Location: 2000 miles from Auckland 3000 sailing miles to Cape Horn
Day's Run: 191 nautical miles
Monday November 20th, 2000
First of all, apologies for the delay in photos yesterday – we are still learning about our photo transmission systems so there may from time to time be the occasional glitch. Today we will hopefully do better. In the next few days we will begin experimenting with sending video clips, but these will only be available, once we have the bugs ironed out, through our web site that should be on-line shortly.
1130 hours: Still under full sail, but the low scud has cleared away and instead of a grey sky and an even greyer sea and misty visibility, to go on deck today is to be greeted by a sharp horizon, a clear deep blue sky with a few very high streaky cirrus clouds, and a deep blue sea flecked with white as far as the eye can see. The north-west wind is cool but not cold, and down below the sun is streaming in through the saloon windows and heating the interior. The swell from the gales of a few days ago has all but gone and the motion of our vessel on the sea is not much more than could be expected on the Hauraki Gulf. We are presently following along close behind a high pressure weather system, both it and us moving at approximately the same speed. Long may this last. Because at 48 degrees south latitude where we are now deep in the Southern Ocean, to have fine weather at all is a bonus. To have comparatively warm and settled conditions an even bigger bonus. It won’t last so we are making the most of it.
Ollie is in charge of the laundry so when the generator is running, both washing machines are working, either washing or drying. We don’t have much laundry, but it is still amazing how much accumulates when you leave it in a pile in your cabin for 10 days or so. Don and I share a cabin. He has done his. I haven’t done mine. I am waiting to be reminded.
Tracey is our full time cook but she also likes to sail, so twice a week we have guest “chef” positions. Ollie and Janot (he’s French, you know), have already volunteered and each performed wonders in the heaving galley on gale-ridden and very bumpy days. But we have run out of volunteers so everyone had a throw of the dice the lowest number getting the job of “chef de jour” for tomorrow. I rolled a one so it is me. Now, I’m not the greatest of cooks, and even though there was much laughing about me doing the cooking, the crew are in for a treat because I do have a speciality. This is corn beef hash or dried hash as my mother used to make us when we were kids onboard our family yacht Ladybird. It’s great for breakfast (hot), lunch (between slices of bread) and for dinner (with an egg on top). It’s particularly good in rough conditions because it tends to stick rather well inside. I love corn beef hash but it has to be done a certain way – with specific ingredients. Tomorrow will be telling.
Sir Peter Blake
"Having vision is not enough. Change comes through realising the vision and turning it into a reality. It is easy to espouse worthy goals, values and policies; the hard part is implementation."
Learn about Sir Peter Blake and his journeys around the globe
