The first 3 hours were eventful. We held back as usual at the start and were last at the rounding mark off Castries. Then the fun began - as the wind was right behind us we started to set the pole to port. Unfortunately the pole uphaul got wrapped around the furling gear for the genoa at the top of the mast. After lying on the foredeck with the binoculars on it we eventually managed the disentangle it, though at one time I thought we would be heading back to St. Lucia. The new reefing line which we had bought seemed to be slipping on the winch also. On closer inspection we realised the winch was not locking and so we had to service the winch. We pegged one of the settee throws on to the guard rails and taped it down to the deck in case we dropped any parts on taking the winch drum off. We found that it was seized solid with Sahara desert sand. After a good clean in white spirit and re-greasing and oiling it worked perfectly. We then had a great run throughout the night goosewinged. I went off watch at 0600 only to be woken by the engine being turned on at 0830 and much crashing and banging. The boom had gybed or nearly so, the sheets hitting Keith in the back. The preventer block had smashed and the frayed rope had pulled out of it. I removed all the preventer lines and blocks and reset them as I used to do, through the centre of the cleats forward and back to the midship cleats. Keith was shaken and so went to bed for a while. Apart from bruising and a sore back he is OK. During the night Ron was sitting in the cockpit and got hit in the back of the head by a flying fish!
We have now successfully gybed onto starboard and are heading more to our waypoint off Punta Gallinas. The first 24 hours we covered 168n miles.
Very pleasant sailing now with sun on a sparkling sea..with dolphins at the bow... reading and listening to music... it's not all bad!
Bob Andante of Mersey signing off.