for very good reasons.
WE FINALLY HAVE WIND!
Thank you very much for all the wishes of good luck, prayers, chants and
all; they surely did work!
We're over the wind-hole we had been suffering in the previous days,
which trashed our ranking and brought us to the end of the fleet. Wind
finally started building in two days ago, with many shifts as well. We
had a strong up-wind run yesterday, with 20 knots of breeze. It kept
building and shifting, yielding to a spinnaker hoist at 5am this morning
under 25 knots of breeze. Aaaaaahhhh, sooo gooooood to be making speed
again!
Spirits are high, as we are no longer disheartened to see that we're
falling further and further behind at each position report. On the
contrary, we're now making a few miles better milage than some of the
fleet for the first time in quite a few days. We're still last, 250
miles behind the leading boat, but aware that there are yet 2000 miles
to go, and a few wind-shifts which may work in favour of any boat… So,
we're waiting to see, keeping high hopes for the days to come, and
sailing as best as we can.
Which I'm proud to say, we're doing very well indeed. We're currently
running a 3 watch system, which means we're on for 3 hours, off for 3
hours, and on stand-bye for another 3 hours. This requires a higher
concentration and effort on deck during watch, as there are only 5 to
run the boat at a time, and helps us to get a bit more rest to recover
from this concentration. Running evolutions (major change in sail
settings, like dropping a sail and hoisting a new one) with so few
people on deck is physically pretty demanding, and yet very satisfying.
The most recent one we had was this morning, we carried the heavy weight
spinnaker up on deck, ran the lines, dropped the staysail, set the pole,
hoisted the spinny, dropped the yankee, packed. I was at foredeck
(great! Requires lots of effort, running the lines, moving all the sails
around, carrying the pole. Definitely soaked with a few waves). And I
have to say, I was proud of bringing the huge yankee (~140m2) down
double-handed, gave myself and the mate at the pulpit a pat on the
shoulder.
And on the social side of the story, this watch system gives us a better
chance to have a brief chat with people across watches when we're
below-deck.
Other news from the past days: It was once again my shift to do the
Motherwatch, starting from the afternoon of the previous day, until
yesterday afternoon. The previous day was absolutely good fun, when we
were sailing down-wind, the boat was balanced, and life below-deck was
"civilized". We were three (one mother from each watch), and prepared a
boat specialty dine in much amusement: portugees style beef stew with
vegetables, rice, baked potatoes with bachemel sauce, and wet panacota
cake served with custard… A feast for the boat. However, I cannot claim
yesterday to be as pleasant, try mothering while bouncing over waves,
and heeling by 45 degrees, tough work, and definitely gives quite a few
bruises.
The 1.5m2 galley (kitchen), feels like a tilt machine, with the mothers
bouncing from its walls and corners. For moving around and about while
getting things done, you have to play the "twister" game against the
other mothers: move your right leg over the left leg of Davide extended
across galley and fixed at the edge of a locker for balance, to the edge
of another locker, hold the rail with your right arm, while missing
Carol's who holds onto the same rail for her dear life, done? Yes. Left
had carries the cattle. Move your left leg quickly over Davide's left
leg, and land on the floor right across the locker you're balancing on.
Do Not Hit Davide with the cattle while doing so. Everyone still alive?
Yes. Balance yourself at the edge of the sink (bruising the hips at
every bouce), pump water into the cattle with your left leg. Done? So
far… Reverse all for carrying the cattle back. Done? Yes? Well done…
Evaluation of the putting-cattle-to-boil project: 7 minutes, 200
kalories, 2 bruises. So far, we're on the 9th day of the race, had 4
upwind days, 2 of which coincided to my Motherwatch, talk about luck?
Final news of the past days: wild-life… We have 3 different types of sea
birds accompanying us on the journey. I did wish I knew better about
their species… Definitely not the Albatros yet. Also, we had three whale
incidences: we saw a few travelling and showing off their huge fins,
tails and bodies in a mile distance from us. Then had two, which just
rolled their huge backs on the water a few feet away from the boat… It's
impossible not to be amazed… We have been deprived of the beautiful
colors of the sun & moon rise & set, as well as the night skies full of
stars by the very cloudy and misty weather, but the wild-life is making
up for the loss?
So, that's the news from the past few days…
Keep an eye on me, and wish us good luck for improving our ranking.
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