(Blog No.29) It's very rough out here!
Catou
Paul and Sylvie Tucker
Mon 29 Nov 2010 16:46
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20:30.57N
24:50.02W
Monday 29th November
Noon Position: 20deg 30'N 24deg
50'W
Daily Run: 80'
Av. Speed: 3.2 Knots
Total Average: 4.35 Knots
Total Distance covered: 839'
Total distance to go: 2108'
Saying for the day: 'A man is not finished when he
loses the battle, a man is finished when he gives up'
(Sounds fairly appropriate in our current situation
actually!)
Well, we hove to at 1800 last night and spent a more
comfortable night drifting downwind while the gale continued. It was very
frustrating, but the earlier sailing yesterday was too much for both boat and
us. The fact that two items had sheared was enough to justify our decision
to heave to. We all slept well, though watches were boring! At
1045 this morning it seemed that the wind and sea had abated a little so we set
the genoa (well reefed still) and with 3 reefs in the main we decided, on the
basis of the next GRIB forecast to head south. The wind is SW'ly 5-6
still, so we are still taking a pounding, but at least we are moving - and at
about 6 knots. The weather pattern has been so irregular for
this time of year that we are better to get south according to the latest met
info. We expect this gale to ease tonight, and though the winds will still
be SW'ly, they are expected to be much lighter. By Wed the wind should go
right around to NE - where it should have been all along.
With everything closed down, it is VERY hot, sticky and
humid down below decks, so sleep is difficult.
We are currently heading SSE (that's as close as the
wind will allow us to sail due south), so the map will have a bit of a kink in
our course, but we must now get south while we can.
Best wishes from us all.
Paul, Sylvie and Ben
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