Ello folks, my voice my voice, just thought I would casually say... WE ONLY CHUFFIN DID 29.7 KNOTS!!
So some worse news, I unfortunately spilt coffee all down my new smock. So it was a bit of a mixed 24 hours really.
(Sorry - the next bit has a bit of sailing jargon) We had the Code 2 (kite/spinnaker) up at night and were training the crew up when we managed to get a wrap. We blew the tack line and the retrieval letterbox sheet had become tangled in the Yankee and stay halyard, so we went deep down wind and re-ran the working sheet to letterbox, we had everyone in position ready for the drop about to go then we got another much much worse wrap multiplied with multiple wineglass wraps.
So we sent someone up the mast to start the ordeal firstly blowing the halyard then having to take multiple twists out of the inner forestay, but the problem was that the kite had got intertwined with both halyards. The only way I can describe it was that they were on a virtual pogo stick which was the inner forestay (wire that holds the mast up) and were bouncing the kite down.
I hope this makes some sense, I feel a lot of hand gestures and props would help...
I must commend on the crew; there was not a single grumble when the new watch came on deck and they were presented with a cats cradle of a damaged spinnaker. By the time I had awoken, they had repaired it and packed it. Now, typing this, I don't think I have said enough thank yous for their hard work so I shall do so at watch change.
Right, so we sailed with the Yankee 1 and found ourselves a place or so down, which was a bit demoralising so we enjoyed the sunrise, did our deck duties and then went for the Code 3, and this is where we get to the start of this blog.
My, my... Tony, Tony, Tony (Castro), what a machine you have built! We have been skimming for the last four to five hours with our speed now averaging 14-15 knots surfing across and down waves! I myself am a keen surfer and for anyone who does, it's the closest I feel like dropping in on a wave - only my surfboard weighs 40 tonnes!
The sea is building and the wind is increasing to around 30 knots. We will get the kite down if either the sea state builds or the wind increases much more or an hour before sunset - whichever comes first!
Right, I’m going for a cat nap. I’ll type how the watch goes in a few hours... (29 bloomin knots!).
We’re still pretty quick with white sails it turns out, peaked at 24 knots, so it's late into the night watch and the crew are shattered and a bit cold (I’ll admit it's not the warmest of nights) and I was told its 30 degrees in Portamão - I keep reminding the crew to enjoy it as it’ll be a sweat box in a couple of weeks. Also I managed to get more coffee over me smock, this time by drinking molten lava coffee. We got some Thermos mugs for all the crew and your drink just doesn't cool down. I took a big swig then immediately spat it out so looks like I’ll be massaging my tongue against the bridge of my mouth for the rest of the watch.
Josh and the crew of Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam
A few side notes from the First Mate (AQP) Hugo Picard:
As Josh said, the last 24 hours have had their ups and downs. After a painful exit of the channel (and slow for us) we finally bared away and caught up some speed.
As we finally hoisted our Code 2, I was awoken in the middle of my off watch (the one I get to sleep) by Ivan who tells me "they're trying to drop the kite, it's not going so well". I jump into my Musto HPX salopettes, toss my life jacket and storm on deck to find our beautiful brand new Code 2 spinnaker wrapped around both our forestays like a snake in a crazy pole dance session. The rest is as Josh said; the crew did an amazing job from A to B (except A, would have been better not to wrap the thing in the first place, but hey, it happens). But his humble self didn't mention that he was the one who went up the mast in 3 metre swell to wrestle with the giant snake wrapped around our forestays.
I wasn't too keen on having my Skipper going up the rig in that sea state, but there weren't many other options at that point, and him being really light, it's quite easy to send him up in a few sweats. So up he was, with his climbing helmet and his bi-colour crocs, and after just 10 or 15 min (which felt like much more) he had brought the snake down.
After all that mess, we resumed racing, but only under "white sails" meaning our main sail and Yankee 1, having us limping at a ridiculous 10-ish knots when the rest of the fleet were passing us with their kites.
So after four more hours on deck, and as the sun was pointing on the horizon at the end of my watch at 0600, I was rather grumpy, storming inside myself that we could be going faster, that there was no point racing if it was to cruise around with white sails. And I see you coming "oh, I didn't know you were that competitive" it's not about winning, it's about giving everything you' ve got.
I was even grumpy at the pancakes that Jacqueline our amazing crew and Team Coordinator had made for breakfast (really sorry) and went to get some rest.
An hour and a half later, I hear Josh giving commands to plug a kite. Too happy, I jump in my foulies and join him on deck to lend a hand putting the spinnaker in the air. Started one of the most amazing spinnaker rides I've had to date.
The wind was at around 25 knots in the morning and picked up to a solid 35 early afternoon, so for the wave, going from half a meter to over four meters at times. My only regret for the day is that Josh and I were the only ones to be able to helm, since speeds and surfing down the waves let place for no mistakes. It wasn't the day for spinnaker helming training for those with less experience, unfortunately. But after a quick survey, everyone was happy getting to their A-game on the spinnaker trim and we surfed all day above 20 knots, dropped the kite before sunset without drama and proceeded racing under Yankee 2. With wind now established between 35 and 40 knots, we are still cruising around 15+ knots.
All this, just to say that if I'm keen to press the accelerator pedal and get some speed, it takes a wise man to press the brakes, feel his crew, and get them to work when it matters, and this is why he is the Skipper of this boat! :)