Entering the Tropics 16.53.00N 25.00.00W
 05.11.2009
13.30 p.m.
Fishing boat sighted, the only vessel seen so far. It looked like a large tuna
fishing boat, there were plenty of them around Madeira and the Canaries. It came
reasonably close enough to us for us to see that it was bright red but then
veered off to the North East. It could have been from Morocco, Canaries, West
Africa or Cape Verdes, wherever it was from it was a long way out.
23.50 p.m.
Crossed the Tropic of Cancer.
This 21.00 to
01.00 hours watch was hateful for us. Not long after I went to bed there was
lots of noise: screeching winches, flapping and thrashing head sail, stomping up
and down the deck, smacking of ropes against the coach roof and deck. After
deciding to pole out the jib, Chris tried to furl it in ready for deck work but
the roller furling gear was jammed and could not be freed. Later, on inspection,
there was nothing wrong with the reefing drum (relief) so must be the swivel at
the top. The sail would have to come down! Fortunately the winds were reasonably
light, which is why we needed the jib pole on in the first place, so we were
able to leave it until daylight and tolerated the occasional grand
flap.
06.11.2009
01.00 a.m. -
05.00 a.m. Sails behaved and wind continued light so no concerns about the head
sail during this watch. It is very gradually getting hotter as we plough south
so I am making bread at night now when it is cooler, tonight's batch will be
something nice for the skipper to wake up to after his nasty head sail
incident.
2.40 a.m. Half way to Cape Verdes, light sailing at 5 knots.
9.00 a.m. We tackled the head sail and roller furling. I eased the halyard and jib sheet as Chris yanked the sail on deck, the boat rolled about just under main sail so we changed course to calm the motion. He swiveled the swivel and it was fine, he concluded that the halyard had caught on it when it was under tension and attempting to furl it in under winch. With these winds and the heavy movement from the massive swell everything is put under pressure. The drum was rewound by Chris whilst sitting on the foredeck then I hauled the halyard as he fed the luff of the sail into the track and hey presto everything works. The boat was put back on course and the jib poled out, we are now careering along at 6 knots as the wind has increased with the day.
11.30 a.m. Day's run 136 miles. The wind has been a very constant East North East but varying between forces 3, 3-4 and 4-5 over the last 24 hours. At the moment we have a force 4 so have gained speed as it was force 3 from yesterday afternoon to this morning and we are 8 miles down on our days run compared with yesterday and the day before. We need to make this up plus a bit more if we are to arrive at Mindelo in daylight.
13.00 p.m. Since passing the Tropic of Cancer the sky has been full of cloud, great billowing trade wind cumulus with wispy high stratus above it. It hasn't felt remarkably hotter although it is consistently warm. It is nice to have cold drinks available, last time we did this trip we had no fridge and had to hang bottles or cans in string bags over the side and into the water to cool them a little. We got used to everything being warm, even the beer
It's lunch time,
no warm beer today.
07.11.2009 00.15 a.m. 500 miles, hurray!
02.30 a.m. Just had quite a run of 7.8 knots which should help us make up our lost miles on the last day's run. A gleam of white in the cockpit, something must have fallen in the great swinging motion, pick it up, it is the shining belly of a largish flying fish – great, into the bucket until daylight.
09.30 a.m. This morning the deck was glittering with scales, mainly from
rather small suicide pilots but there were 2 more big ones so lunch is planned
and with no effort at all! The smaller bodies were consigned to the deep,
hopefully they will feed something, the decks and the cockpit were
swabbed.
11.30 a.m. Day's run 152 miles, this has exactly made up our 8
miles down on yesterday's run. Should this speed continue, we have been doing up
to 8 knots at times, then we shall arrive at Mindelo in daylight which we
really, really want to do.
14.00 p.m. The flying fish, just grilled, were very good with bread and
tomatoes.
14.38 p.m. 600 miles in 99 hours, excellent. If these trade winds settle in and we can achieve these speeds when crossing from Cape Verdes to Barbados it will take about 14 - 15 days which would be really great. We set sail for the Caribbean on 17th November so we shall see.
15.30 p.m. A great pod of glorious dolphins have joined us, they are playing in the bow wave and diving in front of the boat so close that it seems they must get hit but, of course, these fabulously athletic acrobats are so fast that they are past and back again before the eye can blink. Their antics are very entertaining for a good half hour then they are off into the distance.
17.15 p.m. Evening is here, the time when the clouds darken and the sky
looks dramatic. It is very peaceful apart from boat noises. There have been
flying fish all around during the day. Three, travelling at very high speed
through the air, were pursued by a shearwater which dived into the water after
them as they dived. Not sure if this was a hunt and have never heard of or seen
this before so would be interested to hear from anyone who knows
more.
08.11.2009
01.40 a.m. We know that we shall definitely arrive in daylight as we have only 69 miles to go now having thundered along for hours on end. The waves are very high and very long so we reach really high speeds going down them, just like surfing
08.45 a.m. Put the clocks back one hour as Cape Verdes are on Universal Time.
09.45 a.m. Land Ahoy, Sao Antao and Sao Vincente have loomed into view on the horizon through a wrapping of mist and haze. 728 miles and just 27 more to go, the last few dozen always seem to drag.
11.30 a.m. 156 miles final full days run, an average of 6.5 knots which is very pleasing.
15.00 p.m. Arrive in Mindelo, 755 miles from El Hierro, Canary Islands with an average speed of 6.1 knots.
The land is high and craggy. There is a small high island with lighthouse at the harbour entrance, the lighthouse doesn't work! The bay of Mindelo is a beautiful landfall, a low wide scoop, a truly natural harbour very well protected all around by high spiky hills and the long sloping Monte Verde (which actually isn't very green). We pass small ships that have seen better days, a really monstrous trimaran that looks straight from an 007 movie and the anchorage with about 15 yachts including 2 Brits. We decide to go into the marina because we know that clearing in will be a bureaucratic and time consuming business. The marina guy is helpful getting us moored up quite close to the office, showers etc. so we are fine but then realise it is Sunday so immigration and maritime police offices, even the marina office are closed. We cannot go ashore but have to stay under the fluttering yellow quarantine flag until tomorrow. Oh well, we are very tired anyway and we need to clear the decks and cabins a bit after our trip. Inevitably we get the knock on the hull from someone who wants to do our laundry, get our shopping, be our guide and anything else that will turn up an escudo. All in good time.
The marina is almost exclusively full of French yachts with one British
but from Gibraltar and the boat, also a Beneteau Oceanis but bigger than us, is
up for sale; the large and rocking steel boat next to us is Belgian. The Belgian
and 7 of the French boats are off to Senegal tomorrow in a traditional French
yachting rally, they are a jolly lot and obviously enjoy themselves whether on
land or sea. As we fall into drowsy lethargy we hear them going ashore for the
evening amid various ribald laughter.
The town is a scatter of colourful buildings and there is a constant breeze which builds to quite a wind during the afternoon but drops off later in the evening. It is nice to be still, we shall sleep very well indeed. |
