Good morning,
Progress has been good over the last 24 hours and we have been pushing hard throughout the night. We took an inshore route along the Moroccan coastline. Inevitably, we had a busy night weaving our way through fishing boats and nets. Ironically, the only line we managed to get around the rudders was our own spinnaker sheet during a rather spicy gybe.
As I sat to type this message a short while ago, there were shouts that the tack line for our spinnaker had blown. Sadly this means only one thing. We are going to slow down.
The crew is hard at work plugging in the Code 3 Spinnaker as we are desperate not to lose valuable miles here. Fingers crossed that this declaration is brief and that we did not damage our precious spinnaker. We have been fastidious in our efforts to reduce chafe on the halyards and lines but it turns out that there is a limit as to how far you should ease certain things. I am sure there is a lesson there somewhere.
We have two watch teams on board, 'UNI' and 'CEF'. Together they make UNI-CEF. I would go and assist them but it sounds as if Dan from the 'CEF' watch has got everything under control. Plus the blog is not going to write itself! Well, in saying that.... I would like to share Sue's poem from her blog today.
There once was a Big Blue Clipper,
Of which Ian Wiggin was skipper.
Young and daring, a genius at seafaring, and with a taste for Lemon and Ginger!
There was 1st Mate Mike Miller,
who had been a previous winner.
With a permanent grin, and a passion to win, he helmed and got even thinner!
Next up our TC Sandra,
Queen of WhatsApp to prevent crew meander.
She yelled herself hoarse, shouting her course, and lay down to recover her dander.
Most important Angie our victualler,
with a real love of food and a stickler.
For recipes tasty, not cooked too hasty - keeping the crew rosy- not pasty.
Our watch Leaders Alex and Dan,
both giants of man.
With their knowledge of sails, and sea dog tales, they lead us whilst getting a tan.
Canaries - here we go.
Ian and Mike