Day 8 – A spinnaker pole and squid and flying fish ondeck
9Monday 2 December 2013
Day 7 and the forecast had changed punishing souls like us who have chosen to chase wind going south. The promised winds were now forecast to be light. But joy of joy – the new forecast was wrong and the previously promised winds blew! So we stuck with our track south as going between the Verdes there was little wind. The sea state calmed and crew were soon catching up on sleep.
As the wind went behind us we decided to try goose-winging and Tom and Lindsay ventured forward hoisting the spinnaker pole. It is always amazing how lines like to twist themselves around everything they shouldn’t! Add in a good squeal from Lindsay as she stepped on a squid! Life at sea is never dull. But we got the pole up and goose-winging with the main sail to port and genoa to starboard worked a treat, no need to stop at the Verdes to refuel. Blowing cheeky raspberries to those who did – and are three days ahead of us – doh!
It also meant “Scrub the Crew Episode II” could be actioned. Soon tired looking faces were replaced by refreshed shiny clean crew.
Fish with wings…
Today’s new novelty was flying fish. We’ve had three on the deck so far. Neil and Tom had some debate as whether to cook them or use them as bait to attract bigger fish. Bait it currently is.
Susie is cracking away with making bread in between sailing. The engine room is where the bread rises and we have to make sure we consider the bread in all our sailing manoeuvres! It tastes so good.
Sadly at 10pm the wind died and we had to turn on the donkey (engine). As I write at 9am we’ve turned it off and are slowly clearing the Verdes Isands.
So…who has hair straighteners – well it’s none of the boys you’ll be relieved to know – it’s young Lindsay! Today – who has a coffee grinder onboard?
This is Adina and we are sailing.
——–
P.S. Don’t worry about the missing updates from the tracker, I’ve spoken to YellowBrick and emailed Adina and there is nothing wrong, it just missed the updates for some reason – probably to do with the angle of the boat and the satellites being low on the horizon. Hopefully normal service will be resumed shortly… Stephen.
Darn. Tom, I had assumed that you had developed an affinity for straightners when you had your old man at sea beard (Hi Susie! Hi Lins!!!!)…
Dear Miss Cunningham
We read this in our lesson today and we recommend you eat squid
and not step on them!
Have fun on the ocean.
from 1HL
Hi everyone!
TC are loving your updates. Sorry to hear you stepped on squid! When you stepped on it, did any ink come out?
Also we would like to know if you have opened your advent calenders! We have!
Love TC x
Lindsay,
How deep is the water where you are?
And have you seen any big fish?
love from Hermione and James
Hi Susie and Tom
Glad to see you’re heading west(ish) at last. I was beginning to worry about your compass deviation…..!!! All my best wishes Ian
I hope you ate the squid after Lindsay “caught” it but always remembering that “bad cooking is responsible for more trouble at sea than all other things put together” but it sounds like you are avoiding those problems and dining well!
Dear crew,
Awfully pleased to hear the straighteners did not belong to Neil and I’m sure the squid appreciated Lindsay’s pencil straight locks……. Clearly you are now poised to speed past the fuel chompers and snatch the lead, love it. I am pretty sure my daddy would have taken a coffee grinder aboard but I guess Tom!
Night night Adina boat, have the sweetest of dreams (with only gentle rocking!!)
Love Barnaby xxx
Hi crew did the squid make it? Love juneyxx
Come on guys, stop dawdling, you’re at the back of the pack! Glad to hear you’re enjoying it, love reading your blogs every day. Sandy x
P.s. Has to be Tom with the coffee grinder!