Hi there persistent PSP promoters,
Greetings from that exotic land south of the border. Earlier today we sailed south, from 260 miles west of San Diego to 260 west of Tijuana. The spring break holiday spirit is coursing through our veins. The mariachi music - who do we pay to make it stop!!!!! - is flowing on deck, and everyone is bouncing around in little plastic sombreros (thank you Trevor) celebrating. Our first pair of shorts came out, and Jess's extraordinary purple leggings are on display. A few stalwart holdouts are still wearing big yellow foulies, but you sense them fighting a losing battle with the looming warmth and sunshine. We had pancakes for breakfast this morning, courtesy of Tracey and Mark to mark the occasion. Not Mexican, I grant you, but perhaps a last fond reminder of the frozen wilds we left only a few short days ago. It seems odd to think that we have come over a thousand miles south, and past one of the largest countries in the world in just a few short days of sailing.
The past 48 hours have seen some absolutely fantastic sailing. Under white sails and under a spinnaker we have been flying downwind, surfing the wild North Pacific roller, breaking speed records, and just smiling. We were a bit undone yesterday afternoon, when some terribly polite instructions from the US military obliged us to sail almost due westwards out of a live firing exercise area. Bad luck, it saw us turn our great eastward position and second place on the leaderboard into tenth place behind a procession of other boats. I have to confess that I might have uttered a quiet "golly that's rather annoying!" - or words to that effect - under my breath, but that’s sailing. Sometimes you get the lucky breaks and sometimes you don’t. We are still in the thick of the fleet, and there is a long way to go.
Anyway, enough sports news, onto something far more interesting. Anthropology, or perhaps domestic science. Who knew that that avocado pasta with chicken mayonnaise was a thing. Clearly Ran and Maya, today's galley watchers did, as that is what they delivered for lunch. Made with the last of the fresh avocados it was a proper triumph. Especially with a hint of Mexico, Cholula hot sauce, sprinkled on top. They are cooking up a storm for dinner at the moment, hoping to get one over on Tracey and Mark's PSP Logistics decorated red velvet cake that was yesterday's highlight. It is incredible what a bit of flatness - we are now at last sailing downwind on a boat not tipped over at 45 degrees - will do to the creative juices and culinary flair.
And to finish, no PSP Logistics blog would be complete without a wildlife bingo update. A dove sat on the boom yesterday evening to watch the sunset with us. A bit far from home, perhaps, but it seemed pretty calm and relaxed. It was only the massed hollering of an overexcited crew watching a pod of what seemed like hundreds of dolphins that finally persuaded him that a quieter life might be found elsewhere. We are still surrounded by man of war jellyfish, sailing along happily beside us, and the occasional petrel cruises gently past on the dying breeze.
So now it's back to my bunk to try to catch some sleep over the noise of the winches clattering as the on deck team continuously tweak the sails to extract an extra iota of speed from our floating home.
Until next time
On, on!!
Mike, Lottie and the can’t quite decide how to dress crew of PSP Logistics