Day 17. Variability

 After a steady night watch of two personal helmings with just the stars (and a slither of new moon), I was rudely awoken at 9am by much crashing of feet and ropes above my head near the bow. A wet squall had come in with 30knots and the other watch were rapidly dropping the spinnaker. But the halyard somehow slipped so there was then extra commotion and noise.


As we came on deck, I had a first time in the pit to help reset to a poled foresail. This was followed by replacement of the port jib halyard which had frayed, using a fine feeder thread (mousing line) to pull it back through the mast. A rare and enjoyable trip to the foredeck for me.

The poled forseail is working well with the variable 20-28 knots we have had this unusually cloudy morning after the squall. (These often occur in the early morning with the changes in air pressure.) Our watch's young lad then broke the speed record surfing a gust of wind at 12.79 knots, much to his delight.

The hot sun is out again as our watch rests and we enter the last 24hrs with 200 miles to go.

All are happy. There is much talk of a beer and hot showers, probably in that order!
I think I'll try the rum and ginger which Grenada is famous for!
Fair winds!

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