Greetings from Yacht Ensemble.
We are currently sailing just south of the rhum line to Manihi, with about 200nm to go. We've been sailing since around 6pm yesterday - and it's good to have some reasonable winds - about 10-15 knots from the E - NE. (...Nothing like the forecast!)
It is still very hot (31C at 7am - with humidity of 70 percent - so we are missing not having the air conditioning - but the breeze on deck is fine.
I hope to replace the impeller on the generator this morning. The seas are a bit rougher - and the engine room is a bit of a squeeze - but at least the motor will have cooled down now.
Magali and I have got into the routine of trying to do 30 minutes of 'boat jobs' each day. The idea is a 'stick in time saves nine' - and it means that there is less work to do when we arrive somewhere. The only downside is that without the air-conditioning it gets pretty hot inside...
Yesterday my task was to fix a bed light that had stopped working. The switching unit had corroded - but I was able to swap it with another unit from the spare bedroom. The process took more than an hour and a half (nothing is ever simple) - but at least I have a working reading light now.
Despite the heat Magali had a productive day in the kitchen. Wholemeal bread, banana bread, banana frappe, and home-made pizza.
Still no luck with the fishing - another bite but nothing hooked.
We are still travelling in convoy with Seaquest and Gunvor - and have been having our own radio-net at midday, 7pm and 3am. It's nice to know someone else is out there - as the only vessel we saw was a Japanese fishing ship on the horizon yesterday evening.
Hopefully the wind will endure and we will be reaching Manihi tomorrow afternoon.
Cheers
Dave & Magali