WINDS MODERATE

Hi Everyone,Welcome to day 55 of our voyage. Overnight we reverted back to all of the original watches so that all of the World Voyagers can get to spend their final few days in the watches and with the crew members that they commenced the voyage with back in Amsterdam.The wind did eventually back to the NE during the morning and moderated to 10-15kts so we handed in the majority of our fore and aft sails and have been running downwind under our three squares for most of the day. This has meant a little less boat speed but it has given us a break from the constant 15-20 degree heel that we have been experiencing for the past eight days.The biggest thrill of the day (especially for Annie) has been the sighting of numerous whales. Surprisingly they have been few and far between during this voyage but thankfully today’s sighting’s has made up for it.With only four more days left at sea for our World Voyagers of Passage Six our focus continues to be on making the most of our time and enjoying the experience of being at sea and sailing this amazing ship.Kindly volunteering to write tonight’s Captain’s Log is Maddy so please enjoy reading about her day.Until tomorrow, take careYours AyeCaptain Gav15th of October 2015A massive hello to all of our family, friends and fans back in Aus!The curse has broken. Neptune has at last lifted his skirt and revealed the wonders of the deep. After 55 days, Little Annie (our in-house birderer) was finally blessed with a vision of a whale – only this time it was not a vision. I kid you not people – this is real life. We were privileged enough to be surrounded by whales for a good part of our day, with two separate whales taking time to swim directly under the ship for all to see. With the Atlantic still as clear as anything, it was a gorgeous sight to see!The day started with the usual suspects – wakey wakey at 0700, a cheeky bit of breakfast and happy hour. From there, there was a little bit of housekeeping and fun things aloft: patching on the Fisherman Staysail, brailing the Main Staysail, removal of rogue ‘rotten cotton’ and exhilarating rust removal. By the time these tasks were completed, we’d worked up an appetite and were blessed with a roast lamb lunch fit for a king!A two hour siesta followed, in which time we were spoiled with our second whale visitor for the day! Though it was a sight to see, it is safe to say that watching Annie was far more entertaining. She was clearly having a whale of a time…………… get it?Our thinking caps were secured nice and tight at 1400 when it was announced that rope races were back and bigger than ever. Don’t be fooled though, these were not just any ordinary rope races – these were the one and only – drum roll – Advanced Rope Races! Heart rates were up and the stakes were high – it was now or never. A thrilling series progressed, but it was White Watch that came out victorious, leaving members of Blue and Red watch strewn everywhere in their wake.The afternoon was slightly quieter, but by no means any less interesting. With Command Day just completed, we spent the rest of our day reflecting on the 48 hour period where we had taken control of the ship. In three groups, we covered the positives, negatives and lessons that we had taken away from the experience. We then jumped back into one big group, where we collectively shared what we had learnt. A common theme that I found running through the discussion was the idea of communication, and how it has such an immense effect on management and teamwork. We spoke about how important it is to ensure that information is communicated both from senior positions down the chain, and likewise back up the chain. We also spoke about the importance of sharing a common goal and striving towards it together. Overall, we completed all of the tasks were required to meet and I believe it was a very successful Command Period.Anyway! We are currently sitting just under 500NM from Rio and watching another beautiful sunset in a beautiful part of the world. Red Watch is setting up our projector and screen so that we’ll be able to watch Dougie’s favourite – the long awaited and much anticipated Rounding Cape Horn!Much love to everybody following the Captain’s Log,Maddy x Shoutouts:Annie: WHALES!!! Haha. I have had the best day ever, complimented with spaghetti bolognaise and plenty of sunshine. Only 5 days left until we arrive in Rio! Looking forward to speaking to you all very soon! Lots of love, Annie xox