Dear UMIKO Fans,
We have had a fantastic days sailing. We are now under white sails after deciding in 25kts with no horizon that the A4 was gong to be a bit tricky... We will likely rehoist at first light. While the A4 is down we are checking it over and doing a few small running repairs.
All is good on the good ship UMIKO... I am fretfull as to where we will find stay calm in the morning....
Todays blog is from Brian
As we pass the halfway point life on board SV Umiko has taken on its own rhythm. The watches flow by at a pace, as does the ocean. We are mostly sailing for speed and to the polars of the boat. VMG sailing is the skipper’s call. Umiko eats up the miles with relish; I cannot get over this boat. She has power and beauty in equal measure. From a vantage point at the top of the mast I could see our wake disappearing into the distance, from that height (35m) she didn’t seem so big until I noticed my shipmates looked as small as ants. Two thoughts were foremost in my mind. The first how lucky I was to be having an experience such as this and the second... I hope this halyard holds!
It is such a privilege to be here with these people aboard this boat. We have bonded as a crew and although there are two separate watches when we come together for manoeuvres the time spent together is apparent. We gybed this morning as our course had more northing in it than the skipper was prepared to accept. The gybe was a thing of beauty, each of us on a station that is now familiar, nautical clockwork. As soon as we gybed the wind changed! We may have to gybe back before long, this is no longer such a fearsome prospect, with any luck we will continue to improve... as I type this my hand reaches out and touches polished wood.
Inevitably we have run a book as to our elapsed time for the voyage. Even the most pessimistic of estimates beggars belief. I was bitten by the sailing bug just under 7 years ago and was fortunate enough to begin my time at sea by crossing this very same ocean, just in the opposite direction. I am aware “There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip” and I truly hope that I’m not putting a jinx on us but we should cover the distance in half the time that first voyage took me.
I began this blog just over a day ago, and as you might expect things have already changed! Our very next gybe didn’t go so well... I should have known better than to tempt fate! We also had a problem with the halyard lock which had been behaving so well after a shaky start, as I type we are flying the A4 on an ‘old school’ halyard here’s hoping it can take the punishment.
After a frustrating few days where the wind just wouldn’t play ball, last night, things changed. We have been launched down the rhumb line to our destination. Speeds are more often than not in double figures and the last I heard the Knight’s watch had clocked a top speed of 14.6 knots. Crimewatch are about to go on deck and see if we can top that, hopes are high. It’s just been reported that the Knight’s covered 47 miles in their last watch. The gauntlet has been thrown down! I will finish this blog after we come off deck...
I am happy to report that Crimewatch have successfully picked the Knights’ pockets. We recorded a top speed of 17.1 knots! the total distance run has yet to be calculated. As if that wasn’t a large enough portion of joy and happiness we have been escorted for the last while by a number of whales which, according to Chris our chef, are pilot whales. It’s amazing that these creatures are able to keep pace with us.
I’m finishing this blog as the Knight’s watch prepare to head on deck. There is a steely resolve that is unmistakable. With Olly’s warning that, as ever, safety is paramount, ringing in their ears, they are heading on deck. They look as though they mean business... best of luck my friends, we are all in this together. That said, I may strap myself into my bunk.
Signing off: Brian, Crimewatch, SV Umiko, mid Atlantic.
P.S. distance travelled on the last watch 48 miles :)