Mars Down Under

5340 03207 1002 miles to go

I remember the first thousand miles - off the Queensland coast somewhere. Quite a lot in between!

My take on the relentless Atlantic - constantly, uncompromisingly indifferent. 'You're here - deal with it!' Apologies if I have been frightening mums and dads of ocean sailors everywhere, but if I don't tell it as I see it, the benefit of the experience is lost.

Update

Okay, just had a satphone from Alex. They are conserving electrical power and allowing 24 hours for the battery to re-charge from the the wind generator. Valentia Coastguard, is aware of their situation and position and I've passed on all the details they requested. Alex will contact me every 24 hours by satphone and I'll update as messages arrive. Everyone back on the ceiling. That's all, best Speedy.

McQ: If I had a thesaurus... .. then I would learn a new word for 'relentless', apart from I don't so you'll have to wait till I get home to my library!!

Did I mention its pretty relentless out here?? hmmm, yes, thought so!!! Just been on watch and watching the waves: K said the other day (or perhaps yesterday, the way time spins out here!!) that it was pretty spectacular from the top of the waves: well its also pretty spectacular, in a slightly more deranged way, from the bottom of the waves too!!!

5614 03944 Jabberwonky

So much to say and so little time - memories of bare poling were not happy ones - anyone who has read the Yachting Monthly article I wrote about our rather messy roll off Gabo Island 18 months ago will perhaps understand why - anyone who hasn't and wants to, apply to His Honour the Speedy and I'll tell him how to access a copy from my Picasa web page.

5713 04230 Not having fun part 3

While we're certainly south of the worst of this little doozy, what we've gor it 35 - 40 and reaqlly big waves, now coming around to the beam as the wind changes. Poo! For Peter Semotiuk, if you're out there Peter - a sign off for the time being - massively grateful for all your help and I'll be in touch if the Examiner lets us ever get to Falmouth.

And the Examiner has switched on the fan and she's standing beside her reeking pile with shovel at the ready. Late this evening for the front, I think and then we see what we get behind it. I can remember being profoundly grateful to see only 50 knots on the anemometer down in the southern ocean - remember those nights Pete? Would Montevideo never pass?