Hello All,

 

Another fine day on the Atlantic Ocean. The weather today is actually quite nice. We’re bombing along with a SSW wind just able to give us the perfect course to steer, we have convincingly left both 50 degrees north and 30 degrees west behind us. Since last we spoke we have been quite busy, sponging out the last of the water from the bilges and drying out the sails. We had the cruising chute up again yesterday for a few hours. That gave us a few extra precious miles. Last night the wind died however and we chose to use a few litres of diesel motoring for some of it. Thankfully about 4 am the wind came back and we have been closed hauled to it ever since.

 

I saw a couple of phantom dolphins last night. There was particularly good phosphorescence and I saw 2 ghostly dolphin shapes swimming towards us, their passage marked by the water lighting up around them. A very lovely sight.

 

We were passed by 2 merchant ships within 24 hours just over a day ago, and no more since.  It seems likely that we crossed a sipping route, but neither of us know much about where these are (note to look this up at another time).  We are likely to cross shipping again at out next major point – just below the ice limit.  With blue skies this afternoon we have seen a lot of high up flights too – it was too grey to spot these in earlier days.

 

Surprisingly we are continuing to see plenty of bird life, of more than one species, though I have no idea what some of them are. Must ask Sheila about that when I get back.

 

Otherwise, all’s well here.

 

Hamsi

 

48:59.28N 30:39.18W