6
Thursday 1st December 200.0
Friday 2nd 203.2
Saturday 3rd 197.5
Sunday 4th 166.1
Monday 5th, including 17h25 engine time 212.5
And to whenever on Tuesday 103.5
Total 2,783.0
Miranda and Antonia fly to London tomorrow evening. We will with much sadness say farewell to them late tomorrow afternoon. They will have little time to celebrate. But I know they will push the boat out for as long as they dare. Aided by Conor, they have commandeered the galley in great style always ready with snacks, cocktail eats, lunches and gourmet dinners. Heleen gave them fantastic ingredients, to which they added great flair and style. Conor and Bill have added to the in-house sailing team of Miranda and James. Their long racing experience has enabled us to handle two awkward spinnakers with totally inadequate sheets and blocks. The successful teamwork is demonstrated by our place in the fleet so near the front and our performance in the Cruising Division. James has worked as always to keep the whole show on the water. What a crew I have had – sheer enjoyment and never a cross word, even if we have all had our downs as well as moments of elation.
Later - It has just gone 18h00 and the wind is indeed dying, down to 4.5 – 6.0 knots, and our speed has dropped to 4.5 knots. It looks like an injection of diesel will be needed any minute now...... and later again - Indeed we started the engine at 19h01 and are now motoring at just over 9 knots, ETA Finish Line, Rodney Bay, St Lucia, 01h30, Tuesday, St Lucia time. That’s now definite.
With the end so close, expect one final brief diary tomorrow.
So near yet so far!! We still await the cry of Land Ho!
All good wishes from the far side of the Atlantic,
Yours impatiently,
Nigel and his happy crew