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Aretha - Easy gentle downwind sailing they said. 30 25 South, 14 24 East



Easy sailing they said.

 

Currently in very rough seas with 40 knots of wind. It’s wet, wild and windy.

 

The gentle start has given way to some of the toughest sailing we’ve had yet. We have 3 reefs in the main and a tiny hanky of a genoa - enough to be surging at 15 knots down the huge surf that breaks behind us and then accelerates us down the front of the waves before were stop at the bottom and wind up for the next one.

 

Glad we put in an extra reef whilst it was still light last night - with 2 reefs we’d been regularly hitting 15-16 knots and it felt just a little too racy. Reefing and leaving the safety of the cockpit in these seas is no joke - clipped on and full care taken. A relief to be back inside after the reef went in.

 

Seasick still taking its toll - Columbus the latest coating the sofa and Nicholas sea boots with chunks of the stinky stuff. Nichola and Jani improving from yesterday and able to take a watch now.

 

On the plus side, the Watt and Sea hydrogenerator working like a charm now and providing plenty of power - the boat speeds certainly help.

On track now to take at least a day off our ETA in St Helena as this breeze set to hold for the next 4 days.

 

Looking forward to that warm gentle downwind sailing when it finally arrives!

 

Team Aretha, off the Coast of S Africa, Out.



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