AQP blog
After damaging the main sail, we had a look at the facts and the damage was that it was not because procedure wasn't followed, but an accumulation of damage over time. Still, like most things, it still could have been prevented but in the dead of night, tired eyes and bodies do miss things. During the light wind patch, we have given Zela a little TLC and I have spruced up a jury rig that was put in place for our Yankee car, version 3 now and its looking slick! Put some anti-chafe on the sheets and had a look at a water pump which seems to have given up a little, to Brian and Chris's pleasure (keeps them out of trouble I have to say.)
There is a low pressure that caught up with us last night so fingers crossed if we can stick with that until Monday or maybe Sunday or would that be Tuesday? The confusion? Well that comes from crossing the International Date Line. Maybe I’ll ask a passing ship what the date is, I'm sure they would avoid us by 20 miles if I came out with that over the radio. I can see two ships right now on AIS. We are at the moment 200nm from the International Date Line and so will be crossing in the next 24 hours. That is, if we are to continue with this 10knots of boat speed. This will mean we should be able to stay with the front for around 500nm getting us a good way across highway 45 and hopefully we hang round long enough for it to develop into a full-blown low-pressure system, and we can keep riding it until the end of highway 45. It would mean chipping off around 1,000nm which is a big chunk on our way to Seattle.
Considering we were almost at 47 north a few days ago, coming south has not done much to warm up the air. It is definitely a lot colder here then it was 100nm further north. Now, yes, we were in a high-pressure system and the sun was out, it wasn't raining, and the winds were low. But we've got closer to the Equator and closer to summer since then so why it's not shorts weather yet baffles me. Why doesn’t the weather just do what I want?
On that stroppy note,
Love Maisie, David and the chilly cold crew