Day 10 (4/5/07) We are halfway! 1500 miles completed. It's been far from perfect! Have been, & still are bashed about as 10 foot waves hit us from all directions. Barraveigh loves to surf the waves but can be a little scary when they spin us out, especially if you're below deck. Averaging 140 miles per day at 6 knots.
Moments:
Cranking Bobby to the top of the mast whilst under way due to a jammed main sail (again!) is not something either of us wish to repeat. The waves continually threw Bobby into the mast & we were both surprised & lucky, there were no injuries.
A sail change to maximize the wind didn't go as planned, the new headsail jammed in the track leaving the last meter plus hanging down. It won't go up & won't come down! On the plus side it still works but it's a constant battle to avoid wear as it slaps on the stays & rubs on the life lines.
We devised plans to unjam the headsail. All failed, the final plan resulting in the sail nearly pushing me overboard. The furler for the headsail wore through, unfurling the sail in the middle of the night. Bobby clambered forward. Attaching a new rope is all very well, but in the dark, up at the bow being hit by waves, strapped onto the lifelines, with a dislocated finger & the headsail slapping about freely, destroying itself, was not the easiest of situations.
The generator also added its own complications & will now only run once everything is emptied out of the compartment & requires the fuel line to be hand pumped for 15 minutes before it can be left to run on its own! Power is essential for the GPS & auto pilot.
Some minor casualties were our stock of eggs - I sat on them after becoming off balanced! Surprisingly some survived the impact! I've been pelted with flying cabbages as they topple out of their hanging netting & have restocked on my supply of bruises!!
It's not all bad! We watch movies at night in the cockpit, nibbling on goodies from home. Down to our last two cream eggs, so it could all be down hill from here! ; ) With the watches relaxed & snoozing being given the ok by the captain, we both fight to spend the night in the cockpit, its cooler, more comfortable & the view is out of the world. The sky is littered with thousands of stars & the Milky Way is so bright it looks like candy floss. Believing Sally is the brightest star up there, keeping a watch on me during these clear beautiful nights & knowing she would be reprimanding me for my greasy hair & lack of enthusiasm for lip gloss & mascara, brings a tear & a smile & makes the tough times a little easier.
