![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.firstclasssailing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Malham-27-e1544020921265.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A good night for shooting stars around Gemini, and whilst no means a meteor shower, included a fizzing ember that lingered for 2 or 3 heartbeats as it streaked the 20 or so degrees from Canis Minor over to Sirius, the Dog Star in the larger sibling. Jim.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 1000 miles to go and another stunning celestial display this morning! <\/p>\n A warm breeze wraps itself around bodies clad in shorts, bare feet wander the tepid decks and eyes search out the vast wonders twinkling above.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A red glow to starboard highlights another haven drifting with determination toward a far-flung shore, it passes close behind, red turns to Green and begins to fade away once more.\u00a0 A brief encounter with others that share this wasteland of water, a living, breathing volume of a creature whose back we ride upon and who\u2019s mood dictates so much.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Far far below us in the crushing black of the deep, mountains and canyons divide up the alien world below. Swirling contour lines on the charts show we are flying far above the rocky ridges of The North Atlantic Ridge some 2000m beneath. The night time is now giving way to the light as the sky lightens\u2026.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kirstie<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A peaceful morning. The wind has died off a bit and just a gentle swell rolling the boat. The sunrise watch is fed and asleep in their bunks, morning watch is up on deck and busy gybing the boat round to take advantage of the shifting wind and optimise our trajectory toward St Lucia. Now less than 1000 miles to go \u2013 another significant milestone. The competition with Challenger 3 is very much on peoples mind though \u2013 it is looking to be a close race.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Challenger 4’s Galley<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Breakfast today was a very civilised affair. Etiquette is somewhat different from your usual land-based social gatherings. Rather than following the hosts seating plan, and by hosts we do of course mean the Mother watch who are themselves braced in the galley trying to prevent their culinary masterpieces from becoming airborne, guests will grab what they consider to be the optimal side of the table. The uphill side.\u00a0 From their vantage point, they can watch as their hapless dinner partners are showered with a range of cutlery, condiments, food and drink as the boat rolls off a wave.\u00a0 Of course, while the odds may favour the uphill side, the Gods may not and occasionally Neptune (or maybe the helmsperson) will cause an unexpected roll in the opposite direction\u2026Payback time. Good manners dictate two hands for cutlery. Not on a boat. Unless you consider yourself uphill and lucky. Relinquishing one\u2019s grasp of the water cup will inevitably lead to a sudden lurch and an embarrassing wet patch on one\u2019s trousers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But did I mention it is hot and sunny here? Wet patches dry quickly, And the magnificent extent of the ocean, splendour of the night skies and hilarity of our travelling companions make all the oddities of life at sea worthwhile.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mark P<\/p>\n Ger<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Too close to call between Ch3 and Ch4<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Date : 5 Dec 2018 Wednesday<\/p>\n Time : 12:00 GMT<\/p>\n Position : 17 13.3 N 44 35.0 W<\/p>\n Position : Approaching Researcher Ridge<\/p>\n Destination : St Lucia (Rodney Bay)<\/p>\n ETA : Dec 12 (GPS), Dec 12 (Ricky) Dec 11 (Kirstie)<\/p>\n DTF : 966, Trip1 : 1958<\/p>\n 24 Hour Run : 203, 24 Hour Speed : 8.45<\/p>\n 24 Hour VMG : 173 Nm Speed \u00a07.13 Kts<\/p>\n COG 245, SOG 8.3<\/p>\n TWD 101, TWS 18<\/p>\n Fuel : 3 full, 1 in use<\/p>\n Water : 3 full, 1 in use and filling – Watermaker on – 21.34L\/hr,<\/p>\n Gas : 2 full, 1 in use, 2 Empty<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n So we are into the world of gybing and then immediately thinking that you should maybe<\/p>\n be on the other gybe. We spent 5 hours on the Southerly gybe after gybing at last<\/p>\n light, but then gybed back at midnight (UT) just before the wind shift would have made<\/p>\n the original gybe more favourable. Ho Hum. It looks like the rest of the race is going<\/p>\n to be characterised by second guessing the wind direction and trying to be on the best<\/p>\n gybe for the wind direction – without driving yourself or the crew too crazy. Still,<\/p>\n cant complain too much about the wind for this ARC crossing – it has been great !<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBare feet\u201d mentioned in Kirstie’s blog is of course not true, we are all wearing steel capped boots as per regulations\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If this blog has inspired you to have a voyage across one of the world\u2019s oceans<\/a> then start speaking to the team in the office. They can assess which Atlantic voyage will be good for you and, if you need it, what course would take you to that level.<\/p>\n Fill in the form below and they will call you back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\nMate Kirstie’s\u00a0 Log<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nVenus hovers above the helm, a beam of white, dappled light reflects off the dark, heaving deeps causing shadows to flitter around on deck before a not so impressive slither of moon rises humbly from behind a puff of cloud<\/p>\n
\nsoon we will be higher still, the seabed will fall away from us to depths of more than 6000metres, deep enough to sink the rocky massive of Everest below you and till have some room to add!<\/p>\nWednesday 5th December – Less Than One Thousand Miles Left<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.firstclasssailing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/P1060196-e1543506680483.jpg\")
The Breakfast Club<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.firstclasssailing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Day-10-e1544021389390.jpg\")
Skipper\u00a0Ricky’s Log<\/h2>\n
Notes and comments :<\/h2>\n
Book Your Own Atlantic Adventure<\/h2>\n
\n