Position                    32:58.70 N 024:29.20 W

Date                        2359 (UTC) Wednesday 15 March 2017

Distance run              in 24hrs 130nm over the ground, 128nm through the water

Passage total            3,328nm over the ground, 3,241nm through the water

Distance to go          300nm    This is our direct routing.  The actual distance may be longer as we are forced west of our destination

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

(Yesterdays entry was of course day 24 and not day 23 as written.  It comes of writing the entry at 0400 having just got up)

 

It turned into a sunny day which produced some welcome warmth.  The nights are now decidedly chilly, even with our well protected cockpit fleeces and many layers are the order of dress for the nights.  The wind dropped down to s mere 14 knots in the middle of the day which allowed an excursion onto the foredeck to replace the drive belt in the genoa furler.  Full foul weather gear was required but very little water came over the deck during this operation and we now have a fully working genoa again which has improved our speed, especially in the lighter wind.  As night fell the wind rose again and we finished the day with six hours of 24 knoits across the deck and an increasing swell from the north east.  The wind has backed round towards the north which means that we cannot lay the direct course to our destination and are heading to the west of it.  Mr Murphy's Law applies as usual and we will continue to follow the wind at 45 degrees starboard tack, hopefully it will veers back towards the NE tomorrow.  The other notable success of the day was the baking of a loaf.  Our last bread rolls purchased in the NAAFI on Ascension Island was eaten with bacon and egg for lunch.  We dread to think what the preservative was in the bread but it tasted OK and has lasted very well, with some help from the rapidly emptying freezer.  Tonight further empting of said freezer occurred with a really great bolognaise.