Log Entry No 3 - 27th Sept 07. (Yacht Discoverer)

FROM THE CAPTAINS CABIN

From Chris Davies: “Its amazing to think that a 19 year old common lad from Leicestershire is steering a 67ft yacht over the Atlantic Ocean.”  

We are now sailing nicely down towards the Cape Verde Islands, still in the NE Trade Winds.

NAV CHECK

Saturday 23rd

Sunday night saw the first time change, the ships clock went back an hour at 1am - an extra hour on watch which was picked up by Red Watch. Sunday night also saw us gybe to head south shadowing the African coast by 150 miles. We had slightly bizarre incident at 2300 that night where we picked up some shipping appearing over our port horizon, it then stayed on our port side for about 2 ½ hours, gradually moving aft; bizarrely it never crossed our path and appeared not to want to get close – no doubt it had its reasons. Our progress south continued on Monday, employing a poled out foresail from 7am which helped our speed. We saw our first dolphins during daylight, playing with the boat for about half and hour, that was not the only wildlife we saw that day as the skipper found a flying fish on the foredeck. The flying fish over the last 24 hours have impressed the whole crew, looking like a miniature flock of birds as they bounce across the water. In the early hours of this morning Blue Watch saw a whale (likely to be a pilot whale) in the early hours and we have also seen a few sea birds, but always as individuals.

Saturday 25th

At 0600 on Tuesday morning we moved away from the African Coast heading South West towards the Cape Verde Islands and ultimately Brazil. We have been closely tracking the progress of Tropical Storm Jerry and now Karen but neither have fallen near our path and our weather will not be affected at all by either. Our weather information comes from a weather fax in the saloon. We initially received data from Hamburg from where we received some good North Atlantic synoptic charts. Over the 24 hours we have been receiving data from New Orleans – synoptic charts for the Caribbean and Mid Atlantic. This has been showing steady air streams across our area. We have been continuing to enjoy the trade winds here that are fluctuating between North and North East blowing between Force 4 and Force 6. We have been therefore making some good progress, at times achieving over 9 nautical miles per hour.

We are now hopeful of making a stop in the Cape Verde with our consistent progress and wind, if we do stop it will be on Friday and leaving first thing Saturday morning.

As the crew gets used to the watch rotation, and to sleeping on a rocking boat, so most are reducing the amount of sleep during the day giving them time to read and play games. There is also a certain amount of physical training being achieved by the crew; they have shown adaptability, resourcefulness and improvisation to impress the after-guard.

Morale is high aboard Discoverer and most of the crew who suffered form sea sickness have got over the worst. The crew have been taught how to take a log reading and most now are confident on the helm going down wind with the foresail poled, next stop – spinnaker!

LT AJ COLQUHOUN

FROM THE MOTHER WATCH’S GALLEY

Monday evening meal:  Spanish sausages served with whole grain mustard mash cooked by Callum Ladell, Dan Surtees and Capt Glover.

Tuesday evening meal:  Chicken or Beef Burgers served with a selection of other vegetables cooked by Andrew Grieve, Kris Bhudoye.

Wednesday lunch: Beef Stroganoff served with rice cooked by Chris Davies, Gavin Elliot and Lt Colquhoun.

Wednesday evening meal:  Bolognaise served with penne pasta and garlic bread cooked by Chris Davies, Gavin Elliot and Capt Glover.

Cooking and serving up a meal on a yacht pitching from side to side for 14 people for precise timings and in a small galley is never easy.  Meal times on Yacht Discoverer need to be strictly at 0550 for breakfast, 1150 for lunch and 1750 for supper. This means that the oncoming watch can have time to eat before relieving the off-coming watch at the top of the hour. The off coming watch can then eat and with any luck should be in their sleeping bags by a quarter past the hour.  Time management is critical and therefore the learning curve on this boat is steep as some of the early ‘mothers’ have discovered.  Until today lunches have been sandwiches – and tasty ones at that but the yacht still has a quantity of fresh meat left and not wanting to waste fresh food the decision was taken on Tuesday night to use it up rather than give it the opportunity to go off (or to give the crew food poisoning) – hence the rather large lunch today!

LT AJ COLQUHOUN

FROM THE CREWS QUARTERS

From the Blue Watch

Chris D:
25/09. “Been a good few days on board, only downfall is its getting crampt. I started reading a book yesterday which was good because I normally don’t ever read but because of the spare time we have I thought I might as well. It’s called The Beach House by James Patterson.  Its actually really entertaining. Had a go at the helm this morning and last night which basically means steering the yacht. Its amazing to think that a 19 year old common lad from Leicestershire is steering a 67ft yacht over the Atlantic Ocean. The watch system is pretty good as you work for 6 hours have 6 hours off then work for 4 then 4 off.”

27/09. Almost at the Cape Verde’s now and if we make a decent time we should stay there for about a day.”

Will:
25/09. “Having a good time apart from being sea sick. Has been very hot on the boat, morale is high and everyone is getting on well.”

Dan:
25/09. “On the first day I was sick but after a short sleep and plenty of water I felt great. Having a great time on the boat and learning plenty of new things. Everyone is getting on great! I also won the fake Obituary Competition yesterday and spared myself press-ups!”

Andrew:
25/09. “I missed the dolphins again this morning as I was in bed after our 0200 – 0600 Watch. I’m finding it hard adapting to living on a yacht but I am trying. I came second in the fake obituary competition which surprises me as I have not got the best of imaginations. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, there have been no disagreements between the crew, we all seem to be getting on well considering the cramt environment.”

26/09. “Just finished making lunch, as I’m on mother watch with Kris. It was better than I expected because I’m not too keen on being in the galley. I think I’m getting used to being below deck. I’m hoping to do the JSASTC Competent Crew course after this expedition as we should be at the right level once we’ve reached Brazil.”

27/09 “ Had my first shower in a week, which is a good morale boast as I no longer smell.”

From the Red Watch

Jade:
0517 24/09.  “Still feeling rough.  Have got to wake up Dan in 10 mins to make breakfast. Thank god mother watch is nearly over, was making chicken with vegetables in leek and potato soup last night. Nearly fell out of my bed a couple of times last night, went straight to bed after I had finished mother watch – about 20:00, so should have had 9 hours sleep, but I had 3 because the boat was rocking so much.

1355 24/09. “Am off watch now, have not been doing a lot really, helped Will and Callum make cakes but they look pretty bad (LT C – they were delicious, so much so they were gone before I got up to go on watch, Grr) at 18:00 – saw some dolphins swimming next to the boat earlier on”

1242 26/09 “.  It is still really hot but am not really getting a tan. Not impressed at all. At least I’m not as white as Callum ha ha ha. Sorry Callum! Have just learnt how to do the logbook. Could be worse, could be raining!”
                       
1025 27/09 “ Am looking like a serious tramp at the moment, can’t wait to get back to my strengtheners!”

Gav:
1401 24/09. “Hey, I’m back again, came off watch 2 hours ago and I’ve been doing a bit of training and playing poker with press-ups as the stakes. Saw some Dolphins playing around the bow of the boat at around 1100 on watch. It was mint. Having bangers and mash soon mmm can’t wait..”

Kris:
1410 24/09. “Another good day so far. Lots of Dolphins. Some possible pirate sightings, last night. At least the theories range from secret military ships, subs, marine survey vessels and pirates. It was all very exciting.”

1235 26/09. “Was on mother watch yesterday, day was OK but evening meal was a complete disaster and among the longest 5 hours of my life. 4pm to 6pm was cooking, 6pm to 7pm was still cooking (Burgers in the grill – nightmare), 7pm to 9pm was cleaning up, took 30 mins after that to calm down after, then got my head down.  Today however, has been very good so far, it’s midday, it’s sunny, every one’s in high spirits. Plankton bloom off bow of boat on night watch 2 am to 6am 25/9 – one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Trying to helm the boat on that same shift  - high wind, high seas and like trying to guide a scared elephant along a tightrope. Flying fish today, they actually fly

Callum:
1500 25/09. “So far today; I have made a cake and it came out quite good, well that’s what I gathered. Sea sickness has started setting in again, can’t wait to get to brazil. I’m doing mother watch with Will today so in a little while will be making evening scoff.  Last night we had a bit of a weird ship encounter which was a little creepy.”

26/09 “ today, learnt how to do the logbook, seems simple enough but we will see! Good day overall but the heat is starting to rise, apparently there was a whale sighting this morning not happy I didn’t see it but there will be more chances”