Saturday 2 April

Overnight the winds held up so we have had more than 24hours with an ESE F5 which is something of a unique episode in this voyage so far. However the skipper did have to head up ten dgreesto250 during the 4am – 7am watch as the wind was more east than south east for a while and was causing the jib to collapse as it was effectively blanketed by the mainsail. It needs poling out on the other side so we can return to course but we are truly in the long distance cruising mindset- the task was deemed to much hassle on a dark cloudy night and having waited til dawn we may as well wait some more til breakfast is over!

The improvement in wind consistency has helped us make great strides towards our goal – now have less than 1000nm to go

Had a go at doing some laundry. Minimal quantity of t-shirts and undies soaked for a few hours in Oxyclean and washing powder in a bucket in the forward heads. Rinsed three times then hung out on two short lines strung diagonally across the leeward corner of the cockpit aft of the wheel in an attempt to protect the washing from salt spray as it dried. Seems to have worked ok but not something I hope to have to do again before we arrive in the Marquesas – a very hot sweaty task as well as trying to cope with the boat movement.

Not much else to report – today was much the same as yesterday except that it will be crab risotto for supper instead of Herr Lidl’s finest tinned meat balls with peas and pasta. Now beginning to count down how many suppers til we arrive! Hopefully six or seven, may be only five.

All well on board

Noon to noon: through the water 154nm over the ground 170nm
Noon position: 09 14.29S 122 48.81W