For a change I wake up just before midnight to start my watch. It’s almost unheard of that I get up voluntarily. Normally Mike has a fight on his hands when he tries to drag me out in the middle of the night especially if I’m in the middle of a nice dream. That is, of course, if I’ve managed to get to sleep in the first place.
The sea still makes us lurch around uncomfortably but at least the steady winds of around 18 knots means that we continue to sail at over 7 knots an hour. This should get us into Mackay on Thursday 22 at the latest as the wind is predicted to stay this way for the next couple of days. Ocean Jasper is closing on us now – only about 70 miles behind – and we still only have the genoa out.
Mike discovers the cause of yesterday’s loud crash that we heard but were unable to identify at the time. The pin of one of the traveller blocks has sheared right through and although Mike can mock something up for now (well, tomorrow when hopefully it’s calmer) we will need to get it fixed. His mate Steve will probably be able to bring something over when they come out to Mackay in just over a week.
Out of sheer boredom, I check up on some of the statistics of this trip. Of the 193 days so far, just over 100 of them have been at sea. That’s a hell of a lot of sailing for someone who is very definitely a fair weather sailor. Boy, have I earned every single bloody one of my pearls!
Mike has a sleep in the morning and I have one in the afternoon – this pattern is in keeping with the night watches each day and we are getting into a rhythm.
I risk a shower and hairwash. In seas like these, it’s always a dodgy operation especially when you are covered with slippery soap lather. I sit down on the toilet seat to do my feet and nearly end up slipping off and onto the floor as a particularly vicious wave hits us. At least having a small bathroom means there’s only so far you can be thrown.
We are sitting eating our evening meal when the worst wave so far hits us. The angle that it catches us means that the cockpit is completely drenched and the force of the water forces the sliding door wide open as it hits the edge (it had just been open a couple of inches to let some air through. Luckily, the angle was just off enough to stop the water actually coming in through the now open door.
Photo: Cosy toes on a cool night
It’s Johanne’s birthday today and I manage to phone her on the satellite phone for a few minutes. It’s so weird speaking to someone who’s sitting up in bed with a cup of tea (I’m guessing this, given the time in the UK) on a wet morning in Cheshire when you are sitting on a boat having just eaten dinner on a heaving sea in the middle of the Pacific. The line is exceptionally clear today. I can’t wait for her to come out. Roll on 27th July!
I take the first watch. Mike tells me to wake him if any squalls appear on the radar coming from the south west or if the wind gets consistently to a force 7. I hope neither happens.
Our position is: 18 deg 54 min S, 155 deg 26 min E
Distance so far: 10035 nautical miles
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