18 57N 022 59W
Fair Do's VII, Atlantic 2008....
Professor John Shepherd
Thu 27 Nov 2008 06:23
|
Hi
Current position:
18 57.1N 022 59.1W
Wind:
14knots 057
Boatspeed:
10.7
heading has been around 280-285 since our gybe. We
could sail deeper but not in this sea state, at night, with the A3, which
we changed to as we were worried about blowing A2 in this difficult sea state -
very dark, big cross swell and waves, really unpredictable and difficult to
steer to, means safely it is really impossible to go low....
Range:
Wind 13-16 42-095
Seemingly breeze was trending left @ 2020
time, so we took the opportunity to gybe (Note: True wind direction
was approximately 075 pre-gybe and then flicked to 045 after the gybe - we
therefore believe our TWD is not callibrated correctly so I guess you need to
take some of that info with a pinch of salt). It must be in region of 050 if our
interpretation of likely TWA (from estimation bearing in mind strength, SOG and
boatspeed are to be believed). This may account however between some consistent
discrepancy between forecast direction and actual direction assumed from our
instruments since leaving GC.
Clear skies-little cloud
Making good progress towards NW Cape Verde. One
yacht crossed us going south about 3 miles away, ideally we will also need to
gybe at some point to get further south to follow your suggestions, do we do
this early and nibble a bit more south but risk a hot angle in more breeze to
get round Cape Verde tomorrow, or do we plug away on Starboard - do we risk
running out of pressure? Interestingly we are sailing straight down bearing to
St Lucia (pretty quickly) I assume it still looks worth going South again? This
is a difficult call as it seems like going Souht we weill be left with a
decision of when to come back picking a gybe angle for a mark 2000
miles away, when our angles are a challenge (particularly in the bigger seas).
Thoughts?
On the positive side morale remains high, the
wildlifefest continues flying fish now appear keen to regularly jump aboard
(hitting crew in various places) and our dolphin/turtle count rises by the day -
we are now looking for Whales (the animal- nav has not let us down that badly!).
Lancahsire hotpot went down a storm, no more fresh food left now and no milk
(which ran out approx 48 hours ago) much to everybody's dismay, we thinkt here
is UHT somewhere but boat is so ladened with food and water we can't find
it....
Signing off.......
|