for the first time we could throw our twin headsail configuration to the
wind. It carried us well for about 24 hrs till this morning when the
wind shifted back to west a bit. Steven and Nick proceeded to drop the
one headsailand hoisted the mainsail and genoa. Sound a bit technical I
guess but in a nutshell we changed the way we harness the wind, which is
coming more from the side than from behind. Changing from windvane mode
to autopilot gave us a little more surefootedness over the swell and we
are once again smoothly making way towards St.Helena.
Last night was my turn to cook and we had some potato wedges and some of
Nick's Yellow Tail deepfried. A good serving of coleslaw rounded the
meal of nicely. Nick fell for another T trap and we finished the evening
with a nice warm cup of tea. The T trap is getting someone to say
something with a T in and then that person has to make tea. Tricky at
times, but so far Eduan had three turns, Nick two turns and Steven once.
I also make tea now and then, but not by being tricked into it. For
example last night I asked Nick how many shirts he brought with. He
started by saying three T - shirts when I jumped up claiming victory and
he made us tea, good sport that he is. Eduan had similar traps laid,
fell for everyone and everytime vouched never again. I told him my
daughter who just started gr 3 is studying dinosaurs and wants to know
what was the most vicious and dangerous dinosaur. He quickly provided
the answer - T Rex, and voila, another cup of tea. Just a little game we
play to amuse ourselves and score a cup of tea at the same time.
We have got a good one lined up for Eduan later on today. We're going to
have a little dispute, saying that Steven reckons in rugby after a high
tackle one gets to scrum. Obviously we are hoping that Eduan will
correct us and say it is a penalty, the big T again. Fun and games. All
it is.
Very much overcast today ,and Steven and Nick whipped up some bacon and
egg on toast for breakfast, first for the trip so far. The dynamics on
board is shaping nicely ,we are having a lot of laughs, and also taking
our watches seriously. A good combination for a happy ship. We run a
type of democracy where everyone's opinion counts and we all share
equally. There are obviously times when I have to make a call, or
dictate if you wish. All fun and games, but also with a serious edge to
it now and then.
Our nautical term for today is Adrift. At the will of the wind and
tide. Sailors began to use the word to describe anything which had
become undone or gone missing, which is how it acquired its shoreside
meaning of somebody late, lost or wandering in their mind. From this
word has also come 'drifter', a person with no aim in life.
Our current position is 23*38'S/007*53'E. We have covered about 880nm so
far, 875nm to St.Helena and 360nm east of Walvis Bay. We should be
arriving at St.Helena Saturday night late or early Sunday morning which
would call for a night entry, again.
I hope you have a stunning Sunday.
Captain Paul
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