
May 21 - Steve's blog Number 10.
Icegate Approaches.
Hi, later than usual today with this, things have been a bit busy - I only
just had my porridge, not that it's porridge weather, the sun is out and it
is beautiful and warm, there is a bit of wind from the North East, about 7
or 8 knots to be precise, and we now have the big spinnaker up as we head
down towards the - you've guessed it - ice gate, although we should be
around it tomorrow.
The reason for the delay is that all last night an this morning I have been
busy on deck. Last night on a southerly tack I found myself in a massive
eddy of the Gulf Stream, this was a friendly current this one, it was
running south at between 2 and 3 knots in places, but with wind against tide
it was like being one mile off Portland Bill in the race but for a few
hours, and the wind was gusting up and down which kept me at it, reefs in
and out, then through the rest of the night we went straight down the line
pretty much before changing to gennaker and then the big spinnaker which is
up now. Again, yesterdays swell is coming straight at us making it hard to
keep the sails full, but we are moving and I am thankful.
I gave myself a birthday yesterday and gave my hair a quick oilchange
(wash!) in the sink - it was a real novelty afterwards to feel the wind
actually blowing through it rather than around it like something off a
Brylcream advert! Shaving I have left for another day, that will be a bit of
a job, I don't want to rush things by doing too much on the personal
grooming front in one go, people will think I'm turning into David Beckham
or something!
I had a slight culinary disaster yesterday, I was cooking packet pasta, my
speciality, when we fell off a big wave whilst I didn't have hold of the
pot. Most of the contents went all over the one and only mattress that is on
board, and a bit got on my sleeping bag. After eating what supper I had
saved, the mattress cover got put outside in the combined washer drier aka
the guardwires, where it was washed in the rain and dried in the sun, then
put back on. I couldn't think of anything worse than arriving in Boston with
the boat smelling of milk and cheese sauce! I think we have got away with it
luckily, I don't think US immigration would let me in smelling like that!
For super I found Mexican Beanfeast, with a can of baked beans and half a
packet of smash.As soon as I found it I immediately fancied it, got it all
cooking and then drove into my Gulf Stream eddy - I had three things to cook
all at once, and we all know that blokes can only do one thing at a time, so
trying to trying to keep pans and kettles on the go and not spilt as he boat
bounced around like mad was quite a feat, for me anyway.
Now I have to go back on deck, the wind is about to change again and I have
to keep my eye on the ball and keep the boat going - remember I can only do
one thing at once!