Hakuna Matata 31 degrees 48 minutes North, 71 degrees 5 minutes West. 163nm logged, 158nm run to destination.
This trip is something of a baptism of fire for those with no previous ocean experience. Things were pretty bumpy last night and my log for 4:35am is Force 8 SSW speed 10 knots with two reefs in the main and 40% Genoa - it also says "White knuckle ride". Looking at the radar we seemed to be coming out of the rain so I ran downwind for a while instead of waking people to reef again and within 30 minutes we were back to a manageable 6. Justin and Jim have the forward cabin and spent much of the night in the air. We shipped two flying fish and a lot of water during the night but are now all cleaned up and Jim is preparing sandwiches for lunch. We tried eating flying fish on the way out and won't be repeating the experience.
I started working through the pilotage for Bermuda this morning. It's surrounded by a massive reef and as I do not have detailed electronic charts we will be doing it the old fashioned way. The wind is expected to die off towards Monday and we need to make a good 6.5 knots average if we are to clear in and get dinner on land. The alternative is piloting in the dark and sleeping anchored at Powder Hole fortunately there are enough lit buoys to make this practical.
I haven't really done a watch today as people like to sit up in the refreshing air on the helm seat when they aren't dozing to recover from last night so I have read and watched lots of TV on my iPod. (Actually, Louise hasn't dozed and I think she's been up there almost all day reading the first novel in Patrick O'brien's Aubrey/Maturin series) I'm watching season 2 of 24 at the moment and must say it is becoming silly. If the US government's entire response to a nuclear terrorism threat to LA was to bring in a washed out ex-agent with no current information and phone him occasionally to check how he was doing - hang on a minute, this was done during the Bush administration so perhaps I see where they are coming from.
This evening we have slowed down a bit and Jim has been preparing an elaborate dinner of stuffed pork chops with couscous and we will finish up the birthday cake for pudding. We are only doing just over 6 knots and the sea is quite a bit calmer although we have waves up to 10ft they are a long way apart and gently rolling. From the weather forecast and the sky I think tonight will be much easier and as the wind dies down a bit I wouldn't be surprised to get the Spinnaker up on Monday. We have just been joined by some seabirds apparently attracted by the smell of Jim's cooking.
Time perhaps for a spot of critical self-appraisal for the skipper:
So far I've maintained calm, made at least apparently good decisions and not parcelled out any blame (my personal bête noire). This crew are a good bunch and where they lack experience they make up for it with common sense so perhaps I've had an easy ride - the phone interviews obviously worked well. The only thing I've got to watch out for is a certain tendency to laziness in one member and probably the best thing for me to do is set a good example by overcoming my own tendency in the same direction. I do need to make sure everyone gets enough rest particularly on the long run from Bermuda to the Azores as this is probably going to be the key both to harmony and efficiency. Jim and Justin are sleeping in the bow and it can be bumpy and hard to sleep. If I have to I will give up my own cabin but for the moment I'll just see how it goes. The birthday cake celebration was a nice little team builder and I've got some videos and games as well as some training sessions up my sleeve to keep everyone occupied. No grumbling yet and the diversions of Bermuda not too far away. I give myself 8/10 so far.
I am on watch right after dinner and then am going to treat myself to a Sam Adams before I go to bed.
This trip is something of a baptism of fire for those with no previous ocean experience. Things were pretty bumpy last night and my log for 4:35am is Force 8 SSW speed 10 knots with two reefs in the main and 40% Genoa - it also says "White knuckle ride". Looking at the radar we seemed to be coming out of the rain so I ran downwind for a while instead of waking people to reef again and within 30 minutes we were back to a manageable 6. Justin and Jim have the forward cabin and spent much of the night in the air. We shipped two flying fish and a lot of water during the night but are now all cleaned up and Jim is preparing sandwiches for lunch. We tried eating flying fish on the way out and won't be repeating the experience.
I started working through the pilotage for Bermuda this morning. It's surrounded by a massive reef and as I do not have detailed electronic charts we will be doing it the old fashioned way. The wind is expected to die off towards Monday and we need to make a good 6.5 knots average if we are to clear in and get dinner on land. The alternative is piloting in the dark and sleeping anchored at Powder Hole fortunately there are enough lit buoys to make this practical.
I haven't really done a watch today as people like to sit up in the refreshing air on the helm seat when they aren't dozing to recover from last night so I have read and watched lots of TV on my iPod. (Actually, Louise hasn't dozed and I think she's been up there almost all day reading the first novel in Patrick O'brien's Aubrey/Maturin series) I'm watching season 2 of 24 at the moment and must say it is becoming silly. If the US government's entire response to a nuclear terrorism threat to LA was to bring in a washed out ex-agent with no current information and phone him occasionally to check how he was doing - hang on a minute, this was done during the Bush administration so perhaps I see where they are coming from.
This evening we have slowed down a bit and Jim has been preparing an elaborate dinner of stuffed pork chops with couscous and we will finish up the birthday cake for pudding. We are only doing just over 6 knots and the sea is quite a bit calmer although we have waves up to 10ft they are a long way apart and gently rolling. From the weather forecast and the sky I think tonight will be much easier and as the wind dies down a bit I wouldn't be surprised to get the Spinnaker up on Monday. We have just been joined by some seabirds apparently attracted by the smell of Jim's cooking.
Time perhaps for a spot of critical self-appraisal for the skipper:
So far I've maintained calm, made at least apparently good decisions and not parcelled out any blame (my personal bête noire). This crew are a good bunch and where they lack experience they make up for it with common sense so perhaps I've had an easy ride - the phone interviews obviously worked well. The only thing I've got to watch out for is a certain tendency to laziness in one member and probably the best thing for me to do is set a good example by overcoming my own tendency in the same direction. I do need to make sure everyone gets enough rest particularly on the long run from Bermuda to the Azores as this is probably going to be the key both to harmony and efficiency. Jim and Justin are sleeping in the bow and it can be bumpy and hard to sleep. If I have to I will give up my own cabin but for the moment I'll just see how it goes. The birthday cake celebration was a nice little team builder and I've got some videos and games as well as some training sessions up my sleeve to keep everyone occupied. No grumbling yet and the diversions of Bermuda not too far away. I give myself 8/10 so far.
I am on watch right after dinner and then am going to treat myself to a Sam Adams before I go to bed.
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