Halfway there

We are only about two days away from Fernando de Noronha, a small but
exquisite little island off the coast of Brazil. A hundred miles or so
later we have Athol dos Rocas, another amazing little jewel on the ocean.
Google these two names and eat your heart out. And then the fast run up
the coast of Brazil, and fast we have to go. A charter date has been set
for our boat and we have to maintain 7kts to make it in time. Fortunately
we have enough diesel to assist the sails a bit when the wind is just not
strong enough to keep us in contention. Two days ago we caught up with a
yacht that left St.Helena 36 hours before we left. So seldom that one sees
another yacht on the open ocean, and to know the yachties, even more rare.
French couple, and the damn Frenchman laughed at me when I said bonsoir
and bon voyage. He thought I could only speak English. Another yacht we
met in St.Helena had to detour to Ascension Island due to technical
difficulties, yacht True Blue. They are circumnavigating and started in
Hawaii.

Motorsailing is the term we use when we are motoring and sailing. Up the
coast of Brazil we have a strong current and good winds that will also
come into play, and we aim not to only meet but to exceed expectations on
our estimate time of arrival in Tortola, in short our ETA. Our POA ( plan
of action ) was to sail more leisurely and save engine hours, but since
there has been a slight COP ( change of plan ) we are doing all in our
power to keep going AFAP( as fast as possible ) Enough of these
abbreviations, ok, one last one, TGIF !!! And if you don't know what that
means, Thank God It's Friday. We work 24/7 so if you work 9 - 5, this
one's just for you.

I woke up this morning to take the 3am - 6am watch and the awesome smell
of freshly baked rusks drifted in from the saloon. Malcolm has been at it
again, baking another batch of rusks from his secret recipe. Outside the
big blue is black, with no moon yet, and all around us the skies are also
black, sprinkled with gazilions of little blue dots, morse-coding secret
messages to those in the know. ET come home. Back to the saloon, it is
what we call the living room inside the boat. Inside the saloon you also
find the galley, which is the boat term for kitchen, and then the nav
station, which is where I am sitting at the moment. My very good friend
Llewellyn, who popped in for a visit in Cape Town, will attest to the fact
that our saloon is big enough to swing the proverbial two cats
comfortably. Not that I would ever swing any cat, I love these little
feline creatures far too much for that. But do google Leopard 48
Catamaran, and you will check the lay-out of our little humble abode.
Comfortable to the max.

My turn to prepare supper tonight and I have been discreetly requested to
make some rotis. Mix some flour, water and a bit of salt, make little
balls and roll them into very thin pan size discs. Fry them a minute or
two on both sides and voila ! For filling I will also prepare some minced
meat, beans etc, and a bit of coleslaw to add crunchiness. It's quite a
bit of work and once we sit down to eat it is gone in ten minutes. One of
the reasons I love rotis is that you eat it with your hands, no cutlery.
There is just something about eating with your hands. It is a closer
culinary experience than eating with a knife and fork, you really get into
it. More primal, earthy. Like her daddy, my darling daughter also loves
eating with her hands. Sigh.......I miss her badly.

Today we will reach the halfway mark, 3000nm behind us and 3000nm ahead of
us. The second half will go much faster than the first half, and before we
know it, we will be sitting on an aeroplane flying back over the easter
weekend. Mind boggling to think that we will cover a distance we covered
in approximately 6 weeks in two days. Not my favourite mode of transport
by a long shot, jet-setting, but what can one do. Make the most of it I
guess.

I unfortunately have no access to internet on the boat and therefore
cannot read and reply to your comments, just in case you were wondering,
but I sincerely do appreciate your comments and eagerly read them when I
get the chance. Hope you have a most wonderful weekend.

Until next time

Paul