Wednesday 20 May 2015

First time use of spinnaker after checking condition of crane-hung block and reeving new halyard was effective in keeping yacht moving well in light, aft zephyr until dusk when off-watch crew had lain down for a nap just before sail dropped into the ocean. This is the 4th go between New Zealand and the islands at pulling a large sail back aboard. Must be something in the air. !@#$%^&*() _+ or words to that effect. At least no damage done, except to a beautiful, now useless eye splice.

Erie Spirit are having way more excitement with a broken whisker pole and dead autopilot. Mark's toothache, which his dentist says will require a couple of extractions in Fiji, pretty much tops off their trip so far (Eerie Spirit?).

Today's projects, if sufficient energy is accumulated, are re-splicing halyard around shackle and fixing a few interior lights that have gone on holiday. Salty spinnaker has been re-socked, re-bagged and will reside, ignominiously, in forward head until Noumea whereat all will be put to rights. Balance of afternoon, should time remain, will be exhausted in uncharitable thoughts about wind god who, like Elvis, has left the building as we pollute local environs with diesel fumes trying to outrun a stalking low in the Tasman.

Jack