Gone Sailing / Gaining - Issue 7
11.30am this morning marked our complete week on the water, some parts seem to have flown by and other moments (usually the uncomfortable
ones) have felt like an eternity. The pluses, no phones ringing, no traffic jams, no deadlines, no appointments to meet, no meetings to attend, just us, the good ship and the big blue. Maintaining the ship and keeping her moving at optimum speed, along with sustaining everyone's health and sanity / normality the mission of each day. The other race competitors are out here some where but we haven't seen any of them since day 2. But we do know that we are finally gaining some ground on them!
Thank goodness it is getting warmer as the inner thermal layers and socks are getting tired of being attached to bodies and are starting to walk around the boat by themselves.. ew! Most of us shouted ourselves a one week wash today, we have been very careful to conserve water but with the finish in sight the bodies have had a wash down (thank god for the baby wipes prior to this!). I'll leave the description of what it is like to shower in the forward compartment of the bouncv castle for another edition..
We are still watching our water usage and have not had enough rain to fill the tanks so the hair will have to wait until closer to the finish, we are all sporting the nice greasy dread lock look! Down below is starting to permeate that over lived in smell, and there is too much water still coming over the deck to open any hatches to properly air it out. Luckily we are mainly dry, wet weather gear dry, boots etc dry, otherwise by now the smell would be far worse.
Too much information perhaps?? Back to the sailing...
Our latest position report has shown us finally gaining ground on some of the other boats which has given the crew a pump up. Each watch is not only trying to go as fast as possible we are now also trying to out run the previous watches speed and distance. Bids have been taken on estimated time and date of arrival with mine being the most optimistic of 0900 Friday 16th July, and the most pessimistic (uncharacteristically) is Nick with 1406 Sunday the 18th July, everyone else is somewhere in between. We'll see, mine is definitely wishful thinking as the sooner we get there the more time I have to enjoy Vanuatu before heading back to being a common old working cat!
The gloomy weather forecast of yesterday has not kicked in so we are enjoying a nice close reach (slightly cracked off the breeze) for the past 24 hours. We are still walking and sleeping on walls but not at such a severe angle as we were when hard on the breeze. The bouncy castle is still relentlessly bouncing and the creaking and groaning of the boat still humming around us.
Last night's watches were again a glamour. Clear skies showing off the blanket of stairs again pumping out an astounding amount of light which somehow makes slinking along the inky black ocean a far more friendly sight. We have not seen another ship or human life for two days other than what looked like a Jetstar plane flying over at lunch time today.
Today the sun is shining and the sea state slightly more settled and most of us have spent the morning on deck, reading, writing songs, chatting and generally milling about. The never ending toiler Leon has been busy fixing HF radios, leaks in the hull and anything else he can find that isn't literally ship shape. Every boat needs somebody like Leon, he can find, can asses and can fix anything all the while seemingly loving every minute of it!
Nature Spots:
Pod of about 10 small pacific dolphins early this morning.
No Mahe Mahe caught yet...
A few sea birds aimlessly circling us from time to time - where do they rest?? We are miles from any land..
The Tucker:
More ham and salad wraps for lunch and another amazing meal from "Easy Foods" - Chicken Tikka Masala - complimented by non gluggy rice prepared by captain Stoops - well done!
Current Situation:
Mike steering, Jesse catching zz's before his 4pm watch, must say Jesse (who hasn't sailed on Samskara before this trip) has taken to steering the big ship in any breeze at any time of the day or night like a natural - I think he's enjoying the journey, Stoopy is chucking potatoes from one end of the saloon to Leon in the galley, Stoops about to prepare Lamb Shanks in red wine and rosemary sauce, mash and veges for dinner, James, Rick and Nick on deck chatting and trimming sails.
In all a pleasurable week, we are well pleased the good ship is looking after us as we are trying to look after her by - despite some temptations - not pushing her to extreme limits. Although she has her at times discomforts and downfalls, she is the only one we have so far from any land and any serious malfunctions or breakage's could cross that fine line between an adventure and an ordeal!
Best get back on deck and keeping pushing the bouncy castle so we can keep on gaining on the enemy!
Signing off on behalf on the Samskara Crew, The Ships Cat.
Today's unfinished Crew Song (sung to tune of Hotel California)
On a dark pacific ocean
Cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of lasagne
rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance
I saw the New Caledonia light
We hope the breeze stays in
and we don't park for the night
to be continued...
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