SECOND DAY 2 November 30th 10am

I missed the sunrise. The sun was already coming through the small window on the top of my cabin when I opened my eyes.
I was sorry about missing the sunrise but knew that my body needed the well deserved rest taken and probably more.
As soon as I got out of the cabin and walked my way up the stairs, Julio, smiling asked me joking if the cabin was pickup but perhaps also meant to be a real question as we were sharing rooms. My answer was, Yes Sir, Captain.
I knew exactly what everyone was there to do. The titles had never been spoken for but by now it was clear that Julio had the most sailing experience and also paid extreme attention to details like how to distribute the sleeping areas, times of the shifts, etc. He was doing a good job.
Juanjo had taken the responsibility of keeping us informed of the weather, navigation and also supervising the most needed electrical charge distributed between the 4 batteries on board.
Fernando was the supporting element in many fields. He was there when the rigging was taking place. Also while the 3 way pipe was been placed in the internal water supply system. He preferred looking at "real" maps on paper and enjoyed better the old tecniques of drawing a line to your next expected waypoint by hand and use a ruler to calculate distance and therefore time of arrival.
Pilar was probably the most excited for the very basic reason of the journey, just to sail. So she was constantly on the steering, looking at the sails, and simply there to help. Ana came to help us with the cooking and, I am just here because....

The day was going to be filled with excitement yet no one knew it then.
I sat in the back looking at Pilar maneuvering the sailboat softly thru the waves, at the time, only 1 to 1.5 mts high but with smooth transition between them. She took a peek at me and asked me if I wanted to take over. My answer was "of course".
I found that looking at her steering made me wanted. Kind of like young kids in a playground full of toys but a kid sees another happily playing with one specific toy and he must have it. It really does not matter if the toy is bigger or better, more colorful or even broken. I guess kids can sense when a toy is producing pleasure and may be that is what they want to have, the pleasure that shines thru the eyes of another kid having fun.
I took the steering and after a few minutes remembered a conversation from the night before where Juanjo and Pilar had to use their reading lights to communicate with a freighter coming our way.
The red-green lights on front of the Sailboat were not working so for any incoming boat it would be difficult to figure how the boat was moving with reference to themselves.
Pilar and Juanjo had used a Red and Green small pocket light to get the freighter's attention and finally both moved away from each other.
I wanted to know where to get a hold of the lights in case that happened to me during a night shift but Juanjo quickly walked down to get his tools and said that it had to be repaired.
The two lights are position in the front of the boat right under the Genova's path. We decided to roll it in to avoid Juanjo getting hit and pushed into the water. After a few minutes, the Genova was tucked in and Juanjo was walking back with the socket that had giving us the problem.
A quick discussion with Fernando on how to fix it and a few minutes of work on the cabin table and the socket was ready to be placed back.
I had been steering since then, and, by now, all of you have figured that I am not an experience sailor, but I already could tell that riding the waves without the Genova was not as fun. Somehow, the balance created between the force applied to the main and the Genova balance the boat to a more enjoyable riding experience.
After Juanjo walked back from the front, I requested to have the Genova pulled back out, if for nothing else, for my enjoyment. My request produce a number of actions that kept us busy for the next 2 hours.
Julio decided to get the Genaker out. For someone that had never had that experience like me, it was fine to get the Genaker, Genova or Gen whatever out. Next time that request is on the table, I will feel differently and surely have something to say.
Juanjo and Julio put on the vest with the safe line and moved to the front of the boat. The Genaker is tucked in a compartment just feet away from the tip of the boat. The access is by a hatch. So the process had started. They sat the ropes to pass by the right places and prepared the sail. Finally, not less than 30 minutes later the roller coaster began.
When ready, they pulled up the socket that covers the sail and the Genaker came alive.
and got the boat away from the wind quickly pulling the sail out of the compartment up to the top.
The sail flapping back and forth was rocking the boat. I was no longer steering as they required my help while getting the Genaker out of the compartment. Pilar was at the wheel, Fernando at the pulley and Juanjo with Julio at the front.
At the end, we had a ripped Genaker at the base, 6 soar sailors sitting in the back discussing what went wrong, how to fix the Genaker and most important, how to do it right next time.
The main fault was giving to excessive wind and bigger than optimal waves for the practice.

We all decided that it was time to eat, 2.23pm and the table was set a few minutes later.
An excellent vegetable stew with wine and bread was the gift of the day.

The autopilot keeps on disangaging after warning us with a beep.
The battery charge drops too rapidly and we think is the refrigerators.
We are suppose to be enjoyng of 100 amps/hr but after researching a little, we find that there is actually only 50 amps/hr.
Worse yet, the electrical system has 4 batteries, one isolated for the motor and 3 for all internal electrical devices. The charging system is divided equally between the two battery stacks so only 25 amps are supplied to the 3 batteries that are constantly consuming to maintain, lights, refrigerator, autopilot, gps, etc.
Tomorrow we will try to connect both charging systems to the one stack of 3 batteries.
I think I know how to make fire with a couple sticks but I skipped the class of producing electrical current while rubbing a rag against a surface. I knew I was going to needed sooner or later.

Finally today, at 6.10pm a flock of Dolphins came to greet us. It was difficult to say how many but not less than 10.
They rode in front, both sides and back of the boat. Ana, who looked better already, sat in front and witsle to get their attention. They did come and jump next to her and to replying to her call.

Batteries have been a concern. We turned the generator on for about 4 hours. Its a very distasteful sound

We will be updating the Blog every 2 or 3 days. Until then