Oceanracing 2005- Solo-Around-Nonstop

Solo-Around-Nonstop - Dee Caffari/Aviva
www.avivachallenge.com - zur Übersicht

Saturday 17 December 2005
Wochenbericht 11.-17.12.2005

Well, apparently I'm off the coast of Brazil and today it felt I was more likely to be off the coast of the UK. The cloud was so low and grey and a complete covering, no postage stamp size of blue in Friday's sky. It drizzled all day long and when it wasn't drizzling it was raining. Very depressing. I ended up gybing three times and had to change my shorts twice. Sitting in wet shorts is not good for my peachy bottom!

vor Brasiliens Küste

Making it past Cabo Frio has been very testing. There has been a depression a little further south and that has been travelling ESE with a front curling back towards the coast and I seem to have been stuck in the clouds and rain of the front for most of the week. Fingers crossed we can clear this and be in more stable breeze soon.

I have stayed further offshore this time down this coast line and looking at the chart today reminded me that when we sailed to Buenos Aires last year we ended up sailing through the Oil and Gas Fields off Cabo Frio. They are just off the coast and it made for some very difficult sailing at night, identifying all the lights and deciding what was moving and what was stationary. I am relieved to have not had to deal with that.

The good news about all this rain today is it is doing a great job of rinsing all the salt off Aviva, which will help and save me a job when checking all the blocks on deck. The bad news is that all the hatches are shut and that makes below deck very stuffy.

It's just typical though, you spend all day in the rain and then when it starts to get dark, it stops raining. That is what happened early Friday night. I couldn't believe it. I can still see some mean looking clouds around so I would imagine this short respite from the rain will not last for long. Then as the clouds moved overhead there was a little drizzle the wind shifted from all directions and as I went on deck to see where the next cloud was looming, the sky light up as if some flash photography was taking place.. There was a sky full of lightening. There was no thunder and no heavy rain, just the sky lighting up every so often. Fascinating to see, however a little daunting to be in alone.

So another weekend already. From my darkest moments last week to now seems as if time has moved very quickly. I have made plans for the weekend though already. I shall finish up the last minute Christmas shopping and then get myself a new little number for the Christmas party next weekend! Okay, well maybe I will take some time to make Aviva more festive for next weekend. I' ve got a tree to decorate and the cards to put up, so I should be busy.

Dee & Aviva