Swim call!
04 September 2023
Eric
Yesterday started out with light wind, so we decided to go swimming. We
hove-to in order to slow down the boat. Heaving-to is done by tacking
without passing the sheet so the foresail is aback, then lashing the
helm to hold the boat in that position. The sails are working against
each other, the rudder is working against the sails, and the boat slows
right down and drifts downwind. Itâs the closest we can get to âparkingâ
in the open ocean. With light wind, a competent swimmer can stay with
the boat.
We tied a fender to some floating line we have on board, trailed it
behind the boat as a last-ditch safety line and deployed the swim
ladder. Pete is the strongest swimmer so he was first in the water. He
was easily able to keep up with the drifting boat, so everybody else was
cleared to jump in. We had the engine idling out of gear, and took turns
being the person watching from the cockpit.
The water was a deep translucent blue, fading to infinity, 1500â deep.
It was a sunny cloudless day and the temperature was ideal for a swim.
The crew all enjoyed the swim, then soaped up for a saltwater bath
followed by a freshwater rinse.
Once we were back aboard we set our light air sail, a drifter. Itâs a
large red sail made of lighter weight sailcloth (about like a kite), and
is cut so we can go to weather. We had 6 knots relative wind and could
move at 4 and a half knots. The wind continued light, and the drifter is
difficult to manage in the dark, so we took in the drifter in the last
of the daylight and set sails appropriate to motor sailing through the
night.
The a nearly full moon was rising later in the evening, so the first
night watch (Alex and I) were treated to a brilliant star show and lots
of bioluminescence.
Some rain passed through overnight, and the wind increased to the point
where we could sail. We set the full jib with the pole and a full main
and are sailing along toward our destination. Weâve made good progress
and hope to arrive in Fiji the afternoon of September 6^th (local). The
crew are all talking about what theyâre looking forward to once we reach
land.
Morale remains high!
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