Tuesday 5th July 2011

I woke again around 3am – with my muscles aching from having lain unused for too many hours on end. Although the boat was still rocking and heaving, it seemed to be less forceful and my sea-sickness had abated somewhat. I answered nature’s call in the heads, to find that the sea-sickness returned gradually from being out of cabin for a few minutes. Back horizontal until about 7 when breakfast was served on the outside-covered deck– boiled eggs and toasted rolls. We ate breakfast out on the rolling deck – the swells were apparently much smaller than the day before – but to me they seemed enormous. Not quite Deadliest Catch (no ice or snow) – but not far off I tell you!

Brent announced that we were about half way, and my heart sank – I had hoped we must surely be almost there. I ate my first boiled egg and buttered toast with trepidation, expecting to have to stumble back to my bed at any time – but a beefy Bovril toasted roll followed by a peanut butter and syrup toasted roll seemed only to perk me up further – I had found my sea legs!

Juice and coffee followed, the air was warm – and I felt great. The rolling waves now had a beauty and an azure blueness about them that yesterday was more of a greyish hatefulness. Now the epic adventure could begin...

From about 8am onwards I spent most of the rest of the day in boardies, with a beer close at hand, fishing off the back of the boat as we continued our voyage to Bassas da India.

The yacht cruised at about 6 knots – up from the average 4 knots the previous day, because of improving conditions – and by night time we were up at about 7 knots.

In spite of fishing almost all day, I did not even get a bite, but George got a Blue Marlin on his line minutes after getting his rod in, and after a solid 35 minute fight – just as he got the beautiful fish to the boat, it broke the hook and got away. Later Greg also hooked a Marlin that got away when his reel fouled up and George caught, landed and released a small Whahoo.

Even without a bite there was plenty of excitement, warm air and cold beer to keep me going. Around midday Miguel braaied some ribs on the gas braai on the back of the boat, and we snacked on those, with cheese and smoked mussel Salticracks for lunch. An afternoon of fishing, banter and relaxation followed. Good times.

With my now well tested sea legs, I finally got to resolving my pet hate of living out of luggage, and unpacked all my kit into the drawers and cupboards available, making a lot more room in our little cabin. A satisfying wors and pap with a tomato, chilli and garlic gravy dinner, followed by a nice hot shower left me feeling like a new man. As I had night watch duty between 12 and 3 tonight, I bedded down early on one of the cushions on the outside deck until Mark woke me at 12 after his shift.

We all share in the 3-hour long shifts over night – looking out for other ships’ lights (to ensure we don’t get run over by a tanker!) and ensuring the boat continues cruising in auto-pilot mode. When we get there, we will need to keep night-watch to ensure that we don’t get pushed into the reef or out to open ocean by the current or the wind. It’s not so bad doing night watch – and it is useful alone time to write this journal.

It’s now 3h30 am and Brent’s turned off the engines as we’re only 8 nautical miles off from Bassas now, and he’s waiting for daylight before we get closer. So calm with the engines off for the first time in 2 days. So excited for the day ahead...