Evening All,
Not much has changed from yesterday it is still cold, wet and windy however the winds have been easing slightly throughout the day. I spent the evening sailing in 5 meter swell and 20-25 knots of winds with 2 reefs in the main sail and a small amount of the No2 jib out. I have been on a broad reach for the last few days and with the following swell has made for some fun surfing conditions. Last night I made a new trip record for speed and surfed at 21 knots. The boat loves it. All night we have been zooming along making great speed towards Cape Horn and I am now less than 1500 nm away... Ekk. I am so excited to tick that box.
At sunset the winds backed from the NW to the West so I went on-deck at dusk to put a gybe in. I have been keeping out of the wind and cold as much as possible so I hadn’t spent much time on deck that day so it was a little chilly shock to climb out of my little hatch in to this volatile grey scene of frothing waves and squally rain clouds. The winds by now had eased to 15-20 knots even though I was still getting some smaller surfs in I wasn’t making anywhere near the same speeds as before. Now that I was also on a starboard tack I was sitting across the swell not with it as much as before which also reducing my surfing options.
The forecast from Bob (METBob) showing easing winds so I decided to also shake out the main sail to reef 1. The manoeuvre went mostly to plan however the main sail caught on the running back stay making me need to lower the sail a bit to shake it free and then re-hoist. Job done I have come back inside and am dreaming of hot soup for dinner. I might even bake some bread to have with it.
Also today I spoke with the lovely Tracey from Twentieth Letter. We are all confirmed for an exciting interview tomorrow morning. I have finally managed to get some footage home of the boat at sea and this is to be shown during a live interview with me on Sky News Australia tomorrow morning at around 8.30am (Sydney Time) on Foxtel….. so be sure to tune in and watch. I'm really looking forward to it for the simple fact that I can have a chat with some people...
Times have changed so much from when people like Sir Robin Knox-Johnston where sailing solo around the world. We have satellites and communication with the main land but that doesn't mean that I spend all day on the phone. I speak with my family once a week, my shore crew once a week and then mostly its sms communication. I check in each morning with a text message to the support network and that is mostly it for me. I have a few friends that are messaging me but mostly it is just me and the boat, Climate Action Now. So when I get to do some fun interviews it’s another chance to connect and just chat to someone...
I was saying to Tracey today that I think when I get back I need to move into a large share house so that I am surrounded by people for a while and can get my fix so to speak. While I don’t feel lonely as such, sometime I do something or see something and turn as if I am about to share it with someone but there is no one there. I have always been good at entertaining myself so I am not sad or depressed by this but it’s just an interesting perspective.
Well in happier news my stomach is rumbling telling me to feed it so I best go and organize my dinner of soup and bread. Yumm.
Goodnight.
#capehorn
#lisablair
#climateaction
