27⁰ 35.41 N 65⁰ 01.73 W
Distance covered in 24 hrs 125 Nautical Miles
Heading: Somewhere Northish depending on wind
Had a vey slow and quiet night as can be seen by the 24hour distance; down from the heady heights of 176 to the lower level of 125, Uck!.
This morning the sea was so calm, it was like a mirror and this is the Atlantic, unbelievable, no doubt it will have the last say and sometime during this trip we will have a force 9 down our throats! still it is nice ,albiet slow, whilst it lasts.
This morning was about chores, Andrew topped up the fuel tank, Chris poured over weather forecasts and listened too everybodys interpretation of the forecasts, but still no wind. We do have a series of plans depending on how and where the wind comes, or not!.
Fishing, still no results other than much weed.
Anyway we decided as we wernt going anywhere we had BBC, the first this trip. For any new comers to our website, BBC is simple, we stop and watch a Bond film with a can Beer and a packet of Crips, though on this occasion it was over the lunch period so we added a sandwich!
A couple of observations from Chris:
As noted above, I have now well and truly been indoctrinated into the AC way of doing things!! BBC has started with the very first Bond film (Dr No) which is the one where Ursula Andress pops up out of the sea – a defining moment in my formative years!!!
It looks like we might have a couple of ‘lively’ days from a weather perspective but is our skipper phased??
Oh no, the main consideration is whether to bake a loaf or blueberry muffins tomorrow!!
We have about 240nM to go to Bermuda but the various forecasts are suggesting that the wind will increase and be on the nose – no different here than any other sailing then!!!
Another little expression on AC for tea is MT or TT. The first one is Man’s Tea, and the second (you know the funny smell one) is Tart’sTea. You may be mildly interested to know that we are firmly MTs!!
After listening to the afternoon net and talked to boats father upthan us,we have a prospect of heavy rain and 20knot and gusting winds, so up went the hood, down went the cusions and books etc, hatched battend down and the main furled, so we travel with the engine on as we are waiting for the wind, expecting the worst: still we will know if we were right by morning!
Firstly around 2100hrs we saw the black clouds gathering to the west and even awaterspout, it looked likea vortex of water spirialing up high into the sky, an amazing site.
Well it all let loose around 2200hrs, Chris and Andrew in their bunks, wind shlot up 20 knots plus and the rain poured down, no time to do upmy anorak, soaked to the skin andI needed help as the wind gusted toi 29 knots. Up they came,we spiled some main and reefed it more.adjusted the staysail and eventually brought her into a more stable situation. Unfortunatly as usual we couldn’tmake our heading as the wind was straight on the nose and the, waves were around 3 metes and breaking into our bow, so we were all up all night and very uncomfortable it was.
To add to the problem we came upon a commercial bulk tanker travelling accrfoss our path, west to east. b The first ship we had seen all trip and what a time to find her especially as she was going at her own pace and we didn’tknow she had sen us. For safety sake we had to channge course which under these conditions was not the easiest thing to do. Anyway she slowly passed us and wewent on our bunpy, slow way.
Dawn arrived a little after 0500 hrs, rain stoppede, wind easier butseat state rough as we are still suffering from 3 meter waves.
We are all OK and taking in our stride though Anam Cara haw thrown many things out of the cupboards!