Day 2. Nuts

All well.

Making good progress to our desired waypoint of 20*N 30*W by which time we should be able to step onto the trade wind travelator and scoot W over to the Caribbean!

The winds at the moment are sadly just too far N for us to achieve our goal in one run and so we are having to gybe every 10 hours or so. Range is 15 – 30 knots gusting 35. Our speed through the water has varied 5 -14 knots so pretty good conversion. We are hoping that the further S we head the winds will ease to the S. We have been thrown around by terribly mixed seas but that seems to be abating. The forecast is for the NW’ly swell to increase in frequency of 14-16 seconds which will make the passage much more comfortable.

We have not yet settled into a groove as sleep has been difficult in these conditions and so we are all snoozing when the opportunity arises. Showers have been had and so we are all feeling a little more human now!

On a long passage such as this, it’s important to constantly check the standing rigging (the mast and wires holding it up) and running rigging, (the ropes, halyards etc) for ware, chafe etc. On my walk around yesterday I found a nut and a bolt on the bow deck! Pretty amazing as the deck is constantly being swept by breaking waves. It turns out the the nut was one we used to drop a line down the mast last week and then lost. The bolt though was one locking the headsail furler mechanism and had we lost that, life would have been very painful! I should have checked all fixings before departure but must confess that I forgot that one! Suffice it to say we have checked all rigging again.

Dinner last night was a tomato beef style dish and rice. Sooo glad we pre-prepared these meals.

Sue’s note: Is anybody still wondering why I didn’t go….?