As per usual we probably didn't choose the best initial course and fell behind the pack, but we shouldn't really care now the trades have set in and we are having a great sail in the best of company.
As I speak we have around 20 knots of wind and are jogging along nicely. Hopefully this wind will continue, gradually backing towards our stern (as we have been promised) although we could do without the succession of squalls. We have just got around to putting a reef in after Jonathan realised that he had been looking at apparent wind rather than true wind on his watch, and as a result had ridden out a squall that must have approached 30 knots under full sail (I was catching up on some sleep). He wondered why the rig had been singing but our lovely strong boat never missed a beat. On the radio net we understand some boats are getting 200 mile days, we can only dream about that sort of performance in our little boat, but we are getting close to our record of a 176 mile day.
Now we have wind we are at last able to use our Hydrovane wind-driven self steering and the Duogen (water/wind powered generator) and both are performing way beyond our expectations. The inherited old (and recently overhauled) Duogen in particular has proven a major pleasant surprise. If we have over 5 knots of boat speed the water mode easily covers all the boats power needs (autohelm, watermaker, navigation screens, fridge etc etc) and even puts some back in the battery with very little effect on our boat speed. Why oh why did we buy a diesel generator!
This morning we found the usual various dead flying fish and squid on deck. It's hard to believe that the little squid can actually jump so high. There are whole flocks of them in this Southern Ocean leg so I suppose its no suprise, and its just a question of time before we find them down the hatches or in our flues. Apparently someone from Sapphire on the SSB net reported a flying fish landing on his face whilst he was napping in his bunk. I wonder if it is safe to make a sushi breakfast with the morning crop?
This morning we also woke up to a large sailing boat in the distance; the 'Christopher'. They got in touch with us via VHF and we had a lovely chat with a promise of a beer waiting for us when we get to Hiva. As the yacht looked enormous, was speeding past and they have a crew of 9 (taking the boat to meet its owner), I suspect the beers will be warm by the time we get to them.
I have been trying to make bread rolls this morning, but getting yeast to rise in this rock and roll has proved a challenge. Really hoping they will work out as we have plans for a hot dog dinner tomorrow. I am not sure we have anything in our medical kit that can cope with broken teeth or other bread-related injuries.