Welcome sight of another boat lifts Quest crew spirits
Quest came into view of three other racing yachts yesterday evening after having sailed alone for some 18 hours, a good sign for the smallest boat that we're still in the race. By nightfall Quest was more than 200 miles from Hong Kong.
The wind held up through Thursday night, although it veered farther east than we would have liked. This meant we had to switch from a spinnaker sail to a slower jib as we beat into the wind. With winds fluctuating between 20 and 30 knots and seas of two to three metres throwing the boat around, the conditions favoured the larger, heavier competitors.
But with a bright moon filtering through the clouds and plenty of wind, it was an enjoyable night sail. The Hui Zhou oil rigs slid by our starboard rail in the middle of the night, their brilliant lights and gas flares lighting up the sea for a mile around.
The dining experience aboard Quest so far has been dismal. We have been heeled over sharply for much of the way, making a trip to the ice box a minor mountaineering feat, never mind trying to cook something. Our first dinner consisted of instant noodles and mashed potatoes doused in lukewarm water, with a fist full of chocolate bars for dessert. Breakfast was dry bread slices until someone dug a jar of grape jelly out of the locker. However, a lasagne lunch quieted the crumbling Frenchmen on board.
But crew spirits remain pretty high. Paul Woodward was puking over the side during night, with Yann Delga quick to follow his example. Chris took a nasty whack on the head and hand early in the race when he got in the way of an accidental gybe, but he's back now that the swelling has gone down.
Most importantly, everyone is getting at least a few hours of sleep.
