So with a quad-cultural boat things can get pretty interesting...There is constant conversation that I cannot understand, and every time something really has to get done, everyone´s first reaction is to speak in their native language. Sometimes it just doesn´t work. The Argentines are the ones who know the boat the best, having done the delivery from NZed, and they are also the most adept at fixing things. This is great until you have someone at the top of the mast while under sail and you are trying to figure out what is going on and you have to relay a message through the person who speaks the best English. It is also apparent that due to peoples different sailing backgrounds, different cultural backgrounds, and different reasons for being on the boat that there are certain differences in expectations. Cameron and I came aboard ready for a race, expecting everyone to pull their fair share and with the full understanding that living conditions were not going to be ideal, and that sailing and the good of the crew took priority over certain personal comforts. This was apparently not the case for some of the owners friends. There have been no major issues, but is apparent that some people are not prepared to suffer slight discomfort. As an example, Cameron is sharing a 1 bunk room with 2 other people, 1 from each watch. I am in a 2 bunk room and when we suggested that he move into my cabin seeing as we don´t mind sleeping in the same room when we are off watch. It was shot down because if he is in the top bunk then "there would be no where for us to put our pillows and blankets" because that is definitely not what closets are for...Sorry I digress.
The sailing is going great, we are back in a good 10-15kt breeze and are making between 8 and 10 kts of boat speed. I drove for 2 hours last night from 2-4 in the morning and had us trucking along at 9-10 kts. The seas are still very flat which is nice and makes for very comfortable conditions. There is a lot of lazing about and I am getting into the thick of my book by now. The food has been "good". We definitely do not have a professional chef on board that much is for sure. Surprise surprise most of the fresh fruit and vegetables we brought are starting to go bad so we have been having lots of salad.
The boat as a whole is very sturdy and sails very well, however there is a reason that boat design has progressed since 1939...some of the things they did back then just didn´t work. Yesterday we spent about 45 minutes with Franco, one of the Argentines, up the mast because the block at the top of the mast sheared under the load of the genoa in 10 kts of breeze...this just shouldn´t happen. Cameron and I both have quite a few knocks on our heads in an attempt to find every low beam and short doorway on the boat. We figure the sooner we hit them all the better just so we know where they are.
We are expecting the breeze to hold, and hopefully build a little over the next 48 hours, as we chase our way down the vain between a high and low pressure system. We are attempting to stay with the breeze from the low while not going to far north. We have had dolphins swimming with us every day, but haven´t seen any whales yet, hopefully we see one soon, but hopefully it stays out of our way.
470 miles down and a heap more to go.
Cheers!
~~Andrew
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