Position near Casablanca
Kirofbrixham
Mon 6 Oct 2008 12:03
|
Atlantic Adventure - Part 1 - Day 2. Position
33:33.882N 09:28.874W
Following the rapid exit from the Straits of
Gibraltar, we carried on sailing through the rest of the night with a following
F6-7. As we got further away from the Straits the shipping thinned out
more and more. However, on a couple of occasions Ian had to assert our
rights under the Collision Regs through the judicious use of the radar and
shining a torch at our mainsail. The first time occured when we came
across a gaggle of ships, when switching the radar on appeared to be enough to
increase our visibility and safe passage was afforded. Towards dawn, Ian
and Grame were on watch when two vertically arranged white lights came into
view. Shining the torch onto the main caused these lights to transform
into two separated white lights with a low down red - the ship passed safely
0.25nm to the east. It is comforting to know that at lease these ships
were keeping an effective watch.
As dawn broke the wind dropped and it was not too
long before the tin topsail was deployed. We continued under engine until
mid-afternoon when a NW breeze filled in and we were able to sail again.
By dusk the wind had once again dropped and we motored throughout the second
night. Mindful that we only have enough fuel for about 2 days motoring we
are now in conservation mode running the motor at 1600 rpm giving a boat speed
of around 4 kts. We are also taking every opportunity to sail, even if it
is slower than we would like.
As your Blogger-in-Chief (Graeme) writes this we
are somewhere off the coast of Africa near Casablanca making a heading of 225M
at a speed of 4 kts under Parasail having covered 253nm since Gib. After
the trials of setting a poled out jib on day 1 there was a certain amount of
caution in launching the brand new Parasail for the first time. This time
round everything worked out as planned and the sail went up without a hitch. The
next hour was spent then refining the set to maximise sail stability and boat
speed. 4 kts under sail does not sound much but it is an awful lot better
than 4 kts under engine.
As we approach 48 hours at sea, the crew is
settling into something of a rythm. During the day the chores around the
boat have to be done: checking the rigging, tidying the snake pit and trying to
keep the boat tidy and smell free. There is a rumour that the skipper may
allow the crew a shower on day 3!
Both nights have been largely clear and
starlit. Away from the light pollution of the land the sky at night is
truly awesome with countless stars visible in the milky way.
Since we eased south we have only seen a few ships.
So most of the time we are alone in this vast watery wilderness. The
handful of ships we have seen have passed several miles away but provide a
distraction for a few minutes. Then it is back to duties, or just
relaxing, watching the miles slowly clock down to our arrival in Las Palmas -
just 437nm to go. ETA Friday 10 October at current rate of
progress.
|