Quick Update: Friday 2nd May
Tashi Delek
Mike & Carol Kefford
Sat 3 May 2014 00:40
Day 17. This is significant because our transatlantic passage took 17 days
from Cape Verde to Antigua. We are now therefore 4 hours over our previous
record - and counting.
Miles run:
Day 16 - 128
Day 17 - 103 Grrrr.
717 miles left to run.
Neither day particularly good but 103 nm is really feeble and entirely due
to the squalls. In fact our poor performance over the last two days has
been due to a series of squalls which have meant that we have had to -
change direction to try and avoid when possible, slow down to try to avoid
when possible, slow down to absorb the higher winds if we couldn't avoid
them. So some of the miles that we have done have been in the wrong
direction. In addition the winds in between the squalls have been very
inconsistent, 8 knots to 38 knots within five minutes was the best. This
means that we have the sails set to deal with the stronger winds so when
they vanish the boat barely moves. A couple of the squalls brought
torrential, torrential rain for 45 to 90 minutes. The good thing is that
there has not been any thunder and lightning and only one had particularly
strong winds. More good news is that Tashi Delek has had a fantastic rinse
and the caked on accumulation of salt has now gone. When a wave broke on
the side and sent a goodly amount of spray straight at Carol on the helm she
was pleased to note that the sea is considerably warmer than the rain.
The not so great part is that these highly variable conditions, coupled with
a confused sea that thumps from different directions from time to time, mean
that one or other of us has to be standing over the helm pretty much all the
time so by the time we have also slept, prepared food, had a shower, eaten
food and cleared up there is no time left to read or even have much of a
chat.
Things are settling now though and we are back to both being able to do
something other than helm. Hopefully things will stay this way at least
overnight so that we can do our three hours on and off without having to get
up during our three hours sleep in order to help out on deck.
Pizza for lunch, bread and flapjacks currently in the oven and our new found
passion for Angel Delight is indulged every few days.