Down with the main.

The color of the water has positively turned brown, the wind has peaked at twenty five knots from the north east this morning, and we are on a beam reach. It has started easing some, and predicted to calm down to fifteen knots over the weekend. Yes please. The steep continental shelf quickly climbs from a depth of two thousand meters to one hundred meters, making the swell short, steep and uneven where we cross into the shallower waters off the coast of French Guiana. We have main on second reef, and the genoa is furled halfway in. In our favor is the great current that we find here as well. It is a bit taxing on our bodies, but it is part of sailing. We can't always expect to have following winds and seas when we cross oceans. Fortunately this rough patch will only last for a day or two, again reminding us that the only constant factor is change. The Maverick 440 is being properly tested, and once again passing with flying colors, instilling absolute confidence in us.

St.Lucia is seven hundred and eighty miles away, and we should get there within five days. With covid restrictions, we might just anchor in Rodney Bay for a night to rest for a night without moving. Would love to go ashore, but we are also pressed to get to Annapolis before the hurricane season sets in fully. We won't take any undue risks. When I visited St.Lucia earlier this year, we were allocated a quarantine dock where we stayed for two days. A doctor in full protective clothing came to take swabs, and if we are lucky we could have our results in twenty four hours. I asked the doctor at the time what he thinks of this procedure to test us, even after twenty plus days at sea. He agreed, and added that there is no cure for madness. The swabs were analyzed and within twenty four hours we were declared covid free. It costed us three days, $280 per test, and then found out all the restaurants etc was closed due to covid.

On my shift today, the wind pumped up to thirty three knots and I decided to drop the main sail in these stronger conditions and some rain. Thomas and Don prepared for the drop by loosening the gybe preventers, and the sling for the genoa. I started both motors, shadowed the genoa and furled it in. Shouting "Going about!", I timed the swell and turned into the wind, let the main halyard loose and the sail dropped in a few seconds. The rain was now coming down heavily while Thomas secured the main halyard. I told him to hold on tight, shouted going about, and turned back towards our waypoint again. We unfurled about half of the genoa, tied the sling, and before long we were sailing at speed again with just the genoa. The wind had now veered from north east to east, which is perfect for us, placing the wind angle at hundred and fifty degrees. Soon the swell also came in from the same angle, and after two days of sailing on a beam reach, we are now much more comfortable on a bro
ad
reach. The current is flowing at over three knots in our favor and all is once again well on SV Jubilee. Lots of fun, lots of laughter, exhilarating to do sail changes during testing conditions.

Wishing you a great weekend.

Paul





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