but please just accept my apology. After Fatu Hiva we were in a big rush
to get to Tahiti as our flights are booked etc, and were motoring quite
hard to get to Tahiti on the 10th of April. In the process we also used
more diesel than expected and suddenly found ourselves a little short of
diesel with just over 300nm to go. Two days to go with one and a half
days diesel left. This prompted us to run the motors at much lower refs
and going much slower in turn. Now and then we have some wind from the
squalls and use every bit of wind we can find. I was reminded of the
perils should one run out of diesel as described in a previous blog and
now we face the same predicament. Running low on many things we have got
to keep our heads in the right space and keep focusing on our goal. It may
take us a few days longer to get to Tahiti, so close and yet so far.
We have been fortunate to have had some good spells of wind and during my
shift from 9 to midnight we were doing very well when the headsail turned
all wrinkly on us. One of the shackles up the top of the mast have come
undone and I had to furl it in partly and sail with a limping sail, tying
a sling to create some shape in support of the mainsail. We were doing ok
but could have done much better. Early this morning I discussed the
problem with the crew. Steven said he'll go up the mast, but as Eduard has
a passion for climbing and have often said he would like to get to the
top, it became his mission when he volunteered. We had to haul him up
three times before we had everything back in shape. Noy easy to get to the
top of the mast with the boat moving around. The forces up there are much
stronger than you can imagine standing at the bottom. Once he finished we
all gave him a high five as it was an enormous task accomplished.We
unfurled the headsail, pulled her back up and she is back in perfect
shape. Unfortunately we don't have wind at the moment, but fortunately we
are ready for when the wind does come our way.
We caught a bonny two days ago and had half for supper the same day. Fancy
that we may have the other half for sushimi today, something to look
forward to. Everybody is also busy preparing the yacht for handover,
cleaning and shining and making tidy.Yesterday morning we went close past
Takaroa, an atholl well known for it's black pearls and other interesting
facts. Saw a wreck on the one side and our electronic charts mention that
it is not the worst place to get stranded, and this wreck is sitting high
and dry on the beach. These are fairly dangerous places to try and enter
and I decided that we will just run along at a safe distance after our
depth sounder alarm unexpectedly showed some shallows that was not charted
on any of my paper or electronic charts.
Outside I guess the weather in a way reflects the weather in Cape Town at
the moment, raining. All around us big banks of dark clouds are spilling
their loads and now and then we are fortunate enough to get some of it.
There is also some thunder and lightning in the air and in anmticipation
of a strike we have fastened a length of chain to the mast and the other
end hanging in the water to act as a conducter. We also unplug the VHF
aerial as that is normally the first thing that gets taken by a strike. It
then runs through the db board, jumping all the circuit breakers and
frying all our instruments. Back to the rain, if life gives you lemons you
make lemonade, here by us, if it rains, we can shower in fresh water,
straight from the sky. Lovely, refreshing, rejuvenating, I just had one.
Sometimes it takes a while to get properly wet, soaped up and rinsed off
again, but if you stand at just the right spot you get all the rain that the
sail catches in the stackpack splashed onto you everytime the boat moves a
bit. While I was having a shower we also got a call from one of my fellow
skippers who often calls to check the weather with me. It is not any
consolation to know that they have much further still to go and also running
low on diesel, all three boats behind us. Fortunately for them there is a
good front coming through from the 11th and will stay for a few day. This
should get them home in one go, I sincerely hope so.
As for us, what can I say, we will make it, one way or another, we always do.
But we do appreciate your good wishes,your prayers, your thoughts, the good
energy you sending this way. In a big way, this is probably why we always find
a way. Our psoition currently is 15*33'S/146*03'W. Distance to go to Tahiti
exactly 235nm.
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