Day 18, Antigua to Portsmouth

Telefonica Black
Lance Shepherd
Thu 30 Apr 2020 22:12
48:22.32N
012:29.34W
 
 
The trip meter says we have been at this for 18 days and 10 hours. 3400 miles completed and roughly 450 to go.
Last night was a rough one and we are now in the place a big blow leaves behind......no wind and big seas!
 
Last night we were in full storm mode, tri sail, storm jib and warps out the back to try and control the boat down the huge waves. The main bit of the blow passed us about midnight last night, the team did an amazing job on the helm. Elliott did come flying off a wave at 27 knots at one point, which caused a hold your breath moment! But with the reduced sail plan everything else was much calmer.
Since then we have been bobbing around not quite going in the correct direction quite slowly! We also have 2 big windholes over the next 3 days and some headwinds, so our arrival may be a day later than expected.
I think its fair to say everyone would like to be home now, this trip is taking a wee bit longer and is ALOT colder than we all imagined. However I hope when we look back at some of the amazing footage from last night with the huge rollers, its with fond memories.......type 2 fun! 
 
Love to all at home
 
p.s. ohhhh we have just found out we have been mentioned in the German newspapers for bringing one of their citizens home! I wonder how many other countries will feature us as we are bringing home a very international team of stranded crew!
French, Swiss, German, Polish, Dutch, Slovakian, Canadian (but lives in the Isle of Wight) and the other 5 of us are from the UK.