Hello team,
How are you doing? Week going well? Secretly counting down the hours till the weekend? I do believe you’ll be reading this on Thursday, but I am writing it on Wednesday, I think. Therefore, it must be Fizz Friday eve for you. Hoping that we make Seattle for next Fizz Friday. I think if we do, it will be well deserved. The last time we managed to be ashore for that was International Women's Day, while we were in Zhuhai. Which seems like a lifetime ago; actually 6,300 sea miles ago.
Well, we have been fairly flying along the past few days. (Which reminds me, note to self – if ever crossing this lump of water again, go by plane.) We have had wind, mainly set on a broad reach, flying the Yankee 1, with the sheets set up leading through the low friction rings, like a spinnaker. That allows us to get the clew away from the boat and some decent depth in the head sail. The downside, the low friction ring is just level with my head while I am in my bunk, so not the most restful of background noises. Very noticeable especially when we got a little too deep downwind, which you might be surprised occasionally happens. I am using the occasionally somewhat conservatively, you’ll understand.
We have been flicking between Reef 1 and Reef 2 on the mainsail, and I do mean flicking. The reefing evolutions have been really slick by all the watches, noticeably smoother now we have sorted the slider issue. The helming's good, and our current top recorded speed is 24.7kts. It’s a shame we can’t keep that going 24/7 till we hit the Finish line. We are hoping that we can keep the relative same pace in the low-pressure system that is currently driving us so nicely.That would allow us to get to the end of ‘Highway 45’, without the wind backing on us and having to do a few gybes to avoid going north of 45º north, but that might be asking a bit too much of the wind gods. It must be said, the winds gods have been very gracious and benevolent to us over the past few days, and we are humbly respectful and massively appreciative of them.
The daily routine grinds on, but everything is wet, damp and cold. Although this hasn’t been the longest race of the circumnavigation, it is without question the most draining. People are fatigued, in good spirits, but fatigued. It’s cold and wet on deck, mainly wet due to wave action, but also occasional rain, some heavy at times. It's cold and wet below deck, from condensation running from the walls, from water brought down on clothing from the deck, which adds to water getting past the companionway cover, as waves break over the cockpit. The process of getting ready for deck; leaving a warm sleeping bag (relative warmth that is), getting out of damp clothes, changing into colder, slightly wet clothes. Gloves aren’t dry anymore; cold feet vainly attempt to warm up the damp cold boots in which they are enclosed. Then at the end of your watch, the process is done in reverse. Once your hands are warm enough to achieve dexterity to undo zips, fasteners and pull boots off, it’s back into a cold damp feeling sleeping bag for a few hours' sleep to repeat the process again. The variation to this involves emptying the bilges of cold water, cleaning the heads and cooking from a menu, that is now mainly out of fresh ingredients. There is no talk of arrival in Seattle, just getting through the next watch is far enough ahead at the moment.
To round it all off, who is that annoying bloke who keeps saying, “Remember team, sailing is a leisure pursuit, done for fun and enjoyment!”
Meanwhile ‘MGV’, I am very interested in which colour Buffalo Mountain shirt, takes your fancy? I will await an update from #1.
Now we are choosing to undertake this passage and live in these conditions. There are however many children around the world without choice, living, day in and day out, not getting enough warmth, sleep, clothing or food and aren’t safe. Please help us achieve our aim on ‘Bekezela’ of raising £60k for UNICEF by clicking and donating on this link. Thank you.
Think that’s all for now, standing by this channel.
David, Maisie and the ‘one watch at a time’ Bekezela crew