The first 24 hours, is it always the same?

Latitude: 16 42.137N     Longitude: 26 30.688W Saturday 3 December 2022

Now that is the question? Getting ready for a long passage is always the same, busy busy, hustle bustle as you get stores on board, check and double check, get the latest weather forecast, check out of customs and marina….. then you leave and the world changes.

For me there is an emotional response to leaving land, I always like to say goodbye to family and friends, not sure it’s quite the same for the skipper? There is also excitement about the adventure ahead, what will it bring? But, there is also anxiety, will everything on the boat work? Will everything go to plan? C

We slipped our lines at 10.45 local time, UTC -1 (officially or GMT if you are old fashioned or Zulu if in military and as we like to call it onboard!). It was a tricky mooring down wind, with stern lines tied onto mooring buoys, we needed the help of the marina staff to slip. Once underway, our first issue was the ships log, a through hull fitting with a little paddle wheel, that gives our speed through the water and distance run. It was not working. So, it was up with the sole boards, empty the bilge, remove the through hull fitting….. water everywhere in bilge, clean log, replace…. Clean up Araggghhh…. Not an easy job, one you don’t know will happen until you start to move and very inconvenient!

We knew we’d have strong wind through the island’s acceleration zone, we’d heard stories of 35 knots and accidental gybes! Our plan was simple, a well reefed head sail and no booms out until we were well clear. That part worked a treat, but out beyond the islands, throughout the night the wind has been fickle. So much for the 15 to 20knots of the steady trade winds; the wind had swung wildly through about 100 degrees, our track looks like it could have been made by the proverbial ‘drunken sailor’. Very slow and frustrating. Coupled with the fact neither Greg or I sleep well on a first night at sea and to cap it all…. It rained, yes rained this morning. Hey ho, life on the ocean  wave.

We’re pretty sure the first 24 hours is always the same :)

Distance run 100nm….. wind due to die overnight, it could be a long passage! 

Yours aye

Greg and Sue xx