Race 2 - Day 15
Crew Diary - Race 2 Day 15: Punta del Este to Cape Town
19 October
Today is a week since we left Punta del Este for our second attempt to reach Cape Town. Read Ben's blog post for an account of our encounter with a whale, which had us return to Punta for repairs. I was so seasick the first time round I felt like I was moving in a haze between watches and evolutions and skipped meal times. The team simply rallied around and helped me through it, even creating a separate bunk for us to sleep when we were too nauseous to go on watch.
This time round, James Heatherton left me his scopaderm patches. That and the lovely weather we have had so far has helped remind me why I enjoy sailing. After a few days of feeling just a teensy bit funny, I'm finally getting into the groove of watch keeping and eating.
The last couple of days in fact have been sunny, even if cold. And we even had some orcas put up a show for us yesterday. Four of them decided to follow us for a while, showing off their fins and surfacing to give us a view of their beautiful white underbellies. Definitely made my day.
Good weather means less rocky seas and the opportunity to helm. I've tried my hand at it a few times now and am learning to 'keep my head in the compass' till I get a sense of the wind and the waves. Especially the waves, which are these huge rollers that, when I look at them seem, likely to wash right over us. The idea is to anticipate them, feel their motion as they roll under the boat and hold the steering steady so as not to let the boat go off course. All without too much movement of the wheel, since 'less is more' when helming.
Watches are typically six hours on and six hours off during the day and four hours each watch in the night. Which means that each watch gets two night watches on alternate nights. Those can be a real test, since it's so cold that just getting out of bed is a challenge. And regardless of the number of layers I have on, the cold just seeps right in. Oh boy, won't Goa feel hot after this. That's the thought that keeps me going in the cold.
A person from each Watch Team us to do a 'Mother Watch' once a week. This Sunday was Mother Watch for Clive and me. Jules, who is Victualler-in-Chief, has figured all the meals and the ingredients and stocked up on them for this Leg. There is a neat little folder with the menu for each day clearly listed, and a dry bag for each day's ingredients. Clive and I simply had to put stuff together and voila we had not one, but two edible meals! I'm no great shakes as a cook but Clive was amazing. He even managed some duff with apples and peaches and oatmeal. The meals? Well it was egg mayonnaise wraps for lunch and spaghetti bolognese for dinner.
Off watch, I find I can fall asleep almost immediately regardless of the boat's movements and have the most amazing dreams. Typically of being in some warm, foreign land, eating exotic meals. Oh well, another ten days and we should be in one such place. Cape Town beckons!