SOG 5.5kts

COG 215T

Wind circa 20kts SE

Waves 2.8m 7 seconds

If I am honest there is more worry than joy on this passage around the top of Madagascar.

It’s a normal feeling because yachties expect to be hit by big wind and waves here. The compression zone is notorious, referred to by Jimmy Cornell as the “Witches Cauldron”.

Three French Canadian guys in a Beneteau 55 came around last week in 30kts wind and 5m waves. OK not the southern Ocean but then we are cruising yachties, not racing adventurers.

So we have three reefs in the mainsail and reefed genoa to give us enough speed to ride the waves but no more. With more sail up we hit 10.8kts at one point in 25kts wind (with a big wave component, our hull speed being about 8.5kts).

At the moment we have about 20kts wind with gusts to 30kts. At least that is what the grib forecasts say. Our brand new wind instruments have packed up so we have to judge the wind the old fashioned way by the sea state and vane on the top of the mast.

Endorphin and Hecla left 24 hours after us. Endorphin at 54ft is faster than us and already only 80 miles behind.