Alpaire Day 11

We had a great days run to noon, 180 miles closer to our destination. 947 to go at noon today. All the boats I mentioned yesterday did between 176 and 178 miles. So we are all enjoying these fresh conditions - Force 5 from a little North of East. The sea has increased a little with the wind. We got a bit of a wave into the cockpit last night, the first in the trip to date. Sam had another seawater shower but without the shampoo. So far our rib, which is on davitts at the stern, has stayed dry. We have a quick release system in the event of an emergency. It's called a knife.

We had just gybed onto starboard when I sent yesterdays email. We are sailing due West @270 degrees. Last evening/night was the darkest so far because we had plenty of cloud, some of it stratus and also no moon until the early hours. We reduced sail by taking a few rolls on the jibs and the main. The highest gust was circa 25 knots. These conditions are forecasted to continue for a few days. If we get any little shift to the East we will take it to get further South. We are at latitude 17 degrees and 50 minutes. Our destination is at 14N. So we have to eventually get circa 240 miles further South. The weather forecast is suggesting that the wind will go into the East in about three days. We can gybe then so we do not have to make any progress South for now.

As the wind got up and the waves began to splash we thought it best to take in the washing. Drewry is still looking for his underpants. The rest of us are looking for the best dressed Wahoo in the Ocean. Beckham has competition.

When the shackle at the top of the jibs parted on one of the first few days out of Gran Canaria we also tore a few meters of luff rope near the head. That was another reason to take a few rolls in the jibs. Remember that we have two jibs on the one foil, so they roll together at the press of a button.

I was searching for a few more nuts to add to my porridge for breakfast. Unfortunately the supply of edible nuts is running low. Our complement of nut cases is as healthy as before. Des found a bag of Stainless Nuts under the forward bunk, not good with porridge me thinks.

Joxer emailed us with the long anticipated news.

"The big Pharma is happening. Pfizer has gone from 31.3 on 23rd Nov to 33.6 this morning but has receded to 32.9 this evening on the news that you have run out of yellow bags."

That is just as we expected. If you acted on our advice we will expect you to be buying your own Halberg Rassy for next years ARC. Remember that share prices can go down as well as up. No liability of any kind is accepted for any mistakes you make in this regard. Nor do we expect to benefit from your good fortune. I should also like to remind you that the flap of a butterfly's wing in St Lucia on the 9th of December can affect the weather in Ireland on Xmas day! Remember cause and effect!

Still no more fish. Two boats on the SSB net reported seeing whales breaching. Another hit a whale. Another caught a barracuda.

In a desperate attempt to preserve the integrity of their RIYC flag the patrons of the Alpaire charity have proposed tieing the corners of the ensign to the radar support pole, thereby adding to our sail area and moving the centre of effort of the sails lower. The dissenting members of the crew have pointed out that this idea is not incompatible with using the crown on the ensign to add to the colour of our fish lures. All good transoceanic downwind sails have a neat hole for stabilisation, note for example the recent growth in parasail spinnakers! This discussion is not over and we are becoming more desperate. When it comes to a vote, Des C is conflicted and has a foot in both camps.

The prospect that we will soon run out of the delicious cooked meals provided by Margaret, Jo, Angela and Eleanor, is looking like reality. To alleviate this mental distress Des T (of the Ballymaloo school) cooked us an Alpaire paella, without fish of course. It will be on the menu in future as Paella Sin Pisces. He used the electrical skillet to great effect. The idea was suggested to us by Noel and the crew of Emelia who did the ARC in their HR48 a few years ago. The skillet on full power draws 60 or 70 amps, so we can only use it when the smart battery controller is in the mood. It is very practical with its own lid and is independent of our gas cooker.

Joxer also commented about our difficulties with the smart controller which we will investigate. On a practical note Joxer suggested we test the battery voltage at the terminals. We did turf Drewry out of his bunk to do just that ..result ...battery voltage A Ok but one irate sleepy Drewry.

Joxer's other suggestion is still under appraisal, he proposed a very practical alternative. "If that doesn't work why not try linking Drewry's head in series rather than in parallel. It will at least put more voltage through Drewry what ever about the controller."

All well here enjoying the sail.