Day 3 Bora Bora to Tonga via the Cooks – flying a spinnaker in the moonlight

Saturday’s log showed we had sailed 90 nautical miles. An average day is 120 nautical miles so that goes down as a slow day! But who’s complaining when the sun is rising and a full moon is setting in synchronisation and giving the most lovely of three hundred and sixty degree skies of salmon pink, orange and blue skies.

Saturday morning we persisted with the parasailor as it tried its very best to keep us going and save our fuel. Around midday the wind dropped and we had to drop the parasailor and deploy the motor. Sadly the Commodore (Susie) became poorly and was consigned to bed with a double dose of paracetamol. Every skipper has a name for his beloved onboard – it’s a sign to fellow skippers things must be approved in advanced by you know who. Rule 100.00 exempts approval for any invitation to sundowners – always say ‘yes’ and deal with the implications later. Truth is we all love our partners dearly and know life without them onboard would truly be miserable, and we’d not have a clue where to find the marmite. I digress…

With the engine on, and the long cable for the towable generator back onboard, it’s time to cast the fishing rod. Four hours later Susie re-appeared looking a lot better and pointing out the fishing rod was bent. Poor girl had only just got up and it was action stations. We could soon see it was one of the very colourful Mahi Mahi (Dorado, Dolphin Fish). In it came and Susie declined to deal with a fish jumping around madly at the stern. Tom hauled it in and covered it’s eyes with a towel. This settles them and then we squirt some alcohol in the gills which effectively knocks them out – the most humane way to deal with a fish. Our alcohol bottle now contains Bacardi rum – any alcohol we don’t want goes in. I think there is some evil Aruba rum kicking round for the next bottle. So some lovely Mahi Mahi steaks for dinner.

As the sun was setting we soon realised the wind was coming up, in fact the sun had set and the moon was on its way up. A little debate and we knew we had to get the spinnaker back up. It’s tricky enough with just the two of you, now add the fact it’s dark. But up it went and off we sailed. And then we had to put the towable generator back in the water. It has a 100 foot cable and you need to ensure you feed it out slowly and it doesn’t twist. Susie might have been wishing she had stayed in bed but as ever she is a determined little lady and went for it.

Overnight a full moon and the parasailor flew nicely, a bit of hand helming and feeling good about life. Fingers crossed for more wind but forecast says ‘No’.