Day 3 Passage to New Zealand “Battle in the Bathroom”

Yes, another close hauled sailing day at 20 degree heel, which means we are sailing into the waves and wind at 40 degrees off our port side. Dragonsbane is once again bouncing up and down all the way to New Zealand in 2 meter swells with 24 knots of wind. I am sure that you are asking yourself about the title of this blog and I shall explain. But first you have to know that well passage making on a ocean with waves crashing over the decks and Dragonsbane jumping up, down, sideways, and backwards it makes the practice of shaving your face a some what lethal sport. I for one will have a long haired flavor saver I call my red haired beard.

This afternoon after a few days without a shower I decided it was time to have a wash cloth bath. Now I know that some of you are thinking that a few days is one to many. Well let me tell you why I put up with the stink from under my pits. In order to wash your body I like to strip down to my birthday suit and lock myself into the head/bathroom. Now as Dragonsbane bashes her way through the ocean I like to get a good rhythm of her moving all over. I then fill the little sink with water/soap and anticipate my first washing maneuver. I usually start with my face so all dirt flows down. This requires a two hand maneuver witch is a problem because you have nothing to brace yourself. So I time the swell, wash fast and feel myself being slammed into the door knob and then I lose my balance and hit my head on the low ceiling in front of myself. Ok, good job still standing and my face is clean, screw the rinse as the ocean does that in the cockpit. Now my back, I like to do this maneuver by leaning back on my shoulder blades well having one leg up on the sink for bracing with anticipation of any crazy shift in the boat. Now this sounds like a fool proof plan but it’s once again a no hander situation. I like to use the wash cloth behind my back moving it from left to right and so on. Now because I started the process with my head, the floor, walls, and the edge of the sink is very wet and soapy. Well washing my back Dragonsbane moves sideways and down causing you to brace with your feet but you slip and land on your butt, soap on the door now and a bruised shine from the sink, bump on the back of my head, but your back is somewhat clean. Ok so now the part that you all have been waiting for the front side down to the toes. This is the point that I give up with bracing and balance. I wet the wash cloth and time the swells, wash with great vigor from my chest down to my waist. I then carefully polish my fun zone and risen well. At this point its just a few motions down one leg and the other. During this frontal maneuver your body becomes a pendulum with in a box bouncing from wall to wall, pointy object to pointy object. After completing the wash cloth cleaning maneuvers you should only have a dozen or so bruises and a very well prepped bathroom to be cleaned when you get to shore.

Current Position: 25deg 18.5min South, 174deg 16.5min East, COG 200deg, SOG 8.4knots, WS 24knots, Swell 2 meters, WD 134deg ESE, Water Temp 84. deg F, Air Temp 62deg F, Completed 180 Nautical Miles in 24 HOURS NEW RECORD

Still Clean,

Jacques