Overcast and squally. About midday we picked up a fresh breeze and went over on to the next stbd.'tack, running well with lee gunwales awash.
Oliver seems to have taken on a new lease of life and stood his afternoon watch, with Juan, singing songs in the rain.
Had a hell of a night watch (22.00h-01.00h) mostly in drenching rain. Glad of rubbers. I have discovered that the bridge of a ship - which I had hitherto considered one of the draughtiest of places on a stormy night - is like a Turkish bath compared with "Penelope's" open cock-pit. Brrrrrrrrh'.
Logged 1,ooo miles from Rio, at noon today.
Penelope's sail-plan must have been very perfectly conceived. Her balance is really remarkable. In strong winds, such as today, with jip and mizzen furled, running on mainsail and stay-sail only, her reduced rig gives her all the advantages of a cutter. With full sail, on the other hand, she has all the advantages of a ketch. She requires practically no steering, with the wind forward of the beam. No wonder the skipper is in love with her.
Trolling for fish. No catch.
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