What a great day under sail, beam/broad reaching in F4/5 all day long with the sun out. Our days run of 151 miles was suppressed by the wind moderating through the night and we are now only doing 5 – 6 knots, what a calamity!
The decision taken with Cliff on AWOL to track north to find the wind is vindicated and although we know that we will inevitably hit a wind ‘hole’, their spirits have been lifted by our confirmation that we will transfer a couple of containers (with more available if required) of fuel once the wind and seas diminish.
With half distance achieved, we can review our consumption of the various essentials in the knowledge that it is only the ‘same again’ to the Azores. The diesel usage cannot be considered a ‘straight line graph’ as it is very dependent on the conditions experienced but with the first tank showing only just below full, we are well within range without needing our stock in cans and the bladder on deck.
Since our water maker has refused to make any useable contribution, we have been very frugal with our water usage. The fitting of a sea water galley tap in Antigua has been helpful as we have done all of our washing up using that. We have also cooked rice and spaghetti using sea water so no need to season. We also carry a number of large mineral water bottles for emergency drinking supplies and we have not used any of those yet. So, with only half of the first tank used, we can relax the moratorium on showers which will be a relief to one and all. Having said that, when we were crashing about in the gale, a shower was the last thing on our minds so I think we will probably wait until the wind dies away to really make the most of the luxury and indulge ourselves.
On the food front, the bread bought in Bermuda has still not grown any cultures and is still being used and although the fresh fruit and vegetables are all but gone (with the exception, thankfully of the onions and garlic) we have enough food in storage to survive beyond Christmas so we will not starve. All in all we are in good shape and despite the earlier conditions; we are thoroughly enjoying the crossing. We are pleased to be in a position to give some assistance to AWOL (who are following in our wake) and we are continually thinking of Cliff and his crew, they must be knackered – we have been on ‘auto’ for 99.9% of the passage, to be having to continually hand steer would be a nightmare – even with 3 on board.
Ollie writes:-
If you’ll forgive me for quoting myself…
Yesterday I wrote “if you don’t mind a bit of engine noise, there’s been almost nothing to complain about…”
Now imagine there’s no engine noise – that’s what today was like.
In all seriousness, I don’t think I’ve had a more enjoyable day’s sailing in my life.
We made over seven knots from dawn till dusk, and the ocean continues to roll calmly and predictably.
And just like yesterday – the suns out.
Now, there’s a maxim that’s very popular amongst w**kers in the English-speaking world; ‘Sun’s out. Guns out.’
In their patois ‘guns’ mean biceps.
But when the sun came out yesterday we adopted a literal interpretation of their saying and actually got a gun out to shoot empty cans.
Why have I brought this up again?
Well, because my account of our shooting match yesterday didn’t get past the censors!
“Oh morning Ollie. Just so you know – I made some changes to your blog entry before I sent it.”
Suitably indignant, I thought I’d blow the whistle on this shocking encroachment on freedom of speech in today’s blog.
Anyway, no shooting cans today, the conditions seemed to demand just sitting in the cockpit and quietly luxuriating.
So that’s what we did. No one read much or listened to anything.
Everyone just enjoyed the sail.
We were then treated to the skipper’s spag bol – very nice it was too.
And after dinner we had a small celebration.
Since we’ve reached the halfway point of the journey, we opened a bottle of Prosecco that had been chilling in the fridge, and sat sipping in the cockpit until sundown.
Not bad eh.
(Or perhaps we didn’t. And perhaps the spag bol was god-awful. Maybe this one’s been censored too.)
Hi All
Looks like you are going well. Following the blog with interest when we get wi fi. Monet heading out for the Frisian island passage to Kiel Canal today having holed up for 2 days awaiting Nly 7 to moderate.
Good sailing
Dave and Monet crew
With this entry Oliver has, I suspect, thrown the readership into a complete flat spin!
Is the blog actually compiled by crew members? Is the Master and Commander the only contributor? Does he ‘doctor’ all or any input? (Sorry Stephen!) Is Hejira actually at sea or is the Master sitting indulging himself in his Sunningdale retreat and blogging remotely, making it all up as he goes along?
Well, I can assure the readership that on the way out, the blog was compiled in a reasonably democratic manner and on the high seas. I say reasonably as ‘The Doc’ and I were lashed to the nav station when the command “BLOG!” was issued, until we had entered whatever it was that we could muster. The ensuing compilation was then read to all in the Master’s stentorian tones and despatched via Iridium courtesy the Master’s index digit descending with some pomp onto the ‘send’ button.
Throughout this entire period, as now, Barry managed to elude the Master’s call to arms, citing a variety of excuses/reasons/illnesses. I can only think that this gross dereliction of duty was tolerated by the Master on the grounds that Barry showed a huge resilience when confronted with the few engineering matters that arose and the Master considered that he needed to keep Barry on side!
Glad to see that all is well and that good progress is being made.
Bob,
It’s all made up, Just like Donald Crowhurst !