Position                18:37.947 N 032:18.09 W

Date                     2359 (UTC) Sunday 05 March 2017

Distance run          in 24hrs 144nm over the ground, 149nm through the water

Passage total         1,995nm over the ground, 1,914nm through the water

Distance to go       1,652nm

Planned distance    Ascension to the Azores west around the high 3,666nm

 

We have covered rather more distance today and for the first time on this passage our distance for the day through the water is greater than over the ground, i.e. we have had the overall effect of an adverse current.  All of this has been at the expense of a very bumpy day as the wind has gradually become more easterly putting the swell more on the nose.  At midnight we had to ease off the wind to steer at 50 degrees to the wind in an attempt to reduce the slamming; this was successful for the time being. The weather forecast indicates that we will have to take avoiding action to get around the weather systems developing in front of and between us and the Azores.  The advice that we are receiving from Alex is invaluable.

 

And now for the challenge.  Enough of this ‘namby pamby’ oh dear the kitchen is so hot.  Try it on a sailing boat bouncing up and down with the cooker gimballed and swinging to and fro to 20 degrees off the horizontal.  Then see if your meringues rise! The only satisfaction might be that the judges were sea sick.  Now that would make good television.