Race 6 - Day 4
Crew Diary - Race 6 Day 4: Hobart to Whitsundays
09 January
Life is truly at 45 degrees today. From the start at 4am this morning in the dark reefing the main to racing head sail changes on port watch we are starting to get good at sail changes - and we have been getting our times to under 6 min which from the start in Freo, would take 25 min. We have been doing head sail changes like there is no tomorrow to maximise our speed to the way points that rob keeps moving from day to day. It looks like we'll be late into Airlie now because of the head winds which means more work to do in less time.
Today Ineka and I have been on mother watch and making what was basic tuna and corn wraps for lunch into doritos with salsa with grilled cheese on top and tuna mayo and sweet chilli sauce wraps, which the skip gave a compliment on – happy days!
For dinner we have turned lentil soup into chorizo, onion and red peppers with lentil and spaghetti - all mixed together to make the killer dish (If I may say so myself, got to thank mum for the inspiration in making good food out of what you can find in the cupboards!!!)
Today, I thought I saw Paul's pants on the boat, but it turned out to be the Tedinator swaggering around the boat in his grundies – turns out he was just getting changed! One of the joys of Mother Watch is you get to see all sorts at any hour of the day.
It doesn't matter what time of day it is, but finding someone's water bottle any time of the day, whether dark or light (and more interesting in the dark where you are going by feel or touch) is a real skill. I can certainly pick out the right bottle out of 20 of them – a skill we all seem to have picked up after 27 days at sea. You really start to get to know everyone as well as their clothing (which you find lying around all over the shop – in particular Paul's pants and Damo's clothes).
Other weird things you notice is eating habits. From Jackie and her 3/4 of a bowl of porridge to the port watch attacking snacks in the dark which looked like cavemen sitting around the fire, lit up by only the red headlamp of Peter D – also looked a little like gremlins munching sweeties – the joys of the graveyard shift!
As typing this, Ms Weaver has been wiping down our feet with the antibac wipes – you see, we all look after each other!
For now, I will leave you with our latest riddle – the who dunnit. We think it was at the back of the boat – somewhere between the traveller and the helming station, we think it was the winch handle and maybe Speighty – but we have a humpty dumpty on the boat – we just don't know how he got here......maybe the hobbit brought him.
P.S thanks Kiwi Alex for the insight from Leg 1 and 2 and your spare set of foulies which have been a really big help – getting wet is a necessity on the bow and foredeck!