Meeting the US Navy
Ajwanderlust
Sun 23 Jun 2019 07:17
166 miles sailed. Friday midday to evening spent with steady southwest breeze and aj makes distance east north east. Then a two hour very favourable wind shift to south and aj powers up the rhumbline. them flukey winds which go southeast to east to east northeast before settling again south west. Through the night we go mostly east with the increasing wave state making north progress difficult. At 4 am AJ reefs and gybes. We have a visual on another boat but she is not visible on AIS. At 0530 am the ship calls AJ on vhf radio and requests a one mile clearance. I say have I visual but can't locate on AIS. Ship says AIS is off. I ask if vessel is a fishing. g boat. She ìs not. i advise we are racing in AZAB and suggest without AIS difficult to know distance and suggest other ship keep eyes on AJ and hail back if any issue. I fail during the exchange to note the perfect american accent. The ship ventures close. Dear lord I have just told a navy ship to divert course!. I hope he enjoyed AJ sail graphic of bald eagle and american flag.
By noon on Saturday it is time to unfurl sails. We unfurl main and suddenly jib is unfurled too. The jib furl line has again chafed through. A quick rethread allows at least half jib to be furled. That will be sufficient based on met office weather forecast. As of Saturday afternoon AJ is sailing fast.