Tuesday 9th of May
Awelina of Sweden
James Collier
Tue 9 May 2017 17:22
The awaited high pressure has arrived and the wind has reduced to only F2 - 3 and veered to the SSW so we’re on a broad reach on the great circle course to Horta. All as expected albeit about 12 hours after the time we’d thought. Last night was very pleasant, and it’s fine now but the sails are slatting a bit. We’re too purist to start the engine - at least for now - but our speed is only 3 knots or so. Sufficiently slow that James had a swim at lunchtime.
More shipping is around as we’re on a standard route from the gulf of Mexico to the Azores and English Channel, but none has yet come closer than a couple of miles. A yacht passed us last night, under engine, but no other yachts have been sighted.
The nights are much colder now and we need blankets and jumpers, but this is a plus after so long in the tropics. The sun is also lower in the sky even at mid day so the 3 x daily sun sights are back on the routine.