Monday 8 September 2008

McQ: If I had a thesaurus...

.. then I would learn a new word for 'relentless', apart from I don't so you'll have to wait till I get home to my library!!
Did I mention its pretty relentless out here?? hmmm, yes, thought so!!!
Just been on watch and watching the waves: K said the other day (or perhaps yesterday, the way time spins out here!!) that it was pretty spectacular from the top of the waves: well its also pretty spectacular, in a slightly more deranged way, from the bottom of the waves too!!! Its kinda mesmerising having a lot of wave bearing down behind you or rising up ahead of you, with the bits in the middle at either side all churned up lumpy sea!!! Then, looking back from the top of the wave the ocean is streaked, as far as the eye can see, with white frothy breaking crests in seemingly random lines. And then the wind builds and the froth gets blown down the wave in little trickles- I was thinking I have never seen anything like it before, but then I thought, its just our perspective cause Wee B is so little, everything else is magnified. Little we may be, but I can't think of a more secure little boat that I'd rather be in out here. Sure, I'm glad its not blowing 50 knots but I do think Wee Berri would still cope admirably: its definitely Big A, K and I that would break first!!! And we are still bare poled, and storming along at over 5 knots in the windy bits and down the big waves- whilst it would be immensely fun to have some sail up and be surfing down these monsters, I think its wise to leave that to when we are on board the Volvo's of this world!!! Without a doubt this is the right 'sailplan' for us in this ocean as it is at the moment!!!
Bring on Falmouth- eta, v (irrationally??) optimistic, late 18th (!!!)reasonable optimistic, 19th, realistic- 20th, bit pessimistic, 21st onwards: current dtg 1157 to Bishop Rock + 60 to Falmouth, and according to GPS, vmg 0.6(!!!) to 9.3(!!!) knots!!!! (Say average 4-5)
Lots of love
Bol
xxx
ps FF: Superb effort!!! Congratulations!!! knew you could beat those dastardly Pen Azen-ers, WELL DONE!!! I can't wait to hear all about it and swap tales in LF- we might be there a while!! ;)
pps: don't panic, mum (and K's mum), its not life-threatening out here & cockpit draining fine, all just a bit... well... relentless!!!

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