This is horrible. It is cold, grey, wet and
miserable and I am too. The sky is heavy, the sea is heavy and we are
being pitched about on a heeling boat. Doing anything requires maximum
effort and my body aches.
Peter just fell exhausted on to the floor after our
watch last night (sleeping in the bed is impossible ). He had been helming
continuously for 4 hours ( because I am useless ). The effort and
concentration needed to steer the boat in these conditions is relentless (
too much for the auto pilot ). Because he is the man he is he just gets on
with it, of course. He has not moved since.....I think he needs to
sleep.
This is day 3 and we still have more than 800 miles
to go to the Straits of Gibraltar.
On a brighter note, the boys are happy to be
"sailing".
Log authored by Carole
Yes, storm conditions lasted for a
full 24 hours yesterday. Leaden skies, heavy rain, big seas and winds up to
35 kts. With sails well reefed Free Spirit took it in her stride
crashing through the waves, surfing down the bigger ones and shrugging
off the torrents of water cascading over the
foredeck. Exhilarating sailing and infinitely better than motoring but
exhausting. And poor Michael was sick again. The master cabin on FS is
quite luxurious compared to most boats with a double bunk of a size to
accommodate fat Americans - she is an American boat. However, the bunk has been
positioned crossways with the head to port and the foot to starboard. With the
boat heeling on a port tack in heavy seas there is nothing to stop the
occupants and all their bedding sliding, or more likely being
pitched, out at the bottom end. Last night there was clearly no point
in even trying to get onto the bunk. I wedged myself on the floor and
Mrs.Trouble slept in a chair. Not sure that anyone else aboard
fared much better, everyone seems tired today. But, things are looking up. The
GRIB files this morning are showing favourable winds for the next couple of days
of our passage towards the Strait of Gibraltar now 742 NM
away.
Incidentally, to assuage
light-fingered temptation, all crew have been provided with
their own 'goodie bag' of chocolates and sweeties on this leg of the voyage
- except Michael who, very wisely, is on a diet. This was Mrs. Trouble's
idea. As I see it, she's pandering to weakness and gluttony as
well as sending out the wrong message that 'crime pays'. I don't trust
them not to scoff the lot in a couple of days and then come looking
for more. Just in case I'm hiding away the Captain's 'special'
store somewhere where it definitely won't be found.
Incidentally, incidentally, Mrs. Trouble's
claim to be useless is completely untrue. She is, without doubt,
the valuable, and most beautiful, person aboard. And, that's not just my
opinion.
Log authored by Peter