Sunday, 27 April 2014

Eastbound and not Down


Day 22 of the return trip

 

Please excuse the fact that Day 21's blog entry hasn't been posted. It is waiting in the drafts folder until everyone has had a chance to contribute to it. This may take a while given our current circumstances. Read on...

 

We left the idyllic weather behind us just as fast as we did the island. We got the first rain as we were beating into a light SE breeze. As per our incredibly apt shore-crew's forecast, the breeze started to back around to the NE, as a small low pressure system moved in behind us. The wind continued to build very steadily as it backed further to the North. At 1500 we had to change to the storm jib, to accompany our reefed mainsail. Then at 1800, we found ourselves heading due north, which meant that to tack would put us bang on course for the V&A Waterfront. So we did.

 

The rain persisted on and off through all of this, but mostly on. The 25 knots of wind on the beam, and frequent spray from waves had us all drenched. But it's okay. At least we had a constant fresh-water shower.

 

Our cuisine on board has been nothing short of outstanding lately. Our previous night's kreef dinner set the benchmark, which Ricardo surpassed with a mouth-watering pasta bolognese using mince we bought on the island.

Then to cap it all off, half an hour before dinner time, Chancho and I reeled in another meal-for-four tuna. So we put the rice-cakes back in the cupboard and chowed that guy instead.

 

Back to the sailing side of things, we are riding the wind off this low, and heading as true East as is humanly possible. Maybe after a few 200 milers we'll have a chance to dry everything out again. Our longitude is in the single digits, and will be changing from degrees West to degrees East any day now.

 

Once again we'd like to thank everyone for their glorious emails of good tidings, well wishes and love letters. You all keep us moving!

 

BR

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