Lat: 46 14.00′ S
Long: 113 41.51′ W
Inst Speed: 14.89
Wind Dir: 272
Wind Speed: 23.8
Distance last 24hr: 347.8
Distance to finish:
Helming downwind having fun
Despite the chill, Mohsin was always a happy shipmate
Days like these in the south are heaven sent
Email from the boat to shore:
From: OmanTri
To: update
Subject: Thursday 12th Feb
Date: 12/02/2009 01:25:47
Just as soon as the big swell arrived, the chop made an unwelcome return,
making all aspects of life uncomfortable again. Hooch and I were on deck
when a huge breaking quatering wave landed on the back beam and flooded the
cockpit, we had about 30cm of water across the whole cockpit floor, and the
small cuddy area rapidly filled up too – and sloshed from side to side
before the cockpit drains could clear it…. One life jacket hanging up in
the cuddy was set off such was the volume of water, incredibly none but a
splash went below thorough the main companion way. The new hatch in the
cuddy to bring light and ventilation to the aft cabin also had an immersion
test – and is now significantly taped up – awaiting sunnier times. Loik had
one aboard about 9 hours later and the newly taped hatch seemed to be
holding up – though the water wasn’t quite as deep.
After a period where the wind was up to 45kts the wind and seas dimminished
some what and we gybed to the SE for 6 hours – this means we are better
placed for the anticipated windshift to the NW later tomorrow, when we
expect the wind to be up again for around 18 hours – taking us E as far as
we need to go – before gybe and head for the horn – at that time the tip of
south america should be within 1100nm, and we’ll be heading directly for it.
We can expect some reasonable conditions on this leg, though it’ll be
getting cooler for sure as we plunge deep into the 50s to get to the Horn at
almost 56S – we are all desparately hoping that to be in daylight – our
track record for milestones isn’t good though – but perhaps it’s time to
have one in daylight.
Arriving with South America on the screen as it rapidly approaches does
make us think about the cultures we are passing by on the trip – leaving
the Middle East, past East Africa, and India, and past Australia and New
Zealand, and now south america appears – each so different, it really starts
a travel itch – what are these places we have been sailing past.In so many
ways it’s such a shame not to be stopping off to visit – once again we are
in too much of a hurry to get back to Muscat!
Today was food bag D35 – a good day for the lovers of Chilli Con Carne,
Pasta Bol, and today’s highlight Green and Blacks Dark Chocolate bars – one
35g bar each. Not sure yet of everyone eating techniques, but my betting is
that it’ll be gone fairly quickly, and with no shop to buy any from for over
2000nm then that’ll be it until the next time it appears in a food bag…..