Position 34:34.71N 075:21.86W
Date 2359 Tuesday 24 April 2012
Currently no sun shining through as it is midnight and we are two hours
short of rounding Cape
Hatteras but it certainly
did during the day. We are however definitely riding a good following sea and
for the last 6 hours we have once again been getting a lift from the north
going Gulf Stream, at times as much as 3 knots of current as the Stream heads
closer in around Cape Hatteras.
This is definitely 24 hours of Capes; Cape
Fear, Cape
Lookup and Cape Hatteras.
Each one has a fearsome reputation and or is being given a berth of at least
10nm. Cape Fear
we did not notice but Cape Lookout was
noticeable with an increase in wave height for an hour or so. Watch this space
for Cape Hatteras.
The wind has held from the west to north west throughout the day with the
strength going from 14 to 23 knots with the odd gust to entertain. The rig for
overnight was a bit of everything, the staysail ketch rig really comes into its
own in these conditions and triple reefed everything is currently giving a comfortable
boat speed of 7.5 knots and 10.5 knots over the ground.
One of the features of sailing along the edge of the Gulf
Stream is the lightening. We experienced this in spectacular form
when we crossed from Bermuda to the Chesapeake
in May last year, passing through the eye of it. Each night there has been a
constant series of lightening flashes coming from over the eastern horizon as
though from a heavy naval bombardment.
Catering this evening was a well deserved cop out, a most excellent
ready made lasagne from Charleston.
Days run, 171nm through the water, 192nm over the ground in good
sunshine – a cracking good days sail and excellent progress. The
downside is that it has driven a coach and horses through the planning speed of
6 knots and a daylight end of passage. Must not complain though!
