The second news over a relatively difficult time on board

August 12, 2021

Well our mechanically gifted Leen and Richard succeeded to install a too large distribution belt on the engine by changing the position of the alternator. Unbelievable what they achieved in only on hour!

So we could continue to use electricity and in particular our navigation lights in the following night, Monday.

Another problem occurred and that was that our AIS (Automatic Identification System) did not work anymore so that we could not see other boats and ships on our navigation screen.

The weather got meantime a little bit better but the wind was still 24 knots. Some time later we could change G-4 to G-3. When lowering G-4 we found it damaged, but later Reima and Richard could repair or provisionally.

When I write ‘we’ one has to understand that I was unable to assist myself as a result of my bruised ribs. The pain killers supplied by Floris did help a lot to do what they are named for. Still painful but Dr Watson (Joost Nijhoff) is helping me each and every time to put my sailing cloths on and off.

Not knowing in which position we are, makes me a bit nervous and ncomfortable.

Presently it is Tuesday night, pitch dark and the crew changed two hours ago G-1 for G-2. Perfect operational wise.

We are now 40 Nm from Fastnet Rock [FR]  so as quite usual we expect to pass the FR at around 4 am.

Today was the nicest day so far and the news that we would in 2nd or 3rd calculated position was very welcome.

Some dolphins greeted us

Since I could transfer the above message to Aline to compose a message whilst installing the photographs I continue here.

We passed FR in pitch dark weather not being sure that our AIS was functional, though we believe it was the case.

One or two hours S-2 was hoisted and the race for Bishop Rock [BR] began. We understood that Raphael was leading our IRC Class-4, followed by Winsome at 7 Nm, followed by GIOIA, ENEDIS, SUN HILL 3 (who did beat us in 2019), JANGADA and CORA.

The weather got better and we started our 130 Nm leg to BR.

Sun started shining and we hoisted the successor of RUBY (our Daisy) called CAMILLE. It did not bring us anything so Floris and Dantuma took it again away.

Dantuma, Nijhoff and Richard had great pleasure to make a spinnaker peel from S-2 (with Sevenstar logo) to S-1

It is now 5pm and this day was the best so far, sun shine and a not so much agitated sea.

At a distance of 60 Nm from BR this ends the writing of this blog. I feel much better i.e. less pain thanks to the pain killers supplied by Floris and Boj.

We are hunting for RAPHAEL on one hand, but need to keep the wolves hunting us (do you remember the movie Dr Zjivago) behind us. I will not disclose in which manner we will pass TSS WEST OF SCILLY ISLES and BR.

Our present ETA at the finish line is Friday early morning.

Wish us luck please