DAY 17
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14:34.9N 57:57.5W One notable feature of crossing the Atlantic at this time
of year is the ever threatening presence of squalls. These can sneak up on you
very quickly, travelling at great speed, sometimes carrying rain but always with
greatly increased wind speeds and changing directions. Although they can occur
day or night, they are more difficult to see at night when the radar has to
play a big part. Before the trip the four of us had agreed that we would
take down the cruising chute before nightfall as this sail is difficult at the
best of times to drop and stow away. However, the very light wind conditions
experienced this year had moved us to rescind this decision and we have flown
the cruising chute at night for at least 50% of the passage, we would probably
still have been in mid Atlantic had we not done so. Apart from the one very large rain storm that we
experienced a week or so ago we had been able to avoid these squalls, either
they passed us by or we were able to sail out of their track.......UNTIL LAST
NIGHT! After another frustratingly light wind day when we made
very slow progress, winds built a little as darkness fell and we began to make
good progress under cruising chute alone. Although there were a few small
squally areas around us we did not see the first small squall that hit us from
behind and although it made for a few uncomfortable moments it was no big deal.
The second squall was. Coming up on us very fast we had no time to douse the
cruising chute and we had to run before the winds that were blowing somewhere
between 30 and 40 knots. With all hands on deck we were able to drop the chute
but not before the madly flogging sail had chafed through its halyard. It made
for an exciting 20 minutes or so, taught us a lesson and left us without a
cruising chute for the rest of the trip as we would need to go up the mast to
run another halyard and having tried this once earlier in the trip in madly
rolling seas I'm not about to try it again. Apart from a broken halyard a general lack of sleep no
other damage was done and we are now sailing along the direct line to St Lucia
at around 6 knots and should arrive some time during daylight hours tomorrow,
fingers crossed. The following photo will give you some idea of what these
squalls look like, this one taken just after dawn today. Just as I was finishing this blog update we were hit by
two more squalls in quick succession, this time with white sails up we could
reef very quickly and easily and were able to make good progress in the strong
winds. All is now calm and sunlit skies. 170 miles to go. Bring
on the rum punch!!!
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