Yacht Saga Insurance
Thursday 22nd March 2007
Lat 12 41N Long 054 26W
Miles To Norfolk, USA: 1,888 nm
Distance In 24 Hours: 278.9 nm
Average Speed In 24 Hours: 11.62 knots

“At 15:08 yesterday I was 1,558 miles behind Unai (Basurko) in a direct line and 1,546 more miles to go to the finish line. My lead in Fremantle was 5 days, 6 hours and 3 minutes, and the gap between our arrivals in Norfolk will be greater than that, the question is, how much greater?”

“Getting cooler at last and I needed a cover last night at about 0300 for the first time for ages. A welcome rain squall just after midday yesterday, put us 30 degrees off course for an hour, but cooled the cabin down and enabled me to have a nice fresh water shower. I have not had to use the water-maker for three weeks now, except to just run it to keep its filters clean. I have been able to gather enough fresh water from the sail for all my needs. This time there was an 8 inch long flying fish caught in the bunt of the sail, very dead. Fresh water clearly did not agree with it. Each day I throw over side about 12 dead flying fish, mainly small ones, the larger ones tend to thrash themselves back over side and hopefully live on, a bit bruised.”

“I have been sailing SAGA slightly below the direct course for Norfolk as when the wind frees us off we can reach off. But quite often the wind does not allow me to steer north of North-west anyway. But keeping Saga 60 or so degrees off the wind means we are not slamming into the waves which is kinder to the boat – and her crew!”

“A cholesterol enriched dinner, fried hash, but I missed the two eggs easy over, still something to look forward to in Norfolk. Slightly worrying, two vessels passed within 6 miles and neither set off the radar alarm. Maybe their radars weren’t on but that seems unlikely. My radar picked them up strongly and their lights were clear. RKJ”