Sabine - Sabine (118) ARC blog update - 3 Dec 2022

Hello interweb friends, Captain Stape on sail boat Sabine right here (///detains.density.downstairs)
The morning breaks and everything is calm. A little too calm. The wind must have decided to go and blow somewhere else for the day, because it’s definitely not here!
The crew tell me this is, in fact, a relief. After being bished and bashed for what seems like a week, the crew are thankful that it’s a calmer, smoother ride, even if the average speed has slowed. I myself am happy at not having to continually shift my weight from leg to leg in order to balance on my perch.
As pancakes and maple syrup are handed round (it seems everyone eats well on this trip), there’s talk of today’s tasks: first off, tape up the vent on the starboard forward hatch. It’s been leaking and dripping into the cuddy. So Richard goes forward to complete that task. He tells me it was quite pleasant up front in the sun. He took his time to complete the task, and also recovered the horn that’s been knocked from the mast onto the netting at the front. As there was a fish next to the horn on the netting, it’s decided that the fish flew up so high and so fast that it knocked the horn off! (I’m not sure about this, I think a wayward sheet caught it in yesterdays wet and windy excitement, but what do I know, I’m only a parrot!)
Other tasks for today, as long as Miss Atlantic stays calm, are to try and move a large 200W+ panel from the starboard saloon roof to the port where there is a solar panel sized gap (I think I mentioned this in a previous report).
All the hatches are opened so that Sabine can breath and we can air the inside after being locked down for days.
The wind is definitely visiting elsewhere today, so the spinnaker is hoisted by Richard and Polina to make the most of what little wind we do have. We start to move, maybe 3-5knots. It’s been a relaxing day so far: the sun is out, the sea is calm, John makes up a song about being a human wind vane. (Yes, really!)
We make water from the sun, but later Jenny is started to supplement the solar as it looks like we’ll have to motor later (remember, Sabine has electric propulsion that needs plenty of stored electrickery in the batteries).
Slightly rude content warning for my more sensitive readers: Kia comments that the generator should have an Italian name like Maria, as there’s always so much drama turning her on!
Even ruder content warning. The crew discuss a rude word. I’m afraid sensibilities (and probably the moderators) prevent me from writing the word here, but if it was an emoji, it would have the picture of an anchor, with a ‘W’ in front of it ;-) We had to explain to one crew member exactly what the word meant, but I won’t mention who it was in order to save her any embarrassment. Microwave update: Richard helps Kia remove the microwave and place it on the saloon table - now called the operating table - and armed with the appropriate torx screwdriver, they perform some open-microwave surgery. After having to leave the OR to mop their brow several times (Jenny generates quite a bit of heat, oh, and quite a bit more noise), the operation was deemed a success: the parts that had shifted because of the heavy-handed pliers incident, were re-positioned and snapped back into place. All the parts that were removed were refitted, and when no spares were found leftover, the patient was left to recover on the operating table. Later, she was moved to the couch, because over the last few nights it’s been impossible to keep anything on the table. This is a calm night, but the crew are not taking any chances! A bowl of bread going flying is one thing, but a microwave makes a much bigger mess when it falls off a table. Kia also took the remaining pieces of the one and only knob, and glued them back together. Tomorrow we’ll find out for sure if the microwave has been fixed! (Note to any script writers, film makers or novelists who may be reading this - the rights to ‘Sabine’s Microwave - The Drama’ can be purchased for a negotiable fee - please get in touch if interested)
Talking of drama, just as the operation finishes, there’s a shout from Polina at the helm - water spout! The crew go outside and see a water spout starting to form in the clouds. Immediately the spinnaker is doused and put away, and a motor is brought into action. The spout never actually forms to meet the water, but it’s best avoided all the same.
As the evening draws in, Jenny (or should that be Maria?) is stopped and near silence returns. There is only the sounds of the slight whine of the electric propulsion and the quiet splashing as Sabine makes her way through the calm sea.
My non-feathered interweb friends, tune in for tomorrows episode where we might find out if the solar panel was moved. I know you’re on the edge of your seats wanting to know. It’s never a dull day here on Sabine!
This is Capt. Stape signing off with 885nm to go (over 2/3rds the way there!). Ciao ciao squawk!