Saturday 26th November 2022

20 ^o 01.9N  26 ^o 46.7W

Today's Blog by Jenna (Time zone: UTC -1)

Hi all, I'm Jenna - Peter's Daughter. I'm the newest addition to the crew (and also the youngest......) So I thought for some variety it was time to start my contribution(s?) to the blog!

Another day dawns; bright and sunny. I'm pleased to report that it is finally getting a little warmer. I'm officially down to one jumper/trousers for the overnight watches and just a t-shirt/shorts in the day! (In the sun...) As someone new to long-distance sailing (and at approximately a third of the average age of the crew) it's been lovely to get accustomed to a new pace of life. The sun is shining, the wind is a comfy 15-20kts and we’re making great pace. As David says it's positively 'regal' gliding through the water comfortably at 8kts. Accompanied by regular cups of tea, gin and tonics at 6pm (happy hour) and an excellent variety of tasty food it is easy to get used to.

EXCEPT - There is one minor exception to the 'nothing-to-do' lifestyle that involves everyone and it can only be summarised by FISH! FISH! FISH! I have, as has been mentioned, been campaigning for the fishing line to go out since we left. Some of the crew spent almost as much time in the fishing shop as the supermarket before we left, so I think it would be a shame not to catch anything. Once there was space in the fridge/freezer my lobbying began!

While David has his own accounts of our activities yesterday I thought I would add my perspective to give a more detailed reflection of what our fishing attempts look like.

The fishing endeavours began in the morning and I believe the first rallying call was very much a dress rehearsal.  

At the cries of FISH!:

- Peter (Dad) didn't rouse from his nap “oh they’re reefing the headsail that’s nice”

- Terry valiantly furled the headsail as fast as possible (constrained only by the speed of the electronic winch)

- I floundered [har har] (furling in the mainsail is not a one-man job)

- David fought against a fish that was admittedly probably a bit large to be landed by said crew under said conditions.......

The second FISH! FISH! FISH! garnered a far greater response. The cry was echoed throughout the boat! FISH! Never have I seen these three distinguished men move with such haste! Dad positively rushed from his cabin (another nap - it's a tough life!) David paused his blogging and hurried to the rod. Terry performed as per dress rehearsal - furling the head sail as fast as possible. This time we even managed to get the mainsail in! At a rapid pace! (You know - the speed of the electric winches and the buttons!) Indeed the fish came aboard with relative ease having slowed to just 4kts. David nonchalantly reeled in the fish at which point - "so where are the gloves?"

It was an excellent start to what the boat call 'double happy hour'. This is where we move all our clocks back an hour i.e. have a 25 hour day, so our schedule continues to roughly match the daylight hours. Just to be clear as there was some debate: the double happy hour means at 7pm we go back to 6pm so there is an extra hour for g & t's, rather than 5pm to 4pm so there is extra tea and cake. (Dad had missed the tea and cake; napping you know).

It's a shame though that despite the commemoration of the time zone change not all the clocks got the memo.... as evidenced when David turned up for his night watch.... a whole hour early... (And he calls me keen!)

At least Dad is now taking some positive steps for the fishing attempts - he's updated his nap location closer to the rod for the next time we FISH!

Somebody call Agatha Christie - a body on the deck!

Somebody call Agatha Christie – a body on the deck!

Indeed we're having such success now they're coming to us even without a lure now.....?!? This one landed right on the deck!

Catch of the Day: A fish not flying [incl. garnish]

Hopefully the next fishing report will record even more success, and I will finally be down to just a t-shirt and shorts on the night watch!