Downwind has arrived. The boat has flattened and onboard harmony had been somewhat restored until...our first gybe. She was going so well until the active sheet became caught at the bow as we smoked it, the sheets then wrapped themselves and soon enough the tack line tripped. At this point we were hanging our spinnaker as an elaborate flag off the mast, with both sheets tangled around the bowsprit and tack line. For the first time in the whole circumnavigation, I made the call for the drop to be straight into the sail locker. It felt quite exciting to do something new and the team rose quickly to the challenge. After some aggressive bear hugging and cajoling we had our spinnaker safely in the sail locker.
Now this brought on challenge two, untangling the lines at the bow. A quick fit into the helmet and harness with a halyard attached and out I went to untangle something even more knotted than Sue’s hair at sea. Tack line sorted, new spinnaker plugged in, smooth hoist. Hurrah. Only 2.5 hours later but we were sorted! Then, to add the icing to the cake we got a nice big riding turn on the active sheet winch, which after some careful persuasion, came undone. Never a dull day, but a good spot of problem solving, which is for sure the most exciting part of this job.
Other onboard banter: it was Ingrid’s birthday! We have been lucky to sail with Ingrid on several races. She is an absolute trooper, always getting stuck right in leading by example with a smile and warming energy. We are lucky to have you and luckier to celebrate your birthday. Beyond that, seasickness is out the window and bodies have re-emerged from their valley of death (the floor by the sail locker). Cannot wait to get absolutely Tropix’d on the way down here. Get ready for our sun kissed sailor selves to re-emerge in the jungles of Panama! Ohh ohh ohhh! (does monkey dance)
Update: wrote this in the wee hours of this morning. Since then, it has been a beautiful day of zooming downwind, sun, stars, surfing with a 21 knot GPS top speed and even whales. Absolutely stellar sailing.
Peace, Love, Ciao
Laura, Dan and the UNICEF cajolers