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Hot Stuff - Fairies of the Lost Arc - Chapter 9



Day 14.
Our Christmas wishes came true and we have been blessed with wind. However, we are still awaiting the ever elusive trade winds to give us some horizontal relief - for now life on a slant continues - we are sure this wasn't in the brochure!
 
We are currently on night watch and sailing under the most stunning half moon with a sky full of glittering stars. The sea is glistening and we are all grinning contentedly as head ever closer to the Pina Coladas awaiting us. As enjoyable as our luxury pond spa beauty experience was this is  much better than moving at 0.01 knots on a glassy sea. Here is an idea of how watches have gone over the last few days and what we are definitely not missing now:
- The sound of the main flogging every five seconds is followed by a loud unidentified creak.
- The crew undergo an hour of relentless unfurling and furling of the jib to take advantage of the 3 knots rather than 2 knots of wind on our instruments.
-  Whopping with joy at 0.02 knots sounds from the helmswoman who can feel a little pressure in her big toe/little finger.
- Give up furling/unfurling and continue efforts to make conversation interesting e.g. discussing in detail the exact way you each eat a kit-kat chunky.
 
Two very important milestones have been reached today:
1. Our first 24 hour stint without a wind hole - something we were beginning to doubt would be forthcoming.
2. We have reached the half-way mark on our epic journey!
 
The 14 days it has taken to find us midway between Las Palmas and Rodney Bay has taken us longer than we had originally anticipated. However, this doesn't detract from what we have achieved together as a team. We have had some personal moments which deserve a minute or two to feel a little self-indulgent and well deserved pride. There is still some way to go but the strength of nine women working as a cohesive unit is a sound basis for getting through the trials and tribulations ahead. That and our fantasies of fresh food and cold beer that await us in St. Lucia.
We decided to delay our half way party and our extra special tinned food slap up meal until tomorrow; A plastic cup of champers loses its edge slightly when it gains air and slides off the 'table' - napkin laid down on fibreglass deck floor - we are of course as classy as ever. Instead we thought it would be a good opportunity to get some beauty sleep ... it was not quite as peaceful as the saloon residents imagined however:
Sleeping in saloon berths experience:
#1. Securely tie lee cloth to D rings at either end of saloon sofas to ensure a snug, hammock-like berth that rocks us gently to sleep as Hot Stuff cuts through the waves at 7 knots.
#2. Throw in musty sheet and pillow to avoid skin-to-leather adhesive effect in exclusive saloon sauna. (now in high contest with aft cabins - prices become competitive)
#3. Scissor hurdle lee cloth and wedge body to appropriate side of sofa, depending on 45 degree heel of boat and pray for a 'tack-free' night.
#4. Resolve to take further knot tying tuition in the morning as you gracefully fall out of lee cloth.
#5. Feel very sorry for yourself.
#6. Re-tie lee cloth with 4 amateur 'two round turns and a half-hitch knot' in the hope that one of them holds.
#7. Scissor hurdle back in.
#8. Having found a comfy position after 10 minutes of serious wriggling, realise that tales of losing weight on the Arc are a myth as your body fails to defy gravity and lee cloth strains to keep your body off of the floor.
#9. Starboard side dwellers face the added hurdle of wedging body between sofa back and spinnaker. Whilst port side dwellers require extra padding courtesy of a mouldy sleeping bag to deflect the late night bumps as those on watch squeeze by to grab life-jackets or use the heads.
#10. Two hours after bracing muscles and limbs against each and every available surface sleep takes hold. Then prepare for a rude awakening by one or all of the following:
- Projected green new potato flown sling-shot from a swinging hammock.
- Soggy leggings falling from handrail now doubling up as a washing line for clothing that never actually seems to dry.
- Flying inanimate objects from opposite side of saloon as Hot Stuff tacks to gain better winds.
- hungry watch keeper finding you make a good snack table whilst routing in the cupboards for a tasty treat.
- newly awoken watch dripping water and spraying toothpaste during teeth-cleaning activities in the galley as they fail to steady water bottle and 45 degree angle.
 
With such a restful beauty sleep, the fairies will be ready to shine as we celebrate our midpoint Caribbean style tomorrow.
 
With love and fairy dust from the Girls4Sail crew on Hotstuff.


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