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BUENOS AIRES TO WELLINGTON |
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10th December, 2000, start day. |
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15th December, 2000, day 6.
On board the 'Isle of Man' it seems that each watch is full of action as we change sails according to the wind strength. The stronger the wind, the smaller the sail.
The stronger the wind, the more difficult it is extricating it from the foredeck as the up and down motion of the heeling yacht. In light or medium winds the sails can be folded and bagged on deck but this is completely
impossible in more fierce conditions when urgency (crashing waves overhead) dictate that the important thing is to get it off the deck and down the forehatch as fast as possible! The sea temperature has now dropped to
11 degrees Centigrade, a far cry from the 28 degrees enjoyed not that many weeks ago as we crossed the Gulf Stream. As the water feels pretty cold (although not as cold as it's going to get), most foredeck crew aim to
finish the task as fast as possible and get back to the safety and relative dryness of the cockpit.
As we venture further south into the Southern Ocean, the water temperature will become
increasingly colder so for those of us who work on the foredeck, one of the crucial things to remember is to 'clip on'. This means making sure that the harness line permanently attached to the lifejacket gets clipped to
one of the many jackstays which run the length of the yacht. Overlooking clipping on could mean an unwanted swim with potentially dire consequences.
Yesterday, Skipper Lin Parker gave us a
briefing about would happen should we fall in. As she spoke, in some earnestness you can imagine, shivers ran down my spine. Even as I write this, I can feel them again. However, I will avoid the details and just say
that it's better NOT to fall in in the first place.So I have taken out my drysuit and checked it all over. I have sorted out the rest of my gear in the small space on board that I call 'mine' into some kind of order, so
that it can be found in the dark in a hurry and........ I've talked to my 'buddy' about making sure we keep an eye on each other. |
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17th December, 2000, Day 7
Some crew members are really looking forward to the occasion when we become true 'Horners',
thereafter entitled to wear a single earring like the mariners of old used to do! We all want to see Cape Horn and what none of us want is to go round with a flat, glassy sea. How could we enjoy telling our exaggerated
stories and pretend to be heroes when we get home? According to the weather maps, there's little chance of light winds and millponds happening. Also, as we press on and turn the corner and start beating into the Furious
Fifties and Screaming Sixties, it is likely that transmission from the yacht via satellite will be less reliable, so if you don't hear from me, you will know why!
It's day 7 of this Leg 3
from Buenos Aires and we have over 5000 miles to go until we reach Wellington. That sounds pretty tough from where I'm standing but I am in high spirits, despite having just come off a freezing cold watch. It's now 0645
but it's a sunny morning and we had plenty to do to keep us occupied and relatively warm. The air temperature is 8.3 and sea temp is 9 and both decreasing. I have yet to break out my heavy weather thick thermals but my
drysuit is now definitely a part of my every watch wardrobe. When the freezing water cascades over the foredeck and you get a complete soaking, it's too late to wish that you had put your drysuit on earlier! |
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Guestbook updated? Yes /
Legs 1-2 updated? Yes / Legs 3-4 updated? Yes / Legs 5-7 updated? Yes |
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