36:20:12N 45:29:54W
Boatannie
Fri 25 May 2012 16:02
|
A rather bumpy night but at least the wind kept up.
The morning bought a break in the cloud and some sunshine. The last 48 hours
have been good for us; while other friendly skippers on boats ahead of us have
emailed reports of deep windless holes we have kept going steadily, averaging 6
knots. We are currently 700 miles from Flores, which we hope to get to if the
engine is working and it's daylight when we arrive, otherwise we'll head
off to Horta, another 100 miles.The wind has come around so it looks as though
we will have to gybe to get up to the Azores.
We now have the diversion of seeing quite a lot of
shipping, most of it heading SW and I'm finding that you meet the most
interesting cast of characters on an ocean cruise, even on a small boat such as
this. Yesterday, for example, I saw Basil Fawlty tied to the
mast and releasing a stream of expletive laden invective against the rams horns.
Luckily, there was no tree close by otherwise it would undoubtedly
have been stripped of its branches in order to give the boom a good
lashing. Then we had Gordon Ramsey in the galley - more purple invective against
inanimate objects, although I do think I caught a glimpse of Mother Theresa down
there too. The previous evening Ernest Hemmingway could be found perched on the
stern puffing away on a big Cuban cigar and looking very
contented.
It's a lovely fresh sunny afternoon now but
generally it's been getting rather chilly and grey hereabouts. The blue ocean
has given way to the more sombre hues of the North, flying fish have been left
behind and the sun now rises over the bow in the morning. Talk is increasingly
about loved ones and home.
Peter
|
