The last couple of days have been so full and varied that I hardly know where to start for they have been action packed thanks to a couple of gales; the last one bringing with it what the sailors of old used to call 'Grey Beards'. A swell of such gargantuan proportions that only the Southern Ocean seems able to generate.
The first blow was just a blow in that it was hard work and left us tired and ill at ease thanks to a forecast of 35-40Knts with gusts of 45-50knts. We had our first really big one on the way and as ever waiting was dreadful for the imagination, however much you try can never be held in check. In the middle of all this we had the most extraordinary experience. Mark who was doing the dishes on deck commented on how warm the water seemed to be and at the same time Eliot noticed something odd. We seemed to be being followed by something dark and indeterminate, sometimes small and at other times large and we wondered if it might be dolphins or whales but there was no surfacing for air before they faded away. They suddenly turned red and grew in size and length, as if some unseen knife had slashed the surface of the sea and blood was welling up through the cut. Eliot twigged it; Krill! As if on cue a big whale surfaced not more than forty feet away running on a parallel course and here we were in the middle of it. I have always said to Eliot that this trip was about doing and seeing these things rather than observing others have the privilege through an electronic box in the corner of the front room.

The storm soon started to make itself felt through a huge swell from the SW; much like a pulse radiating out its relentless intent from a dark, malevolent and distant heartbeat. These Southern Ocean Grey Beards are impossible to describe for there is nothing that I know of that stands up as a realistic reference. They are the size of houses, hills even but this can never convey the power or living, moving, ever evolving nature of them as they tear their way into the distance without pause. Every now and then they erupt with a force that resonates with a heavy deep throated roar. Once heard it will never leave you for it is the sound of an energy level that will not even sense the presence of a boat. All you can do is steer down the wave, duck, hold on, wait for the thump and hope that you can hold her true and straight for to spin out now means carnage. It's adrenalin charged, dangerous and goes on and on without respite for they had a frequency of 18 seconds and were at least 15metres in height.

Every now and then a wave gets the better of you and although we managed to avoid a knock down we did get the bulwarks under and lose the boat in broken water. The power is awesome and below it sounds and feels like a car has driven into the side of the boat with a crash. This is followed by a gut wrenching judder as she goes over with a loud rush of water sweeping the deck. Andy had a big breaker and from below Mark and I caught a flash of foul weather gear as he was flicked from one side of the boat to the other like a rag doll on the end of a stick. Despite holding on for grim death nothing but nothing was going to have any effect on the tiller and we are all a bit battered and bruised by the effort. It doesn't stop there for the weight of the high pressure water is incredible and of course the decks end up fully awash as Spirit of Mystery shakes herself and bobs up undeterred like a Cornish Bulldog. She is an amazing boat and I can't speak highly enough of Chris Rees and his team for it is these guys that enable us enjoy the experience.

I know it must sound daft but we did enjoy it for at no point did we doubt the boats ability to look after us. Driving rain with gust of over forty five knots and huge seas made a majestic scene particularly when sat three feet above the surface on a small 37ft Mounts Bay Lugger 7000Nm from home. I have slowly built up an empathy for the original crew but if ever there was a link back through time to 1854 it would be the words 'Our Gallant Little Ship' that often crop up in Capt Richard Nicholls log during a storm. I could not think of a more apt description of Spirit of Mystery for she is remarkable in her sea keeping qualities.

Cheers Pete

I would like to wish EVERYONE following Spirit of Mystery, family members, supporters, sponsors, suppliers, friends and anyone else who I may have missed off -

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR!
With Love from

Mandy x

Very quick blog as we have had a long twenty four hours with a good old blow last night, and although a big drop in the wind today there has been a very confused sea making progress challenging. We have another blow coming in tonight with 50 knot gusts through the day so we are a bit preoccupied at the moment. We just want to get it behind us so that we can draw breath and get back to working on Cape Town.

An ETA is impossible until we have weathered the storm for we may well end up with warps out the back to slow us right down! We shall have to see. May not manage a blog tommorow but certainly will on Christmas Eve.

Cheers Pete