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Bimble - Day 15 Log



Day 15 Bimble Log

We are seriously on the move at last-with some real wind. When we were planning this adventure over the last few years Nina and I avidly watched various weather websites and read up to see how the Tradewinds operated taking in there direction and strength so we prepared the boat and ourselves for an expected continuous 15 to 25 knots. Well the wind finally arrived today after 2 weeks of not quite getting enough wind to help the boat to go at its true potential.In the last 12 hours we have done a 100 mile run hooray !! So by 3.00am we hope to have covered 200 miles in 24 hours -that's more like it….although no fishing at this speed.

I will try and give you a snapshot of what is happening this moment on Bimble .

We are all showing signs of being ready to reach land sooner rather than later, not quite getting on each others nerves but in our own ways showing we could do with that rum punch in Rodney Bay. Stephen is back on the trombone practice taking in the entire score of Le Miserables, Nina has transformed herself from cautious captain to speed queen throwing her usual sensible caution to the wind literally by encouraging us to put out every inch of sail day and night to make the boat go faster currently 11.2 kts down a wave as I write this line. 

The girls were excitedly watching a brown ‘Booby’ bird that has been circulating around us, we think to try and catch the flying fish scattering as we disturb them with our wake through the water.
The bets are on and its being debated as to the actual time/ arrival day that we all estimated at the beginning of the trip. Now we even have' Wham 'singing Christmas songs on the boat Hifi and the girls are dancing around the cockpit singing and dancing along………… Feels like a bit of a mad house but all good fun and morale is generally high.

I think like a lot of our fellow rally compatriots I was concerned before the trip about how we would all get on together when put under perhaps some unexpected and rather challenging conditions of an Atlantic trip on a small boat but I need not have worried .Everyone without exception has settled into there place on board and relaxed showing regular signs of inspiration to help foster the team spirit and we have formed a tight bond together during the trip. 
I was full of anxieties at the beginning about whether the boats systems would hold up after dire warnings of chafe and exceptional wear .But with the help of everyone's positive attitude I have managed to mostly bury the concerns and enjoy the trip even after we lost the generator, suffered continuous electrical problems with the navigation instruments and I filled the bilge with diesel.So only 500 miles to go…….all good on Bimble
Rod Ducker and all the crew of Bimble




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