We've finally reached the trade winds! Today has been our 1st full day of absolutely beautiful sailing...the stuff of the brochures!!! About 18-22 kn wind, at an angle of 110 deg. Sunshine, nice rolling swell!!! May it continue!
Unfortunately, our equipment breakages have not abated. Last night we chafed through the #1 reef line. This has now been repaired. We also broke our mainsail halyard. It chafed through the outer braid where it is held by the rope jammer, exposing the spectra core. We have 2 mainsail halyards from the mast head, so we're now using the 2nd one. But of course, we now have no spare for the halyard, a $200 chunk of rope. And then there are the 2 fittings, the boom winch and reef turning block which tore out of the boom on day 1. I think that possibly when I rebuilt the mast and boom, I may have damaged threads while getting things apart with an air impact gun. Now, 4 years later, I'm paying the price. Amazing that it waited until day one of our longest passage to fail, after all of our sailing down from Seattle. I've jury rigged a new #1 reef lead block, and think it will work ok for now. As far as the head breaking...it is really broken, something rattles around in the pump. Happily we have 2 heads aboard, so now use the aft one, which used to be the equipment garage.
In spite of all this, our spirits are high, and we're thrilled to be out on the ocean again. Haven't seen another boat since we left, but have had large schools of flying fish go by. and a happy pod of dolphins. Cindi saw a large whale, not sure of the type, breach last night on her watch. Unfortunately we've got no fish on the line to report (yet!!).
Day 2, 118 miles
Day 3, 120 miles
Now, Sunday afternoon, 2708 miles to go!
Cheers,
A&C
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