[password] rachel25
[position]37 14.200s 088 38.100w
[status] On passage to Valdivia, Chile
Spent the day managing the latest front. Soon after a grey, grey dawn, the wind picked up to the mid twenties gusting low thirties. We reached under double reefed main and double reefed staysail, in short, steep, confused seas, averaging 7.5 knots. Ana had the morning watch (0600 - 1000) and elected to hand steer, despite the drizzle, rather than do battle with the windpilot. She also just enjoys steering, particularly when there are waves to dodge and surf on. It continued to rain so, once Ana had finished enjoying the elements, we took a hard line with the windpilot and got her in order, then retired below, except for an occasional foray to the binnacle to check the course and wind direction.
Lucas made bread and I got halfway through the making of the Chilean courtesy flag. Ana caught up on sleep!
At dusk the front passed or so we are led to believe. Lucas and Ana decided they needed to earn their dinner and went out on deck with much bravado to "get the boat moving". Reefs came out poles went up. Preventers on, running backstays off. Meanwhile, I stayed in the dry making coleslaw and potato salad to go with lamb cutlets. They came back in, wet and battle weary an hour later, but feeling very pleased with themselves. THe boat was indeed moving. It lasted long enough to have a lovely dinner. Then Ana and I went out to gybe everything as the wind had finally shifted to the southwest. It is still raining.
Good news from Bruce the Weather today. The next low pressure system, hopefully our last for this passage, is taking a more southerly route and the predicted gales on its northern perimeter, are going further south with it. This means that we can "ease" south, as Bruce puts it, so we are "easing", and hopefully will get a good run into Valdivia from the west, in few days time. The log passed 5000 nm today, what a long way!
Thank you all for your YIT comments and e mails. It is great to have so much support, from so many parts of the globe.

[speed] 6.5 knots
[heading] 108 true
[weather] Wind SW 10-15 knots. 0.5m sloppy waves. Sky 100% cloud. Baro 1013.
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