Stanley to South Georgia Island

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling The rattle of the staysail sheet slaps against the leeward deck, as the wind is shielded by the mainsail; and we smoothly slip to the east and to our destination of South Georgia. Leaving Stanley went well, with the strong breeze abating after 36 hours of gale force winds which buffetted the tiny township. Being next to the commercial dock had its advantages and disadvantages; protection from the large harbour swell ... but the entire boat is coated with metal sand-blasted steel from the ship repair work. Even with constant deck washing whilst there, we have the markings of a steel scrap yard, with millions of rust spots from the debris as we sail to South Georgia. With a steady forecast of WNW to NW winds, we are able to pole out the headsail and make a dead downwind run along the Southern Ocean swells. In the first 12 hours we average over 8.8 knots and cover more than 100 nautical miles, setting the stage for a brisk passage. In just two days, life with all the crew and people has quickly settled into a smooth routine; this different, rolly polly point-of-sail marks the final leg to adestination they have all been dreaming about for years ... Stephen