'Ello Folks, well we are fully underway. It’s been a bit of a slow day we changed kites at 0830 this morning from a Code 2 to a Code 1 (Code 1 is a similar shape but just a little thinner) and have been crawling along at 3 to 5 knots with a few boats for company, as I'm sure you can all see there is a definite split in the fleet so I hope our tactics pay off, just hoping and waiting for the trades to kick in the crew are also starting to realise the difficulties of boat life at these latitudes (how far south we are).
On a completely separate note the crew of Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam would like to say a shout out and well done to Travis Broomfield for picking up rookie of the year award its all we have been hearing day and night, and a word to Travis from myself... you take care in your 'tinnie' (Aussie slang for a small boat)
So I finally had enough of zig zag helming so I have covered up the electronic wind instruments because in these light airs there can be a small lag so the crew keep over correcting, and so far so good or though I do expect to have a wrap at some point but we will just deal with that as it comes. I fear I may have a few crew complaining of sore necks tomorrow morning from looking at the windex all night, and the only other minor problem is that its a cloudy night so not only do we miss out on the 'nightscape' but the crew myself included do find it easier to helm by the stars using them as a point of reference, but silver lining the moon will be up for a long while to help.
Oh and to the crew of our boat reading this they can all relax now everything is now as it should be for me.
Its 0400 and we are having to trim and helm with such concentration due to the winds being so fickle the crew are still getting use to the watch system so it's taking its toll on them, but they are doing well but I'm constantly on them so I must be careful not to crack my proverbial whip to early. After all its only day two, they have gained 1/2 a mile on the boats behind us though.