Azores to UK - update

Stargazer of Southampton
Susie and Adam (both think they are skipper)
Sat 7 Jul 2012 14:42
 
 
07.07:12, 40:53.05N 23:52.66W

Still slow progress on a grey sea under a uniformly grey sky!  At least we got some wind yesterday morning so have sailed past 24 hours but now the engine has gone on again for a bit – never mind at least we get some hot shower water.  Saw some dolphins being ‘proper dolphins’ yesterday – jumping out of the water.  Almost a fuel crisis yesterday – all our ‘spare’ fuel is in jerry cans attached to the guardrails with bungi’s.  Over the course of the passage to the Azores the bungi’s seem to have stretched somewhat with the strain of holding all that fuel – one escaped onto the deck yesterday and the others were close – Adam has now tied them all on with a very long piece of rope, although at this rate we will be able to put all the fuel in the main tank soon anyway.

Apart from that it’s probably going to be all upwind sailing on bouncy sea for the next 5 days or so which has not made sleeping too easy –I am sure we will be tired enough soon to sleep no matter what.

 

... now writing this a bit later after managing to get a good 3 hour sleep this morning so feeling much better.  The sky has brightened a bit and we have sunshine and light wind, but at least enough wind to sail by.  Latest news is that Adam has seen a whale – well, he’s seen a whale blow anyway.  It was quite a long way away and he only saw it as it was highlighted against the dark clouds on the horizon – big column of spray looking like smoke, the only thing it can have been given the size is a Blue whale or Fin Whale as Blue Whales blow a cloud of spray 6 – 9 metres into the air (Fin a little less).  That is what the book says anyway.  It is Blue Whale seeing season around the Azores at this time.