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White Satin - Superman Paul to the Rescue



Monday 21 November
132 miles sailed, 2616 to go

A lovely afternoon turned into a pleasant evening with the twinkling lights
of Gran Canaria fading into the distance to our north. After one of Vicki's
tasty suppers it was time to begin the watch system. We are doing an 8 pm
to 8 am, three-watch system at night, 8-12, 12-4 and 4-8 a.m., and this
rotates each night between the three couples, so everyone has a go at each
watch in turn. As we are using the forepeak (large front cabin) for storing
provisions we only have two cabins available for off-watch sleeping, so we
are 'hot bunking' - at the end of the 8-12 watch the couple take over the
cabin vacated by the next 12-4 a.m. couple and so on. This means that the
first watch couple (last night Jon and Fiona) potentially get a full eight
hours sleep - luxury in ocean sailing terms! Further A, B, C rotas (Addeys,
Blanchards, Crosses) are based around preparing lunch and the evening meal -
sounds complicated but all very clear by means of detailed charts posted on
the sides of the main saloon.

The night was quiet and uneventful with some shipping around but nothing
that came too close - some stars but mainly a bit hazy. The morning however
brought its own drama - Paul and Helen who had been on the last night watch
noticed that we seemed to have managed to have caught ourselves a nice long
bit of fishing net, rope and a float that we were towing behind us,
presumably wound round the rudder or propeller. After bringing all the
sails in and slowing the boat down as much as possible, skipper David took a
look at the situation by lying on the bathing platform and submersing his
head under the water in a swimming mask. He untangled and removed as much
of it as possible, bringing it back on board ready for safe disposal in St
Lucia (photo attached). However, there was still some rope and net attached
to the rudder that couldn't be shifted. Paul then very nobly volunteered to
go down under the boat in a wet suit with snorkel and mask to try and shift
it. Although the wind was light by this time, there was still some swell
which lifts the boat up as it passes underneath - not an environment you
want to go swimming in around the boat, much less underneath it. After a
quick underwater recce in these hairy conditions Paul found that the rope
was looped round the front of the keel and back around the rudder - another
dive down and he managed to cut through the rope, which then drifted away.
A worrying few minutes but a very successful rescue of the situation and
we're all very grateful for Paul's derring do.

Detangling times
Fiona

m_DSCN1035

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