1030 Thursday 19th
We are just 99NM from St. Helena now - 1635NM since departure 8 days and 18
hours ago, which all going well will mean our prediction of a 9 to 10 day
voyage was spot on - the beauty of the trade winds!
We hope to spy landfall late this afternoon and maybe pick up a mooring late
tonight off Jamestown (appropriately named for our skipper).
The one constant has been wind direction - strength has varied with cloud
cover and it has become generally lighter over recent days.
So the afternoon before last we broke out the trade wind sail - a clever
symmetrical sail pair which has a central rolling furler. One side is
sheeted thru the fixed spinnaker pole, the other thru a fairlead on the end
of the main boom (The fixed pole and boom were previously described on the
Day 6 post of this leg). Once set up it becomes easy to remove and go back
to Genoa and Mainsail for winds above 20kts, and to restore when it goes
lighter again.
The days have rolled on (literally), the skipper has taught the author the
diamond knot in anticipation of his graduating to soft shackle manufacture,
possibly today. (and no I did not write last nights little joke about
knots). Other as still busy in their own worlds, the armlets are progressing
nicely, there has been great success with bread, laundry is underway, and
between sun and moon sightings and Time Zero we have plenty of fixes.
The main news is that we did celebrate Andrews not very significant birthday
with a very significant party. Our Western theme started when he got up for
breakfast at noonish (his is the graveyard watch) where he as greeted by
Sheriff Woody (James), Little Bo Peep (Mary), Buzz Lightyear (Par), and a
very nasty bandit with winch handle revolvers and a mask and Stetson who is
nameless. Photographic evidence has been collated and will be submitted in a
pictorial posting should our island provide broadband over the coming days.
Andy was led to the gayly decorated cockpit for a full Irish Breakfast and
lovely presents from Mary, which we all were jealous of...
Later that evening we feasted on Tomahawk steak, roast potatoes, and fresh
vegetables, washed down by sensible (awh) quantities of ice cold Pims.
If that wasn't enough Little Bo Peep produced THE birthday cake, a fresh
fruit topped, ginger based, no bake, cheesecake which completely finished
off the crew and thankfully there was little to run into last night as sleep
descended on the crew one by one.
Next post should be from shore PG
TC
We are just 99NM from St. Helena now - 1635NM since departure 8 days and 18
hours ago, which all going well will mean our prediction of a 9 to 10 day
voyage was spot on - the beauty of the trade winds!
We hope to spy landfall late this afternoon and maybe pick up a mooring late
tonight off Jamestown (appropriately named for our skipper).
The one constant has been wind direction - strength has varied with cloud
cover and it has become generally lighter over recent days.
So the afternoon before last we broke out the trade wind sail - a clever
symmetrical sail pair which has a central rolling furler. One side is
sheeted thru the fixed spinnaker pole, the other thru a fairlead on the end
of the main boom (The fixed pole and boom were previously described on the
Day 6 post of this leg). Once set up it becomes easy to remove and go back
to Genoa and Mainsail for winds above 20kts, and to restore when it goes
lighter again.
The days have rolled on (literally), the skipper has taught the author the
diamond knot in anticipation of his graduating to soft shackle manufacture,
possibly today. (and no I did not write last nights little joke about
knots). Other as still busy in their own worlds, the armlets are progressing
nicely, there has been great success with bread, laundry is underway, and
between sun and moon sightings and Time Zero we have plenty of fixes.
The main news is that we did celebrate Andrews not very significant birthday
with a very significant party. Our Western theme started when he got up for
breakfast at noonish (his is the graveyard watch) where he as greeted by
Sheriff Woody (James), Little Bo Peep (Mary), Buzz Lightyear (Par), and a
very nasty bandit with winch handle revolvers and a mask and Stetson who is
nameless. Photographic evidence has been collated and will be submitted in a
pictorial posting should our island provide broadband over the coming days.
Andy was led to the gayly decorated cockpit for a full Irish Breakfast and
lovely presents from Mary, which we all were jealous of...
Later that evening we feasted on Tomahawk steak, roast potatoes, and fresh
vegetables, washed down by sensible (awh) quantities of ice cold Pims.
If that wasn't enough Little Bo Peep produced THE birthday cake, a fresh
fruit topped, ginger based, no bake, cheesecake which completely finished
off the crew and thankfully there was little to run into last night as sleep
descended on the crew one by one.
Next post should be from shore PG
TC
Donnys or Colins Bar have Guinness lads. Will help quench the thirst from climbing Jacobs Ladder. It will have to do in the meantime with no Beamish.
ReplyDeleteAlso Irish squad named, Carbery out.
KD