Pipistrelle - Log Day 3 & 4 Broken mainsail batten and Paul's first catch!

Hello all

We achieved 175 nm in our second 24 hours, and a further 168 nm to 1300 yesterday, and are now running towards St Lucia with a poled out genoa, and reefed main, only 2174 nm to run!. We had our share of drama yesterday morning with a broken sail batten almost at the top of the mainsail. The repair involved dropping the main, removing and replacing the batten, and then rehoisting the sail. Sounds simple, but with the Atlantic swell, and 20 knots of wind from the NE, it required at lot of
team effort!

Day time temperatures are 25.2 C with a sea temperature of 24.8C, and the skies are generally clear providing long periods of sunshine. However, it gets damp early, with condensation in the cockpit from about 1600, and it is getting dark by 1900. From this time until 2100 we charge our batteries, make water, and have our evening meal in the saloon. Elaine has done us proud, cooking a large number of meals, which are now frozen, and then defrosted as required. Night watches commence from 1900, and as soon as the batteries are charged we shut down the fridge, and operate solely with cabin footlights and nav staion lights for illumination, and of course a tricolour mast light!

Last night Paul, our fishing supremo, had his first catch, a dolphin fish, having already hooked 4 other larger fishes that escaped! We saw them jump out of the water, and experienced the strain on the fishing line, so knew it was for real! Having broken his duck, we are now expecting a steady supply!

We are now down to only one reef in the main, might shake that out as well.

Bob, Elaine, Nick Alan & Paul