Hi from us all on Maunie. Life aboard is settling down (though the boat continues to sail straight or level!). We're making steady progress though the wind in just a bit too much for the Parasailor and not quite enough for really good speed under the foresail. Winnie the Windpilot continues to work brilliantly so the on-watch crew can keep an eye on her but not be chained to the wheel for hours at a time.
Rich – whose susceptibility to sea sickness is legendary – is now feeling good and enjoyed his night watch. He looks a little rough but assures us he'll have a shave soon!
Fergus has been doing some Extreme Washing so has a clothes line rigged on the foredeck; look out for photos of Extreme Ironing in future blogs. Aside from this he's our nominated rig expert so does a daily check of all the wires, ropes and shackles; this morning he found the snap-shackle at the bottom of the yankee had popped open so we rectified this safely but it illustrated the importance of these daily rig inspections.
Di has been doing sterling work around the boat – she had quite a lively watch last night when some rain squalls arrived so Graham was on hand to help gybe the boat (alter course to bring the foresail onto the opposite side) to get a better direction and speed.
The skipper is fiddling with water-maker and generator to ensure we don't run out of electrical power and to provide water for luxury showers. Last night he cooked a roast chicken dinner, with new potatoes and green beans. We all had to balance our plate to prevent spillage but it was very much enjoyed and it was a nice bit of normality in a slightly surreal world to be able to sit together at the dining table.
As we write the sun is out and we are trundling along at nearly 7 knots. Our best 24-hour run is 160 miles so we're keen to beat this – we want to arrive in Saint Lucia before the faster boats drink all the rum!
No comments:
Post a Comment