By 1245, though, after a chat to Paul, off Talulah Ruby III, on the VHF, who had just started to sail again, albeit very close to the wind; the benefits of a monohull, we prepared Paw Paw to motor-sail.
With a double-reefed mainsail to prevent it slamming and the headsail unfurled to the point where we centre it slightly leeward of the mast using both sheets, we got enough wind into the sails to have one engine at a very low RPM and enjoyed a comfortable motor-sail for the rest of the afternoon.
The evening net revealed that Golden Spirit had also been able to sail for most of the day; albeit that they had increased their westerly more than their northerly component. Anything is better than the engines running!
After dinner, we dropped the mainsail, given that there was no indication that the forecast northerly winds were actually going to materialise and continued on the headsail and one engine at a higher RPM.
Tonight, our penultimate night at sea for this passage, with the moonrise set for 0118 and 165NM to go, we’re continuing northwestward under another magnificent starry night, albeit without any other lights around us, given that all the cargo ships are now heading through the Nine Degree Channel north of the Maldives and Talulah Ruby III is further ahead of us now.
