Sat 22nd Sept
Southerly swell makes for a very lumpy sea with the fair-sized SE windswell... and a VERY bumpy ride at times....!! Nearly lost all this morning's coffee.. and a quesadilla at lunchtime... Coffee jumped off stove top & started emptying out all over the place (despite using THREE pan-holders to hold it in place). I rescued quite a bit & poured it into a mug with a closed top - put that somewhere 'safe' -IT also managed to 'jump up' with the bumpy seas & started spilling all over again - luckily into empty washing up bowl... so ended up finally holding what was left tightly in my hand & DRINKING it!! We're constantly lurching all over the place...!! Freshly-made quesadilla jumped down from cockpit into saloon... warm cheese everywhere...
My SOG was over 8knots last night with over 7kn boatspeed ... As a result, 'Nereida' made her best ever noon-to-noon run (despite slowing down this morning!) ... 181ml!!! Current was helpful, of course, but even by log it was 168ml. I should make Cocos on Monday morning & will stay for snorkelling & relaxation for about 4 days before moving on ... so expect to leave again on 29th/30th.
Wind died down a bit this morning, after increasing with overnight showers - first rain I can remember for ages - but now back up.... let out 2nd reef midday, now doing 7.3 SOG with NO current advantage in SE4-5 (~17kn). I don't too much mind current diminishing, so long as doesn't turn against me!
More tiny flying fish on deck this morning .... usually a sign of rough seas overnight. Rare to get them during day - because they can see better, I wonder??
Have seen a few birds but not many... boobies and shearwaters, no tropic birds today, so far.
24hr noon-to-noon distance: An amazing 181 mls!! 321ml to go to Cocos Keeling.