ARC 2019 – Day 6 – Flaccid carrots

Musings for the day

The free time onboard gives one ample time for self-exploration, perhaps the reason I am attracted to such endeavours. While pondering the reason that I am here, I thought it might be interesting to pose the following question to my fellow explorers. “In one word, please tell me why you are here?” The most commonly heard response was challenge, or some variation of it, quite appropriate considering we are sailing a board the Challenger 2, a ship specifically built to provide disadvantaged and disabled youth with a venue to challenge themselves both emotionally and physically.

When I first told friends and family about my plans to participate in the ARC, the overwhelming response, aside from questioning my sanity, was WHY? I guess I clearly fall into the challenge category. I have always pushed the envelope, within a safety margin, in all my endeavours. At 63, I am clearly on the elder edge of the age curve onboard, but I am still way too young to sit back and let someone else do the sailing while they serve me frozen drinks.

Best wishes and love to friends and family back home.

My parting thought for the day:

NEVER STOP CHALLENGING YOURSELF, unless you want to die young.

Gary

Skippers Log

Date : 29 November 2019
Time : 12:00 GMT (12am Boat Time)
Position : 21.28 N 22.25 W
Position : 200Nm North of the Cape Verde Islands
Destination : Rodney Bay, St Lucia
ETA : 0000 Dec 16 (GPS)
DTF : 2244 Distance Run 666
24 Hour Run : 116 DMG in 24 Hours : 121
Wind : AWA : 095 AWS : 9
Sailplan : Full Main, Genoa
POB : 14, all in good health and happy
Today on Challenger 2 :
Breakfast : Eggy bread, fried chorizo and cheese! Lunch : Salad Buffet, Leg of Ham & Potato salad, Dinner : Chicken Curry
Music : A mix of Opera, Rock and some Jazz with the occasional YMCA !
Fishing Score : 27/11 1x Large Dorado

Making Progress

Notes and comments:

The spinnaker served us well in the light spell over the last 60 hours but eventually the wind shifted forwards and we dropped it in favour of the Genoa. The very light winds of Thursday didn’t seem to materialise and we were able to make good speeds (5-7 knots) on a reasonable Westerly course. Dolphins have been almost constant companions and the night phosphorescence makes them particularly visible at night.

The boat is in good condition with all systems working well.

Fresh food is holding up well, Avocados are finished, Peppers have been sliced and frozen to avoid spoiling. Carrots are a little flaccid.

Space is slowly opening up in the freezer and cool boxes and cold fizzy drinks were a welcome treat for the crew during happy hour (all crew on deck for a progress, weather and general discussion) after lunch yesterday.

We have had a constant couple of ARC boats around us matching us for course and speed and lots of crossing and overtaking – more so than I can recall on other ARC races. Challenger 1 is still not in AIS range, being further South than us – here’s hoping we converge again at some point.

Ricky Chalmers

Skipper

Posted by: First Class Sailing