N16 52.597 - W29 42.638
Sailing 2 points west of south?? Still???
Well, we made it west... a little...for approximately 36 hours, just enough to give the crew a lift after sailing to the wind for 36 hours, the lift being that we made up 100 places in a day on the fleet! (stil the skipper is not competitive though!)
A brief lift it was as the grib files are still showing disturbed and confused wind patterns, the waypoints on the plotter that had been placed so innocently 'Wednesday waypoint' & 'trade winds begin' have been either erased or renamed or more often than not relocated...
Our only concern is that the beginning of the trade winds proper may be down off the coast of Suriname! still we chase them, just a couple more degrees and we will be screaming along at 10knots spinnaker flying...however for now we will make do with sailing to windward as close as we can get.
The crew berthed on the port side are just happy to be on a starboard tack for a while, trying to cling onto your bunk whilst sleeping in it doesn't lead to the best nights sleep! But the boat is sleeping like babies tonight.
we are guessing that some time in the next week or so we may be able to have the much coveted 'half way party'! i guess this is depends on if we find ourselves so far south, that in fact, before we know it we are sailing on the SEly trades!
A little about out surroundings are worth mentioning... they are average;
Polaris has just risen astern, with the waning moon making a later and later appearance day by day, the night sky is coming alive, what with all this talk of celestial spheres, it doesn't take much to imagine the depth of the universe out here, truly wonderous! The centre of Orions belt is seemingly attached to the top of the mast as i write this.
The ocean has been a bit lumpy for the last few days with a northerly swell and southerly winds but this evening on our new course south, it has calmed some. The phosphorescence is giving our wake a similar appearance to the night sky! Only the stars in the water are a luminescent green rather than white.
The fishing has had to be limited, after a very successful few days, the freezer is full and a ban was bought in L...only for the fish to begin catching us! We have been barraged by the flying fish! Landing all over deck and at 05:00 yesterday, striking our helmsman in the chest! Although of course he wasn't scared ;) he has since done a big laundry load in the rain today!! Yes, you heard right....rain our old friend precipitation made an appearance for an hour or so this morning, luckily it was during the skippers watch J reap what you sow Graham ;)
All in all Nakesa is in good spirits, we finally seem to be alone on the ocean after taking 8 days to shake the presence of other yachts. Everyone is happy and content with the journey and the destination looks to be a long way off, which is quite pleasing. (or for the adults at least!)
Only thing left to mention is the grub...fresh fish, fresh bread, (still) the leg of Serrano, magical sea stew (and yes i believe that is Phaedra's new name for it)...i have to admit, we are hardly slumming it! Still the salt pork, rum and potatoes are at hand incase the skipper decides never to turn west....
Nakesa out.
Jody Hunt
Nakesa