Enroute Ireland 40:24.921N 26:25.697W
Henrywood
Melvin Magnall
Mon 29 Jun 2009 08:20
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0300 hrs. Monday 29th and smooth sailing just N.
of the Azores.
Just another Monday, but for us it's the start
of week six in our adventure.
The last 30 hrs. were interesting to say the
least with nature throwing everything at us and that's why I haven't been able
to keep you up to date.
 Our last days in Horta were spent looking
around, chatting with fellow sailors also on there way back to the UK, and
getting a few extra provisions.
  Quite elaborate designs in the sidewalks
 .
 Painting the boats name, on anything that doesn't move
is a tradition around here and the saying is that to do so insures a safe
passage home!
I passed a store with many interesting pictures
of flying boats and got to thinking the early 1900s must have been quite an
interesting time here with the Trans-Atlantic cable going through here and all
the flying boats stopping here for re-fuelling.
We slipped our moorings here at Horta at 0730
Saturday morning in scattered overcast and a slight breeze in the perfect
direction for pushing our bow around in the marina.
 The route took us by the volcano on Pico Island
who's top is mostly covered in cloud.
 Pico from the fort at Horta
The inhabitants of Pico seem to all live around
the waters edge and looking back
there I was reminded of Vesuvius and the horrid
images on Pompeii.
We motored northerly past Sao Jorge, and
Graciosa before setting course for Ireland
And where do you think the wind was? That's
right on the nose. By 1900 we were able to get under sail in light
winds from the S.E. Terceira our original
docking now 40 mls to the E.S.E.
0400 Mon took another reef in the main and
shortened the Jib up to a hanky as the winds freshened and the
rain started and it went downhill from there. We
motored into the North Easter taking 2 hour turns on the helm. We
did
have company, however, with the yachts
Reverie and Brimble in the area talking to us. About what you ask? What else the
weather
 Skipper at his favourite task (Reefing
in) not.
Winds to go North at 1800 and West 12 hours
later. All has come to pass and we're now under sail with 3 reefs in and a
shortened jib doing about 5kts and the right direction
WHOOPEE!!!
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