Day 17: STT -> Azores - Back on starboard tack

Blue Note
Marco M.
Tue 14 May 2013 14:32
Date: Tuesday May 14 2013 - Time: 12:00 Blue Note Time - 10:00 EDT - 14:00 UTC
Position 34:01.84N 37:51.67W
COG 16T SOG 6.8kt, Wind 105T 19 kt, Barometer 1022.0 stable
Temperatures: Air 18.3C, Sea 12.0C
Last 24h Sailed Distance: 135 NM
Last 24h Decrease Distance on rhumb line: 71 NM
Sailed distance since departure: 2027NM
Time since departure: 17d 1h 00m
Average Speed since departure: 4.95 kt
Average VMG since departure: 4.21 kt
Average VMG last 24 hours: 2.97 kt
Intention: sail to Ponte Delgada
Distance to End on rhumb line: 634 NM
ETA: Monday May 20, 2013
Diesel consumption:
- 48 gallon left
- 58% diesel burned with 70% of passage done, ratio = 1.27
- 103 hours left motoring
- 410 range left on motoring
- Ratio of Distance_to_End/Range_on_Engine = 1.54

Yesterday evening the wind had shifted more to the east and we tack once again and are now back on starboard tack.
Is going to be a slow proceeding to the Azores since the forecast are still for East-North-East winds.
When we now get a VMG of 3.5 kt we are happy. Funny how all is relative, for other passage I would have consider a VMG less than 5.5 kt bad.

No more fishing for a while since the refrigerator is full of tuna.
Yesterday we had 1/4 as sashimi with white rice, soy sauce and wasabi.

Today we will probably try saute' tuna.

An estimate of ETA is still very difficult and not clear if we will make in time for the May 21 flight.