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Tulla Mhor - day 12: very different days



We are beating across the Atlantic! I am helming using the telltales on the gib! I was promised downwind sailing and sunshine. Ha!
Tuesday 29th day 10:
All day was hot and sunny with very little wind. After Hugo and Dugald’s swim we motored a short while to recharge the batteries. Then the boys had the big pink cruising chute up most of the day trying to cox a few knots thru the sea. The sea was like molten metal, glimmering and undulating. We are sailing in an un-seaman like way with all the hatches open.
I decided to do some baking and ended up making a massive loaf of bread. I had started with 1/2 kilo of flour but added too much water and kept on adding more and more flour to reach the right consistency. However it was almost finished at lunch as there is something about fresh bread that makes everyone keep eating. I used up some very mushy bananas for  banana bread which was consumed for afternoon tea. We decided to change the ships clock and are now on UTC –1.
In the evening even less wind if that is possible, so we took the sails down to stop them slamming around. We settled down with a drink some snacks and played cards. The sun had set and Venus was high in the sky so we pointed the boat towards Venus in the west, locked off the wheel and put on the cockpit lights. It was quite surreal drifting west with the current with inky blackness around. As everything was so calm and still we put the table up for dinner, even setting it with mats, and had a relaxing leisurely dinner. Off to bed with watches organised. The wind picked up after the first watch, sails hoisted and continuing in vaguely the right direction.
Wednesday 30th day 11:
The day started well, a lovely sunrise. Dugald found a flying fish in the main saloon. It had flown in thru our open hatch and landed on the saloon floor!
The clouds soon gathered and the wind picked up, still from the west. We saw rain in the distance and were soon hit by our first squall. 2 reefs in the main and reducing the gib. We all had full wet weather gear on. The furling  gear for the gib jammed. The sail had to come down to fix the furling drum. Sails back up and continue beating to windward.
Another boat appeared, the first we have seen for 5 days. She was not transmitting AIS and tacked off into the next rain shower.
The day continued with heavy rain showers, beating into fresh winds with intermittent squalls.
For some reason I had the dinner menu fixed in my head and despite it being obvious that the weather was not suitable for such an elaborate meal I persisted in making potato wedges, pork slouvaki, greek salad and taziki, although even I gave up with the taziki. I was cooking with a greater than 20 degree tilt. The boys were battling with reefs, rain, squalls, and quite close lightening. Eventually everyone had something to eat and the galley moderately tidy. I was due to do 1st watch which Hugo kindly swapped as it was still very windy. I think he likes all this wind compared to the very slow sailing we have had. By the time my watch came round the wind had decreased and a calm sail into the morning.
The forecast suggests that the wind direction will improve so here’s hoping we will have fair winds soon.

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