Crew Blog

What a difference a day makes

10 October 2007

To say we’ve had some weather today would probably be something of an understatement. As the photos of Moose Watch - taken at 8am and 8pm - show rather clearly, the Doldrums are having their fun in a variety of ways. Lengthy periods of baking heat and no wind are occasionally interspersed with driving rain and hefty blows - and sometimes, just to catch us off-guard, we get the rain without the wind: a particularly unattractive situation.

We’ve been hit badly by light, fluky winds this evening so that our 6pm poll of one mile behind Durban 2010 and Beyond has increased to a 17-mile deficit by midnight. We’re hoping to be through the worst of it by late morning so that we can get on with mile-building again.

The weather is also playing havoc with the ship’s systems: last night we lost the connection between our navigation PC and the GPS and wind instruments and today we’ve been losing the links between the various instruments. The PC we can live without if we have to, but the lack of instruments is extremely tiresome as it becomes much harder for the helm to hold a steady course over ground, which is our official measurement of The Right Direction.

Spirits remain positive, however, and with the latitudes in single figures the Equator is looming. Musical selections are varied according to conditions - nothing too bouncy for the light airs, or the dancing may shake the wind out of the sails!

Love to all at home, and we look forward to re-establishing contact once we hit Salvador.

Chris ‘JC’ Wicks

1. Len, Chelmsford 10 October 2007

We hope you are receiving loud and clear A verse from the Ancient Mariner would seem appropriate: “Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down, T’was sad as sad could be; And we did speak only to break The silence of the sea”.
Go, Go, Go Sco.

2. Mel King Home Camp 1, Bristol 10 October 2007

Great to see you all. The constant will they be first or second wondering is keeping us all on the edge of our seats, watch out for the Scots they seem to be catching up.
Take Care xxx

3. Mike Wilkins, St Albans 10 October 2007

“While everyone’s lost, the battle is won
With all these things that I’ve done”
Go for it!

4. Anchorman, Hereford 10 October 2007

Look here, I’m losing sleep because of your activities! My better half is crewing on Durban and you are introducing erratic sleeping patterns in my lifestyle with this “nip and tuck” activity.

May the close encounter continue and I wish you safe sailing, if not completely successful with regards to Durban.

Smelly old sea out there isn’t it. Old King Neptune doesn’t clean his teeth enough!
ANCHORMAN

5. Jim & Mildred, Calgary AB CANADA 11 October 2007

Watching your positioning every 6 hours.
We see Durban has gone West of 32 and ostensibly 44 miles ahead of NS.
Great pix of the Moose watch!
Keep on truckin’ ever SSW & get over the Equator.
Just think Ed, it’ll be downhill from there.
Best wishes
Jim & Mildred

6. Val, Scarborough 11 October 2007

I am cheering you all the way - hope you overtake and make it in to first place!! I can’t imagine how tired you must all be but how the euphoria and excitement must be building.

GO GO GO
Val

7. Kate Mullineux, Edinburgh 11 October 2007

Keep going Nova Scotia! I can’t believe the changeable weather you’re having to contend with - have my fingers crossed for you that it settles down soon and that you can get on with the important task of chasing down Durban!
Kate x

8. Mike Goodwin, Spain 11 October 2007

Nice position Nova Scotia, has Durban gone too far west? very possibly, but Glasgow is moving well and in a good position you guys are certainly keeping us all on our toes, this is better than watching F1.
Best wishes to all and of course my mate Roger. Oooooooooh Yus!
Hope you get this is my fourth attempt I haven’t seen them listed at my end so i don’t know if you see them.

9. Jim Cronin, Bath,U.K. 11 October 2007

Hi Roger and gang,
From Race News it sounds like you have found wind.I knew you had it in you. Go!!!
Jim
P.S. Roger,your “guests” have now opened a car wash in the parking bays outside your house. This have gone down well with those travelling downhill into Bath as they can drive into the bays quite easily, however for those travelling up the hill, life is a little more difficult given the need to cross oncoming traffic at a point where the gradient of the hill is severe. The Car Wash Manager, who is using your kitchen as an office and reception centre,has asked if you have any advice for him?
P.P.S. The concept of a Drop In Centre and a Car Wash combined, has been given widespread acclaim.The Mayor of Bath proclaimed it to be..."synergystic!". I told her you would be pleased.

10. Dave Colwell, Squamish, BC, Canada 11 October 2007

To Dave McPhee ("Nova Scotia")

Best wishes from all of of us at SYC. We have this web site posted on ours ( squamishyachtclub.com) and we are checking on you each day.... raise a toast to King Neptune for us as you go through the Equator! We have lots of COOL rain here, as usual!

Dave (your SYC webmaster)

11. Pierre & kitchen crew, Halifax Canada 11 October 2007

Wow, The “Equador”, sounds like a dream to catch & pass through. Good on yas.
With olive bread & Parma ham, hot porridge & custard, who needs a chef?!! Let us know when you’ll need catering.
You all look great, no worse for the weather, we hope for a break in humidity; we know what a hot kitchen gets like. Carry On, Jonh Dunn.
If your looking for music, check out Sprinsteens new song “ Girls in their summer clothes”.
Cheers, The Kitchen Crew.

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