can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

Blue Pearl - RCR-Blue Pearl



RCR, yes, that means roller coaster ride, and are we ever on one. Now 700nm from our destination, having sailed for 2240 we are just a few days away from a good night's sleep but the elements are not making it easy on us. The wind is, and will be for a few days, right behind us and the waves are big, Blue Pearl's mast is writing figures in the sky and the crew is holding on to anything solid they can find. And they say this is fun...!

I have told you about Big Orange, which would be a perfect sail for a day like today except there is too much wind for that kind of spinnaker type sail. We found out for ourselves yesterday when, with Big Orange up, we were hit by a sudden squall , a sudden outburst of wind and or rain. There was nothing we could do to prevent an accident except sit there and hope nothing would happen. Fortunately nothing did, but it could have been bad. You should have seen the sail and you should have seen the boat, most of all you should have seen us, proud sailors with a stunned look on their faces. We survived to tell the story.

So with this strong wind blowing from right behind us, one choice we have is to sail wing on wing, the mainsail is on one side of the boat and the jib on the other. With the rolling seas, and really most of the time, you have to use a pole to make sure the jib stays in place to catch the wind. So three big guys, well two big guys and me, went up to the fore-deck to rig this pole, called a whisker pole. You should have seen us....trying to maneuver this big heavy pole in place without anyway to secure ourselves , in the end I declared it a danger zone and we aborted the operation. Zero for two. Interim, or maybe final solution, we are just sailing on the big main and the crew is spending time in the cockpit playing Yahtzee. Much more civilized. We won't win the race but we were disqualified anyway.

I also should mention the gourmet cooking we are enjoying. The "Boys" are truly spoiled. Tonight we are having fresh Wahoo, last night we had a delicious spaghetti dish with a wonderful meat sauce. Everyday a lunch appears right on time and then dinner usually around seven. Today, the cook, who is also the boat owner, was baking bread and I still hope that she will make ice cream one of these days. And all this is being done in far but ideal conditions, like an RCR...!

Captain Ruud.

-- 
Sent via OCENSMail satellite email service.
www.ocens.com



Previous | Next