Day 14 - making hay while the sun shines

Our position as at 21.00 GMT, Friday 24th May:
07 degrees 22 minutes south, 123 degrees 22 minutes west
Distance run in last 24 hours: 163nm

 

We had a nice boost of extra wind last night so yesterday's mileage is much more like it. We're still goose-winged and surging down some big waves but we've remained in lovely sunshine, with the odd ominously tall cumulus cloud bringing gusts of wind as they pass. We're both fit and well and life aboard has assumed a nice, if rolly, routine.

 

We feel it's very much a case of making hay while the sun shines, however, as the weather files predict a large wind hole that's going to get us on Monday. There's no way around us as it drops down from the north so, just like the Atlantic crossing, we're likely to be becalmed 3 days from land; all very frustrating. This time we won't have ARC parties and family members waiting for us to arrive so we probably won't burn every drop of diesel to get in but we're just hoping that the waves drop quickly when the wind does or we'll be rolling around helplessly.

 

There is some good news from the two boats suffering rigging problems. Matcha, whose forestay parted from the connector at the top of the mast, is back to normal after her hero skipper climbed up and managed to reinsert two pins; he said this morning that he's black and blue from the climb. Meanwhile Leeward has managed some jury-rigged ropes to stabilise the mast and is motoring slowly for Fatu Hiva.

 

Finally we have to report a major disaster on board. Dianne had grated the carrots for another of her wonderful carrot cakes and then discovered that all our remaining eggs are off! Aaaaargh!