Position           27:41.95N 64:33.44W

Date                2359 – 2 May 2011

Just after midnight the wind dropped to nothing and it was necessary to take in the genoa.  The wind eventually returned fitfully and had backed around to be variously on the nose or just on the port side and variable in strength.

The dawn was an interesting spectacle:

with the rain cloud competing with the sun for attention.

It is amazing how quickly things change. One hour later the wind came up and by 0800 we were hard on the wind with 24 kts across the deck. Bless M. Amel; we managed taking a reef in all three working sails in under 5 minutes single handed and without leaving the cockpit.  We continued to motor sail to try and keep the average speed up; another thing Caduceus does very well, 1250rpm makes a considerable difference.

Dinner was a highlight with chicken curry, pre-prepared, and pappadums courtesy of the microwave. 

The first night watch became somewhat hectic, approaching midnight when as is often the case everything happened at the same time.  Alice and ourselves were about 2 miles apart and 150m of ship, the Minanur Cebi, passed between us, the wind increased by 10 knots and the engine alarm went off.  I had a chat on the VHF with the duty officer on Minanur Cebi who seemed fascinated that we were out there on our own.  Post midnight relative calm gradually restored itself and we went about onto a port tack, itself something of a novelty over recent months due to our direction of travel and the prevailing easterly winds.  It does however empty accumulated odds and ends out of hiding places!

Bermuda still seems a long way away.  It is now under 300nm but that is 300nm directly to windward with no sign of the wind shifting direction for some days.