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Webster - Log 16: Heady stuff



Friday 6th: Position 15 54'N 33 10'W. Well it had to happen sometime I suppose. Came up on deck at 0800 and all crew already there and Jeremy said with some element of glee, "the heads are blocked!", presumably because he knew it was not him that the delightful job of unblocking the thing would fall......that is all you need first thing in the morning. Good job I have two on the boat, and the second one is MINE!!!!! Oh well the buck stops here.

With a view to not taking off pipes down below and emptying the holding tank contents into the bilge Carl pumped the loo whilst I was on deck with a (far too) short length of hose pipe and blew back down the waste pump hole in the deck. This blew content all over the place like Mount Vesuvious, most of it missing me thankfully, but I had to remember to blow and not to suck. We eventually cleaned out the holding tank over the deck followed with copious quantities of sea water, filled and refilled the tank and eventually the blockage cleared. Yuck! Right, what's for breakfast? 

The wind had been reasonably light again over night but it was coming up this morning and we were enjoying some 15 knt winds from the East. We were at last making 7-8 knts in the right direction and feeling at last we were on our way. Very interesting compass variation out here which takes some getting used to as the true course differs to the compass by some 14 degrees (W) so the plotter course over ground line (when we have it on) looks miles out compared to the compass. 

At 1300 SSB Net it was clear we were not being heard by the net controller but we could hear a couple of other nearer boats discussing the weather and tactics. It is clear many are getting despondent with the constant light patches that can last days, and there is another one coming along between 14 - 18 degrees N over the next couple of days. The problem is fuel, as they don't have the fuel reserves to motor through. This is the reason we put into Verdes so we do have enough (I think) to motor for a couple of days and have enough for battery charging and emergencies. 

We have been under spinnaker for three days solid and took it down late afternoon to check for chafe on the halyard and sheets. One of the sheets needed attention but all otherwise ok. So we re-hoisted in a falling breeze (we had had our quota for the day clearly) and within no time at all had a real mother of a wrap! Had about six twists around the forestay and we were being pushed for time with approaching darkness and in skies that were promising rain and possible squalls. Anyway, after gybing back and forth for a while and trying not to just yank it and tighten the knot we eventually got it to untwist itself and promptly dropped it on deck for the night. 

Ken made a beef curry for dinner which again was great and Albert made a fresh fruit salad which was brilliant. How come fruit abroad almost no matter where you go is more tasty than that we can get at home?

Changed watch patterns this evening to one on one on standby as with these light airs and no traffic seems pointless having two up. Gives everyone more sleep which is no bad thing.

That's it for today, we have a ditti concerning the blockage but far too rude to pass scrutiny at WCC!

Charlie - Webster

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