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Starblazer - 25/01/2016 – Little to report!



This could have been a suitable title for the past few days! The wind is
feeble, mostly less than 10 knots, and Starblazer relishes stronger winds.
If we have 15 knots we can easily make 6 or more knots through the water on
most points of sail, 8 knots of wind leaves us meandering along at about 3.5
knots. We still have 1,200 nM to go so I’ll leave the maths to you, suffice
to say we do not want 100 mile days or worse.

The seas are quite calm with just a gentle roll. Occasionally the ‘gentle
roll’ gives way to a wild lurch, wild enough to throw unsecured wine glasses
over. I don’t expect sympathy, I should be aware of the unpredictable
movement of the seas after 30 months living on board.

Boredom attacks different people in different ways. I get busy in the
galley! Yesterday morning I made some chocolate, sultana and cornflake bars
with chocolate icing. Later on I made up half a packet mix of chocolate
crème caramel. Finally dinner was a stir fry with onions, carrot,
courgettes, yellow pepper, celery, dried Shitake mushrooms and sliced fillet
steak with ‘straight to wok’ noodles and a Chinese sauce. It was delicious.
The diet starts when the sailing is rather more interesting or challenging!

Sail changes continued all day: genoas both out one side, one genoa poled
out to port but the other one just pulled out on starboard, genoas rolled
away, iron topsail rested occasionally then pressed back into service. In
fact we always stop the engine for the SSB radio nets then usually drift
along slowly and peacefully for a couple of hours before giving in and
turning the key. The grib files are suggesting we might find a bit more
breeze in a couple of days, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Joyce


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