Position                    02:31.19 N 024:19.89 W

Date                         2359 (UTC) Saturday 25 February 2017

Distance run             in 24hrs 134nm over the ground, 126nm through the water

Passage total            887nm over the ground, 825nm through the water

Distance to go          2,735nm

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

(Yesterday's Passage total should have read 753nm to go and not 653nm)

 

We managed one hour of sailing at a reasonable speed and half an hour limping along at 2 knots before we recognised that we had not broken out of the ITCZ and put the engine back on.  For the remainder of the day it was a diet of incessant drizzle and rain indispersed with thunder, lightening and tropical downpours.  At least, the rain was warm on the rare occasions that I had to go out in it.  There appeared to be three different swell patterns running which produced a very random chop that bounced the boat about.  It was with great relief that at about 1900 the rain cleared but with a very overcast  sky dusk fell early.  Towards midnight the wind started to fill in from the NNE and it looked as if sailing was a definite possibility.  The cockpit furnishings are decidedly damp.  We hope tomorrow provides some sunshine to properly dry things out.  Despite the damp the hard top and side panels provide great protection from the rain and the order of dress remains "beach dress".  Elizabeth raided her freezer supplies for dinner - 1 of 17 - boeuf stroganoff.