Dear F&F,
September 25th, 2011 (Eastern Hemisphere)
Day 2 run: 180 nm Position: 16 deg 29.5 min South 170 deg 48.2 min East
Speed: Ave = 7 knots Wind: 21 knots, ESE Swell: 6.5 feet (2 meters) Air: 81 deg F/ 27.2 deg C Baro: 1015 steady
Yesterday was so nice out here, we set the spinnaker at noon, the wind was about 18 knots. We carried it with one reef in the main till 4 a.m. and it started to blow 25 knots. First we got a wrap (around the furled up staysail) while taking it down, that cleared easily and then we discovered we\’d gotten the spinnaker sheet wrapped around the starboard propeller. Ah, the cruising life! Currently, we\’ve a full main and genoa poled out to port, running before the wind right on course. We should see Ambryn Island to port and Pentecost Island to starboard at day break tomorrow. Once we get inside the islands, we\’ll drop sail and motor on the port engine into the lee of Pentecost and I\’ll get to go for a swim to free up the line from the propeller. It\’s happened before, but not on a passage. No worries, it\’s all just part of the game.
This has been an extremely pleasant sail with very moderate seas and nice normal trade wind conditions from the ESE. The prediction is for more of the same. The new spinnaker pole has been yet again a blessing, keeping us headed right down the waves and on course. This makes the passage very comfortable and our efficiency at keeping a course with good speed has dramatically increased.
We\’ll be pressing a bit, but hope to make Luganville, Espiritu Santo Island before dark tomorrow (Our Monday).
KIT, Scott with off watch, sleeping Anja