Atlantic Blog#9 - Tuesday 2nd December 2014

My blog spot is usually in the wee small hours, either before midnight in the 8-12 watch, or just after.  Every Atlantic crossing blog has mentioned the swell.  I tell you these things because timing is everything.  Last night (Sunday/Monday), at the appointed hour, I posted my blog for transmission (usually around 8am).  All reads well, don't you think.  Then came the swell.  Team Laros agree we have not experienced anything like it.  Coupled with bouts of very strong wind (30-35 knots), we were bounced around as if in a washing machine. Danny and Tanya endured a 90 degree lateral roll (as the log records) with a gopher that covered the bimini and soaked Danny to the core.  Then came the most beautiful day we have had.  Sunshine, yes, glorious sunshine, relatively flat seas - none of the excesses of swell of the night, and good winds.  The team solution to the broken pole gooseneck was applied, and after much pulling and pushing, rigged up.  Awesome! And just in time for sunset, for we were not going to ride the waves like last night again.  And so it has been, pole fixed with a bolt from the rudder jury rig kit (how bizarre is that), a piece of gash white hose, and lots of whipping cord, and we are poled out heading west in an  orderly fashion.  The swell is still quite evident, and those in the stern cabin confess to bouts of sleeplessness as a result, but we are heading directly to our destination at between 6-8 knots.  We have been very lucky that the winds have not died, for we still have no solution to the broken bottom mainsail track car.  But our batteries are back up to snuff, and James (the autopilot) is doing sterling work.  Water was made again yesterday, so showers today (I don't know why nobody did showers yesterday!). If the sun shines, and the skies hold the NE tradewind clouds again, we shall be sailing along on cloud 7.5 (let's keep 9 for the last few days).  We promise ourselves an 18 day finish (that's probably 18 days 23 hours 59 mins 59 secs!), though tomorrow round about sundowners, we shall crack the half way point (9 days and 7 hours).  So I sign off at 4.45am.  Back to my usual blog spot tomorrow!  Thanks to you all for your blog comments.  We read them with great interest yesterday after the download.  (p.s. beards are very much in evidence, of the salt and pepper variety, and the dog bowls are taking a major hammering - the swells!).