Race 13 - Day 3
Skipper Report
25 July
Hello team,
How are we this “Battleship grey dawn” Wednesday? Halfway through the week already, still on schedule? This end we are still beating down towards Virtual Mark Fastnet and the wind is almost smack on the nose, so progress is fairly slow and life is very much on the heel. Feet are firmly placed on the walls of the Nav Station while I brace myself up right so I can chat to you.
Overnight we lost distance on the group we were in when we had to put a second tack in to get around Virtual Mark Siraut. That miss laying the mark means the leaders have increased the gap to 10 nautical miles to our front which is somewhat disappointing.
Yesterday was another great day of coastal sailing along this impressive western Ireland coastline in the sun with occasional light rain squalls coming over. This morning however has a different feel to it, with the skies grey and overcast as the low-pressure system begins to sweep in towards us. We are expecting an increase in winds from the current high teens into maybe the low 30 knot range.
Although not as an impressive start to the day as yesterday morning, some of the rock islands to our east set a dramatic image with some looking as if they were forts of castles from Middle Earth coming out of greyness of first light.
It’s a been a disaster over Tuesday's lunch. After such brilliant start with the sausage stew, yesterday was wait for it – yes, you're way ahead – wraps. I don't believe it - grumpy Skipper. The saving grace was there was some nice pork pie and crisps. That was the final nail, a wrap too far. Please don't be offend if you offer me a wrap and I un-politely decline.
The second disaster linked to food has impacted Scottie. Now, Scottie likes fresh coffee, in fact, that appears to be the only hot drink it partakes in. Knowing this, the victualing team purchased three bags of coffee knowing that it is fair estimate of the amount Scottie could consume before Liverpool. The big problem is that it’s not fresh coffee at all, it’s thee bags of instant (in environmentally friendly refill packing). I was considering a Pan Pan message he is so distraught. His grumpiness makes me appear quite upbeat. Anyhow, we have both let our feelings flow into the hot boiling col-drum of emotion and are try to move on.
So here are today's mid-week GREAT Britain Stats to chew over lunch - maybe some nice salad, a cucumber sandwich, a pasty, but not a wrap clearly. Distance run over the last 24 hours: 179nm (average 7.6kts), DMG: 136nm (76%), we had completed 30% of the at 1400 hours (BST) with a distance to go of 593nm.
Oh, did you know large doses of coffee can be lethal? Ten grams or 100 cups over four hours can kill the average human. Also, if you heat up a grape in a microwave it will explode.
Standing by this Channel – out.
Dave