Had some interesting weather yesterday AM, lightning and minor squall around 0900 (managed to skirt to windward of it, on port tack). Then around 1145 - 1200 we had a big bank of ugly looking cloud ahead, we sailed high on port to get windward of it only to find the breeze completely shut off on other side. We gybed back fairly promptly, thinking breeze would re-establish NE, but had a pretty desperate spell for about 90 minutes in a very disturbed sea where we made little progress until new breeze filled in from NE. We have been on starboard since then, with a bank of cloud to leeward, at least until dark and have not been keen to gybe from an angles point of view or for fear of falling into holes within.

 

Whilst we are presetnly heading a little north, a lttle early the GRIB's don't seem to show any real penalty for doing so, and this is the making tack. We would plan to gybe if we get a shift to make it worthwhile.

 

Yesterdays positions showed reasonable gains again, but with boats from behind making progress and covering some good miles to become contenders - one would hope they will experience some of what we have encountered.....

 

Hope all is well in the cold and economic doom of UK.

 

Alison -  Hope all is well with the new arrival down in Exeter, Please can you check your e-mail for informnation related to possible flight changes for some of the crew in view of the delay and necessity to get the boat to Antigua?