Day 14 and with St Lucia very much in sight (428 miles to go) we put the
Spinneker up to take advantage of the 20 knot winds and to make absolutely sure
we will make our estimated arrival date and time - Ashley and Karen look the
likely winner of our sweep stake!
Having celebrated Sarah's birthday in style yesterday (Happy Birthday
banner on the boom, card and letter from her husband, gifts from the
girls, a short movie of her ARC experience and home-made choc brownie washed
down with champagne) all our thoughts are beginning to centre around our time
together on Hot Stuff. We know that we will all look back with many, many
wonderful memories and we pulled together our immediate thoughts on some of the
more memorable ones. The many sightings of dolphins, playfully jumping the
waves alongside us, left all of us in awe and full of emotion. The glimpse of a
whale, the midnight giggles and dramas with our watch teams as we gazed up at
the star filled sky above us, the exhilaration as we waved goodbye to Gran
Canaria in 30 knot winds, the first catch of a fish for supper, our first
Spinnaker gybe that went so perfectly (and in the dark too!!), teamwork at
it's finest - and so many, many more.
And we reflected on what had surprised us most about our journey. We all
agreed it was how quickly we had adapted to our very small environment, working
so well and so hard together as a team. This was truly reflected in our
overwhelming agreement to forgo a 'relaxing' day in favour of a real race to the
end, pink Spinnaker flying high to hopefully arrive in St Lucia in the record
time of 16 days.
p.s. Nine kisses from nine girls sailing across the Atlantic Sea for your
1st birthday, Luca, love from Thalitta