Running free

My watch today was from 6 to 10 this morning.I watched the sun coloring the morning sky with shades of pink and peach and
purple and some colours there are no words for.With the sun the breeze also started building and by 7 I decided to raise the
secondary genoa and cut the motor.At first we were just just holding onto 6 kts but as the morning progressed the wind
strenghtened and by 9 we were running deep into the 7 kts.Luscious to hear the props spinning under the keel,I prefer to
call it purring and there are few noises more beautiful to me than when this Leopard Cat gets purring,running free.Following
seas and fair winds is all it takes.

We also have to keep an eye on diesel consumption and to maintain a fine balance between keeping up a decent average and
conserve diesel requires one to be on top of conditions and optimize where and when one can.In the blazing sun I decided to
decant diesel from our 250 ltr containers into the tanks.I have a small diameter syphon pipe which works with a valve that
opens when you push down and closes when you pull up.You keep this up and down action going until gravity takes over.Our
normal diesel hose is thicker and the small syphon pipe fits into the thicker hose to get the lenght required to reach the
fuel tanks.One gets different syphon pipes and this one fits a bit loose in the hose allowing air to come in and inhibit the
flow of the diesel.Where the two pies join I first tried duct tape to seal it properly but the diesel neutralised the glue
in minutes.I then wrapped a plastic bag around the tape and tied it with elastics.Soon that was also dripping diesel and the
flow stopped.I then used masking tape but that also just lasted a short while.I had a cloth on the deck to catch the drips
of diesel and realized that none of these methods are working and proceeded to remove the lot and start again.I was still
wondering what to use to seal the two pipes when my eye caught the prestik-ah ha.It worked like a charm,the flow was 100%
and not a drop of diesel spilled.It takes a fairly long time for the diesel to transfer into the tanks but at about 9:30 the
tanks were full and I could close the drums and tanks and pack away what I used.By that time Gareth and Malcolm were
up.Fortunately I applied liberal amounts of sunblock as the sun was really fierce,reflecting of the water as well.

Malcolm had a quick shower,Gareth followed suit and by that time it was 10,time for me to fill in the log and hand over to
Gareth.I left the deckwash soap,broom and bucket neatly on a deck bench intending for them to catch the hint and went for a
shower as well.When I finished the shave and shower routine I returned to the deck and saw that the deckwash goodies were
packed away and the deck not washed and could'nt hide my smile when I asked who packed it away.The two of them were rather
meekly saying that they were debating whether I left the goodies there as a hint and Malcolm concluded that I normally would
instruct them if anything needed doing.Trying to get out of this one was interesting and they immediatly proceeded to wash
the deck.The normal Sunday work day thing,rest for six days and work on the 7th day.It was all rather hilarious as we are
all fairly disciplined on keeping the boat need and tidy.I just needed to give them a little shove in the right direction.I
retired to my cabin to rest and read a bit and when I surfaced and hour or so later I was blinded by the bright white
deck.All in a days work and all in good spirit.

The two of them are bonding well,even with the fitness program they follow.I told them a while ago that once they reach my
level of fitness I might join them.They've now had more than two weeks to get in shape and I decided to test their fitness
levels against mime in the morning,so sorry Owen and Cheryl,and sorry Miekie and family,Gareth and Malcolm is getting
drilled tomorrow.I promise I won't break them,I hope to motivate them even more.We'll do the same exercises one on one and I
will introduce a few more to their arsenal.Fun and games....ha ha ha.Respect to both of them though,Malcolm at 62 turning 48
and Gareth,who represents the young adults of today for the willingness to take me on.

For supper Malcolm conjured Tad in the Hole again and once again we enjoyed it enormously.Our position at 20:40 UTC is
11*56'S/16*56'W,wind is 14 kts ESE,our speed between 7 and 12 kts,barometer 1017,water and air 27*C,wave height about 2m and
seastate moderate.We wish you a pleasant Monday and may the week ahead be filled with blessings.