This should be an interesting blog. Mainly because I am starting to feel the effects from some serious pain killers.
We have brought a million people sailing on a Volvo 70 over the past year and a half. First thing we do is tell the folks not to put their hands on any loaded lines like the mainsheet or runners. Well, I did not heed my own warning.
Remember, we don't have a boom and there are three separate purchases on the clew of the main holding it in place. We are all creatures of habit on these boats. You get 100% used to every square inch of the boat and it is wild how much something like the lack of a boom makes you change how you walk around the cockpit in rough seas. What you lean on and when.
Well, we finally got conditions this morning where we could shake out one of the reefs. Six of us on deck. I was on the bottom purchase and about to ease it when we fell off a wave and I braced myself on the purchase that runs to weather. Sounds harmless so far, right?
Well the exact time I went to brace myself was the exact time that it was being eased through a large titanium block. The block quite easily sucked my left index finger in until I gave a little ‘hold’ call and then instinctively just pulled it out. Yuck. Not much of the last 30% of my finger left. At least from what I remember. My daughter Tory has inherited the same aversion to the sight of blood. Tory, you will be proud of me - I didn't faint. Just what the doctor ordered after the last few days. I am officially a dumb ass.
Dr Falcone (Shannon Falcone/ANT) sprung into action, cleaning and bandaging. A serious painkiller is about to take over my world. And my typing has taken a severe efficiency hit.
Besides that, we lived though some brutal seas last night in 30 knots of wind and have had a few more structural situations, but the body shop trio of Casey (Casey Smith/AUS), Salty (Robert Salthouse/NZL) and Michi (Michael Muller/GER) have got il Mostro nearly back into fighting form again.
Of course there was plenty more happening over the past 24 hours. Like the interesting exit past the Philippines and Cape Bojeador, in about 50 knots of wind right on the nose and horrific seas kicked up by a strong opposing current. That was fun...
So, I think I will listen to Doctor Falcone and get into the rack before I start drooling on myself at the nav station when the pain killers kick in. Ricky Deppe, our media boy, has sure had plenty to video on this leg. Clearly we are entertaining him, and hopefully most of this footage comes out to the public soon. Some of it is pretty good.
Off to bed now. And by the way, when you see the video he shot of my finger, you may want to look away.
Kenny Read - skipper
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