Mischief - Up to Mischief again: Log 62 Further adventures of S/Y Mischief through the eyes and ears of Chas Baynes

Friday, 20th July 2018 - passage to Mackay, Australia

We have been sailing fast all night, I even hit 12.3 knots at one point down a wave! Now at 0630 this morning we have our own shadow, Christine a mile or so off our port beam and Amara 400 meters ahead. It is a little cloudy this morning but with a warm wind although I am still wearing a wind jacket as it feels chilly from the night.

0630 Postion: 17 deg 45' S 165 deg 43'.2 E C: 270 W: ESE 22 kn SOG: 8 kn

Last night we managed to get a riding turn on the winch which took some shifting, including taking the strain on a loaded up guy for the genoa. My back is complaining like hell this morning so have spread liberal amounts of ibroprofen gel over it. Let's hope that works.

1215 Position: 17 deg 43.9' S 164 deg 58.3' E SOG: 8kn W: ESE 20kn

The distance run is 196 nm from 10am yesterday so we have again missed the elusive 200 mile noon to noon run; we were getting some surf miles in during the night but not sufficient. However, we did average 7.5 knots in the last 12 hours so can't complain!

We had a bite on the hand line this afternoon which yanked the knot on the transom wire tight and so hard it made the reel jump and frightened the life out of me. When we reeled the line in the two inch stainless steel hook had been straightened out by whatever monster it was so very pleased it made its escape.

Dave was doing a chicken curry for tea and went to get some more long grain rice from the storage under the floorboards. He noted with horror that the packet was alive with wee beasties - weevils! So, we immediately emptied the floor lockers and ended up chucking 3 or four packages of rice and half a dozen packets of pasta over the side as the blighters had eaten their way through the plastic packaging and were busy multiplying like crazy. It may however be a blessing in disguise to have discovered this at this time as the Australian Bio Police would have a field day if they were to find an insect infestation on board the boat during their inspection. Hopefully we have sufficient good stuff left for the rest of the journey. Anyway, it does beg the question: to go hungry or to have the boat impounded - which is the lesser of the two weevils? Or, and worse still, watching them jump from rice bag to pasta packet - Weevil Kinevil?

The wind has remained constant 15 - 20 knots ESE all day again so we are making very good progress on our course due west and at 1830 had 75 miles to go to a way point just north of the Recif D'Entrecantareaux when we have a ten degrees course alteration which may just allow us to put up the new asymmetric spinnaker, the moment we have all been waiting for. If it's not too windy!

2400 Position: 170deg 45.2' S 163 deg 37.7 E W: ESE 12 kn (easing) C: 275

I spent the 9 pm to midnight watch trying to soak down to the waypoint bearing away on each header so there were constant course adjustments to try to get to the position without gybing. It was good fun and certainly made the three hours pass quickly.

Saturday, 21st July 2018 - Passage to Mackay, Australia

Trevor and my 3am to 6am watch was again spent trying to get low enough on our course to pass the waypoint off D'Entrecantareaux reef without gybing when we took an adverse windshift that put us close enough but not quite, but we were miles off the reef so all was well. However, it turns out that the waypoint was actually a turning mark in the sailing instructions, a point we had not appreciated, so although we were within a mile it would not count as a rounding. We could always suggest that 'a miss is as good as a mile' and see how we get on but I doubt it! In a dinghy race we would do a 720 degree turn but in the mid-Pacific I don't think so, so we may have to retire from the race which is a shame but not the end of the world - we haven't eaten our chocolate from our last prize yet! So, we made up for it by putting the spinnaker up and having a bacon sandwich and sat to eat it in the sunshine. Easily pleased this crew.

However, to set the spinnaker we had to drop down the Code 0 which was furled in front of the genoa. When I got it on the deck we noticed that there was a tear in the top section. The repair Dave had requested in Tahiti for a reinforcing tape to be sewn down the leach of the sail had not been delivered, rather a specific repair on the torn section as the rest appeared okay; it was this seam that had gone and which would have been alleviated but for the short-cut repair job. So, now the sail is useless until a further, and proper, repair can be done.

The spinnaker only lasted half an hour when the forecast wind of 15 knots became an un-forecasted 28 knots briefly so it had to come down PDQ! In its place we at last hoisted the new A5 asymmetric but as a spinnaker, which it didn't really like so we took it down again and will fly it later when conditions suit a bit better. We are still doing 7 knots under genoa so not too bad.

The well over due food cupboard clear out goes on. Wendy and Dave have been through every single food cupboard this morning and binned a load of stuff out of date and produced an inventory of that remaining. Luckily, no more weevils have been discovered - the spray we used has obviously done for them.

Around noon the moment had arrived to set the new spinnaker properly and it performs magnificently. The boat is flying! It is a lot more stable than the big spinnaker and can be carried in a little more wind. It will be used to replace the injured code 0 sail with the wind on the beam.

Mind you having said those famous last words, later on in the afternoon as I was preparing dinner the spinnaker wrapped around itself a good few times and Dave and I couldn't untwist it, so down it came, and we did it on deck before stowing it and re-setting the genoa on port gybe.

Then at the 4pm radio net one of the leading yachts reported a rudder problem on a Pan Pan call, so all ears went to that emergency situation. As before, the Arc fleet swung into immediate action and nearest boats dispatched towards the position, services informed and everything that could be done was in place. Very impressive I must say. We will see during the evening and night how the situation develops but we are a little too far away relative to other boats, so we will keep clear of the area is the best we can do for now.

Dinner incidentally was a steak and onion stew with potatoes and cabbage. Rather nice it was too. I'm stuffed again though. Even dinner was not without incident as the gas bottle ran out and I called up to Dave to change it over to a new one, normally a simple task. However, on this occasion when he unscrewed the top of the new bottle the non-return pressure valve failed, and we had high pressure butane jetting out of the top like a fire hydrant! Dave was trying manfully to get the regulator fitting in the hole whilst I tried to turn the bottle to screw it in but had to admit defeat as Dave got frost bite on his fingers and I got a bit on the end of my nose given that it really was spraying everywhere. We did manage to salvage a little gas but I doubt that bit will last too long before we have to change the bottle again.

We head into the night after a glorious sun set with a following wind of a perfect 15 knots. Let's hope it stays just as it is all night!
2400 Position: 18 deg 03'S 160 deg 59' E SOG: 6 kn C: 255 DR: 429 nm DTR: 616 nm

Our casualty situation is not a lot improved; their rudder blade has become detached from the stock somehow, the suggestion being it may have been the result of grounding during low tide whilst against the wall in Port Vila marina - there certainly were shallow spots, but that is pure conjecture. The beautiful Swan 60, Atem are standing by as will be Emily Morgan when she gets there in an hour or so and will attempt a running repair somehow at first light. This was confirmed at 2am by a Securite message on VHF. Up until midnight there was a lot of chatter on the radio on the subject which was very annoying as I was trying to sleep so I came on deck early as we approached the drifting casualty's position. The thought is that you really want to do something to help, if even only to pass over surplus fuel, as you sail on by feeling useless in the dark - literally like ships in the night. The important thing is that the crew know what they are doing and with Emily Morgan attending too they will have the best in assistance, plus the good weather is a real bonus.