World ARC - Day 71 - 19th March - Steady as she goes
Nina
Steve and Lynda Cooke
Mon 21 Mar 2016 07:10
World ARC - Day 71 - 19th March - Steady as she goes
We have been experimenting with the optimum sail setting for our new pole less situation. In the first instance we took the conservative option and changed tack to head south for the night. Speed was a little slower but still reasonable if compromised by the fact that we can't take advantage of the easterly wind to sail directly towards our destination. Come daylight we were pleased to find the wind had shifted slightly towards the north so by changing tack we could sail 10 degrees closer to our ideal. Much to our delight the wind continued to have this northerly component throughout the day and into the evening. This means we can sail with our mainsail taking most of the load, and continue on our course.
Karen has a very creative approach to recipe selection which means she offers some interesting meals. Today she unearthed a dressing in a magazine recipe which was intended for an avocado and chicken salad. Undeterred by the lack of available ingredients for the salad she proceeded to prepare chicken with chopped cabbage, fajitas and the dressing which worked a treat. So objective achieved using up food that needed eating in an interesting new way. We even had some of the dressing left over which may get used with the tuna planned for today.
Steve checked the emails later in the day and we were suitably satisfied with the result of the six nations. We were less happy to hear that damage in the rest of the fleet has left a couple of boats with steering difficulties which is slowing their progress. One is only able to steer by auto helm and the other is only able to steer by the emergency tiller. Both are continuing cautiously and are supported by the regular contacts with the rest of us. The faster boats are now beginning to make landfall and we should all arrive in the next week or so.
Everyone is looking forward to stepping ashore at the end of the passage as these last few days gradually countdown.