Better progress averaging over 7 knots after 2 poor days of dealing with almost no wind, and as a result watching us descend the leader board. We are using only one sail now (the parasailor) and using the main boom to hold out the clew (back corner of the sail). Cannot use white sails downwind now because no pole so sacrificing about a knot - 24 miles per day!! Very frustrating.
But we are now around 500 miles from St Lucia so there is a remote chance of making it Monday night but more likely to be early hours of Tuesday morning. Skip still trying to make further mods to our limited sailing arrangements and cannot decide if we are racing or cruising. Thanks Nick for ideas from the home front (clever plan for jury rigging the spinnaker pole).
The day got off to a good start with two tuna striking both lines at the same time which Phil and Skip hauled in. Skip claims his is bigger. We ate the smaller one for lunch sashimi style and have stuck the big one in the freezer. They certainly looked and smelled good and, I am told, tasted good.
However, I must report things are not as smooth as they may appear - being at sea without other human contact is beginning to tell - cracks are appearing just below the surface. The Skip has started to have long, loud and not very complimentary conversations with his laptop - coupled with frequent references to the chart with words "can't be round - must be flat", heard frequently.Last night's middle watch (Phil and Steve) claimed to see many denizens of the deep - killer whales, blue whales, giant squid and even Moby Dick (sorry, not true that bit, just another of Martin's medical problems which Dr. Madden says is curable). But they didn't alert the rest of the crew who later heard bawdy sea shanties from the cockpit. Follow on shift found an empty bottle of Captain Morgan's rum .... (Skip's addition - actually they did see killer whales right by the boat - scary). Whilst the other watch (Martin of blue feet and Moby Dick and Andy) spent longs periods with maps muttering "pieces of eight".
As we converge on St Lucia radio traffic between boats has increased but become somewht Pythonesque - A bit like the "we lived together in a shoe box on the M62" sketch.
1st yacht to us : How's your boat, over?
Reply : We've shreaded the cruising chute, torn the Parasailor, broken the vang and the spinnaker pole, over.
1st yacht : Not serious then, we've lost the cruising chute, spinnaker, genoa and the generator has packed up, over.
3rd yacht : That's nothing, we have no sails at all, no rudder, no engine - we stear by a crew member hanging over the stern with a tea tray ....
I think you get the drift.
First two yachts finished today havign been neck and neck for the last 24 hours - only 16 minutes apart after 2700 miles!
This blog enrty by Robert.
Now that's MY sort of sailing - no wind, calm enough not to spill the G+Ts, sunnies on and not too many sails involved! Just a rather expensive way to get there... and frustrating for you competitive guys. However, no doubt good for the seafaring education and ingenuity and clearly you're not alone in the challenges. Expect they'll be claim and counterclaim regarding 'workmen blaming tools' to justify race placings. Or maybe ARC will introduce a 'Black Pearl' Award for the most scuttled yacht to arrive in the Caribbean.
ReplyDeleteJust packing the bikini and gleefully looking forward to settling into welcome party mode ready for your arrival Mon/Tues - perfect timing. Hope you'll keep some of the Atlantic haul for our delectation now that you're master sushi chefs.
Good luck in these final days - looks like they could be critical. The girlies find Andy Williams good stress-busting musack!
And why DO they call it a 'jury' rig?
Can't wait to see you all - this will be the one and only time Philip has a better tan than me!!
Hugs all round
Txx
Hi guys have been off message for the last 2 days as away in London.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about blue feet - a very disabling condition which soon spreads among the crew!The only solution is to stop sharing those desperate boat shoes.
Love the tuna - well done Phil and Skip!
Hey All,
ReplyDeleteGreat to read your stories Stuart and crew. Very envious as i am completing a Yachtmaster course in Gibraltar at the moment with ambitions to do the ARC next year.... Should be qualified by Febuary
Good to see the Sunsail race training is paying off, and your leading!
Enjoy the trip,
Ben Constanduros
Hello to all you hearty sailor types, Have been trying to send a message for a few days, to no avail, hopefully this will get to you all.
ReplyDeleteHas been wet and grey here, although the day has more promise now, We have been following progress through friends and lots of exiting chatter as you all get nearer your goal. the usual trials and tribulations has tested you , by the sounds of things, but a true challenge. You will be able to write about this experience on to your C.V.s!! We went to the Francis House ball at Mere on friday evening, oh we had a ball!!! ha ha.
Nicky and Thea were also very exited about heading out to St Lucia, they were all set to party, but assured me that they would be on the pontoon as you approached, waiting to take the ropes, albeit with a rum punch in hand.
We will toast you on monday ... tuesday..... maybe even wednesday. (just kidding) and look forward to hearing all the tales of adventure at the Pub very soon.
Best wishes for the final push, and good luck nursing the remaining sail, be kind to it skip!
Love from Mari and Brian.