Over half-way 1200 nm to go to Antigua 20 30.57N 38 20.90W

Barada
Paul Downie
Tue 11 Dec 2007 12:05
Since we have hit the 35 degree west the seas have become a lot calmer, however the weather has been squally. We are having to constantly mnitor the windspeed because of the dramatic changes that can occur within seconds from 12knots up to 25 knots, so we are having to look out onto the horizon especially at night when we have been caught 'with our trousers down'! The winds have sneaked up behind us and given us a big shock. So again it still makes for exciting sailing and we cannot relax and have 2b vigilant 24 hrs a day. Because of this it is tiring and at times our off-watches are disturbed to assist the on-watch - seeing there is only 2 of us we have more disrupted sleep than normal.
Temperature is warmer and we get longer sunnier periods through the day, so we have the sense that we are now heading towards the sunny Caribbean.
We have had to jibe a number of times due to windshifts to maintain an approximate course of 270-280 degrees. And as Paul keeps saying 'go West Barada, go West'.