BVIs to the Azores - Day Eighteen 37 00.249N 033 57.993W
Aurora_b
Mike and Liz Downing
Sat 14 Jun 2014 20:33
I wanted at least another 100 miles under sail before the wind dropped out and we got almost precisely that, being able to sail between 3.5 and 6kts from about 15.00 yesterday until 09.00 today. So we're a little happier that we'll have enough fuel to motor most of today and tomorrow if necessary. The engine went on at 09.00 this morning when the wind dropped right down, just as forecast. However, at 15.10 the engine went off and we're sailing again, making 3 to 4kts, so hope this light wind continues and is enough to keep sailing. While we're keen to get in, we're in no great rush now. It was very important that we got well clear of the Caribbean area before the hurricane season started. We should now be sufficiently far east that if an early hurricane does occur then we should be well out of it's potential track north.
It's getting colder - shoes and socks are back on at night! That's the first time since well before St Helena. We're used to bare feet on the boat and much prefer it, and despite the risk, neither of us has stubbed our toes on our boat (I did on another boat when rafted up in Mauritius). The duvet is now back on the bed and we have several layers of clothes on when on watch at night to keep warm.
Just had a couple of dolphins visit, but not for long. We're probably going too slow for them to have any fun bow riding. However, we were going fast enough to pass a tern standing on a bit of floating polystyrene! As I write we have 254 miles to go.
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