Christmas in the trades
by the Crew of Tres Hombres on 12/27/12DATE:27.12.12 GMT:0814 POS: 14ΒΊ35.12N, 47ΒΊ00.23W COG:205ΒΊ SOG:7.0kt
Ten days from the Cape Verde island of Brava we glide along with the long ocean swell, blue water, flying fish and sunshine. From the outset of the voyage we set about rigging stun sail booms off the course and topsail yards, from these the topsail and tgallent stun sails were set. We ran a long spare deck plank out the forward fairlead and set a huge square course stun sail (the main deck tent) reaching far over the sea.
With each watch, new sails were dug out from the hold to set in imaginative places. Martin set a triangular Rafee above the Royal and a bonnet under the course, Freya made a little royal stunsail from the tres ninios (ships boat) rig and I set a breadwinner sail on a little yard set off the end of the gaff extending the area of the mainsail and the triangular water catcher under the main boom. Tres Hombres would be a sight to behold with such a pyramid of canvas, but apart from a hitch hiking bird and the odd dolphin we are quite alone out here mid Atlantic.
On Christmas eve we ate some of the fresh wahoo fish that was caught and Arjen played music on deck along with Freya on the squeeze box under our canvas Christmas tree lit up for the occasion. That night we surged along at 9.5kts with the booms straining and the sails bellowing , sailing like the old clipper ships would have and making good noon runs. The powerful tow generator which we had rigged up the day before growled along making up for the stationary windmills, not much use in this downwind sailing but providing power to the ship! Christmas day was a very relaxing day off with everyone on deck reading, writing and working on their personal projects in the sunshine! Our cooks Stefano and Rosa made a great dinner with cake and Nicole made Austrian Christmas biscuits which didn't last long!
Next day all change, a pan pan from a yacht in distress, no rudder. We are the only ship to reply in the area so all hands to wear ship, stun sails down and the search is on!
Eric Henry 1st Mate
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