Greeting from the high seas -
Under a 1000 miles and counting
The last few days have been seriously bouncy and it has been quite challenging to do anything even just sitting in the cockpit!
The weather has been very kind but the wind is picking up a bit and as a result so is the swell. This makes the boat motion quite a challenge. The swell makes the sailing quite a handful as you can see the waves building up behind the stern and then this huge swell lifts the stern up and surges the whole boat forward at a great rate. Course sometimes the wave doesn't get it quite right angle wise and we end up being pitched about for a bit. Makes trying to get to sleep quite interesting. Cooking can be tricky as well and the last few days things have been retrieved from fridge and cupboard and unceremoniously passed up on deck. Liz M however persist in keeping me right with my manners and produces plates, bowls etc.(lost cause of course as most of you know)
We have resorted to a reefed gib and main in a goosewing configuration and are getting av 6 knots with it. Over and above this we have now moved into the North Equatorial current and it is giving us an extra push of 1 and 1/2 knots. It is particularly strong just now as the moon is on the wane. This is terrific news as we really now just want to be eating up the miles and getting to our final destination. At the moment we are in an area with thunderstorms forecast so we are trying to head away from them as they will carry winds of 30 - 40 knots. With this in mind the cruising chute is not an option at present. Was it really only a couple of days ago it was quiet enough to put it up? Deck work is fraught with risk even though lifelines are worn and helmets used when working with the pole etc particularly when the swell is high. We thought we had a lull today but by the time we were halfway through the manouvre it had kicked in again and shouts of 'hold on it's a biggie' were coming from, the cockpit. Saying all this it is some of the most exhilarating sailing to date.
It is still a very long way to go. Two weeks ago today we left Las Palmas and we still have at least a week to do.
The prospect of things like a shower, hair wash, staying in a stationary position with a large glass of something refreshing in the hand is becoming dreamlike. Actually we are not sure we will be able to stand without swaying and bracing for some time to come..
We are planning to move Jalan's clock another hour tomorrow as the moon is now not rising until 11.00 p.m. and sun riss is later. So in order to fit in with sleep patterns and to get maximum out of daylight hours we will be 2 hours out on UTC time.
The blokes have regained the winning hand at Beanie - John wiped us out with a straight run on the last hand and I found myself with a score of 1500 - talk about a hammering. The challenge of keeping the cards on the table is interesting - sometimes we have to play from the cockpit floor! Yesterday we pushed the boat out and tried out hand a cribbage - can basic arithmetic be that challenging?
We are all suffering from the increase humidity that is now present with the intense heat (sorry folks know you are having rotten weather at home) I have a horrid skin rash which I think is due to handling manky lazy lines in Gran Canaria. So far the cortisone cream is keeping it at bay but think it may need some professional care when we get in. Liz M has a sore ear but hopefully it has just been due to the wind. She now sports her fleecy hat and sun top. John has sore shoulder and Robert a bump on the eyebrow. Other than that we are all fine but feeling our years a little!
So as you all enjoy endless Christmas jingles in shops and the delights of pre Xmas do's we bid you goodnight from the Atlantic.