Madeira Crossing 34:19.6N 13:51.4Wv

Serenity of Swanwick
Phil and Sarah Tadd
Fri 9 Oct 2015 10:23
24 hours of change. 140 miles to go. Yesterday saw us trying to keep Serenity moving along. Not long after daybreak the winds went light again and we were back to the poled out Genoa but by 14.00 even that was too heavy to catch the wind so we changed to the Cruising chute and still made progress at 2 - 4 knots. The worst thing with the heavy sails and light wind is the rolling and the slatting of the sails with the attendant vibration though the mast and hull. The chute carried us along until supper time when, not wanting the hassle of taking it down in the dark, we went back to full sails and by 21.00 no wind at all! Glassy sea with the stars reflected in the surface, what a lot of stars. Decision made to use some diesel and motor on in absolute calm. About 04.30 Phil made the classic error of seeing a bright light apparently coming up astern of us kept a check on its bearing to make sure it was not a boat on a collision course with us only to realise that it was Venus rising.
Back to sailing by 07.00 and reefed down by 10!
Stunning sunset, moonrise and sunrise.

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