32:39:80S
168:11:105E
Tuesday 24th January
Bang. There was a strike on the fishing line trailed off the stern. Immediate inspection showed that something very large indeed had taken the lure and broken the 80 lb line. I think I am glad we didn’t get to see what it was. Sadly that was my favourite pink lure but I had a spare black and blue feathered number which so far has not lured anything.
Round about morning tea time Simon noticed a long rip along the foot of the poled out yankee sail. Down came the sail and we taped it up as best we could and rehoisted it. Why had it happened? Perhaps it has been caused by UV damage. There is a strip of UV material down the leech of the sail but not along the foot. It will need the attention of a sail maker in Brisbane.
In the meantime we have had to slow down our progress as light wind from astern means the sail will flog if we are not careful and could easily make the rip worse.
Today’s noon to noon run only 174 miles as against yesterdays of 195. By mid afternoon the wind increased so we rolled out the sail again are currently back up to speed at 6.5 – 7.5 knots.
How I love the Starwalk App on the ipad. Lying on deck stargazing is now a truly wonderful experience. So much easier than those star charts we all enthusiastically tried to figure out in the past.