Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
N37.55.85 W049.25.85
Wind SW F4-5 Heading 070T
I had a little party last night, how’d you know when your drunk on a yacht?
certainly walking is no gauge of the progression of your drunkedness.
Elvis was giving us fever’ and Ertha Kitt just wanted to do it! The Kalik
Beer of the Bahamas’ was flowing into the low single figures. Why? what was
the purpose of this little get together of one? We had broken the 1K
distance barrier to Flores, the western most island of the Azores. Tonight
we’ll be able to have another little nees-up having broken the 1K distance
barrier to Horta on Faial, what excitment! I’m thinking John-Lee Hooker and
Nina Simone might join me but I’ll let you know.
There is of course the big doo’, when we get to be closer to the Azores than
we are to Bermuda, it’s going to be a busy week.
Dawn brought very light winds about 10kts in the SW. With the engine in gear
at tickover we we’re able to make 4-5kts and have made pretty good progress.
The motor seems happy to run like this indefinatly and it’s not too noisey
to live with. I’m still heading north of east hoping to find better wind but
I think tomorrow I should be able to turn due east for Horta.
It’s still very overcast and has rained on and off all day. Everything is
wet, my feet are like sponges, I can’t seem to get them dry, this is not a
good thing I think and may need to have some thought given to it. The
moisture in the atmosphere gets everywhere. I hung some trousers up to dry a
few days ago and they’ve actually gotton wetter!
But spirits are good. Just sort of settled into a kind of endurance type of
mood, pressing on with the last push. Reading and listening to music, not
really able to spend to long outside with it raining and all. I think I can
say that it’s going to be wet and misserable in the UK over the next week
judging by what I’ve put up with.
At least theres wind, even if it’s only a little bit.
Bon.
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
N36.51.41 W054.02.52
Winds Less Than 10kts Heading 070T
The wind picked up a bit at dusk last night and we finally broke the 4kt
barrier.
I celebrated with not 1 but 2 Kalik Beer of the Bahamas’ and some Dylan
All together now!
How does it feel
Oh’ How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction at all
A complete unknown
Like a rolling stone!
How appropriate.
Last night saw some light but good sailing and by dawn full canvas was flown
and for the first time on this trip I have had wind and direction just where
I want them, we made a great 6+ kts heading 070T which was just right and
the winds were firm but fair.
That was until about an hour ago, they buggered off again. This was expected
as a secondary front passes over, brings with it some rain though and it’s
been overcast and cold for most of the day.
The motor is engaged in charging the batteries and giving some much needed
forward momentum but I suspect that it’ll be calm till after dark.
So millage for the past few days has been supprisingly ok 113, 109, 117nm
but could have been a whole lot better if we’d had wind all day.
Interestingly, during the two days of foul weather before 113, 119nm were
clocked despite the heavy wind. This is due to the in-efficient nature of
sailing in this way and the extra distance covered going up and down the
waves.
I’m desperate for a day when I break the 120nm average and to have a day
when I don’t have to tollerate the dam sail flapping uselessly and noisily
above me. At least over the last few days though we’ve been traveling in the
right direction so it is milage made good.
We press on.
L.
Day 13
N35.51.07 W055.58.46
Wind NW Less than 10kts. Heading035T
Very calm day, no wind as of just before dawn and that’s how it’s stayed.
Got a load of little chores done and aired the boat a bit, even the Bog papers had an airing, got a bit moist over the last few days so had it in the cockpit with me today catching rays. Theres a good looking swell coming out of the NW so somethings coming. Maybe I’ll get
something tonight.
Not much more to say really. I know I said I would rejoice in the next calm
I got, but tis very very dull.
Hopefully have some better news tomorrow.
L.
Day 12
N35.40.01 W057.50.98
Wind F4 W Heading 075T
Shit Shit SHIT.
And again, sailing pleasently along at 2100 after a day of gusty wind that
had made progress slow and annoying. I retired, having been up the night
before was feeling tierd but happy that the worst had passed and that the
sailing was good.
Or so I thought. 0100 and having left full main up we we’re very much over
pressed again, nothing for it I went forward, tried to pull in a reef and
failed, so just dropped the canvas to the deck (well, on, in, and around the
mast, deck and spreaders) and ran downwind at 7kts! under bare poles.
Totally soaked through again, the novelty had worn off, I wasn’t scared or in awe of the situation,
just pissed off, cold and wet. At some point during all this the masthead
windex was distroyed and the navigation light lense spun round, it now miss
reads and if I happen upon any ships in the night I’ll have to radio them my
position and heading so they don’t get confused.
By 0230 I was able to see the sea again as the blackness had lifted and felt
confident enough to run up the motor and turn into the swell to reset the
main, with a single reef again we resumed course and setting the hydrovane
on the wind I went to bed. During the night I got up to check things were ok
but I didn’t change my course, just left it. By dawn this morning we were
two points east of north and a new sun was rising, the first sunshine I’ve
seen in 3 days. With in half an hour I had all canvas flying and for an hour
or so we had great sailing in an easterly direction. All was forgiven, it
was fabulas even though it only lasted a short time, it’s what I’m out here
for.
Now, the winds have built again and verred to WSW. Full mainsail only and
trucking along just north of east. The Azores is only a day sail due north
to
it’s Latitude so now I’m above N35 I’m happy to sail due east as long as the
winds let me. Although Ideally I should be a degree or two higher, for the
time being, after the last few days, I’m happy to take it a bit easier. If I
run out of wind I wont lament the fact I’ve been becalmed, I’ll rejoice in
it.
Saw a Turtle today, very cool, very green, and a pod of 12 Dolphin, very
cool, very grey.
L.