25:42.8N 018:31.1W

Sat 14 Jan 1200 UT

 

Friday pm had us trying to get new weather data (and post blogs) from the computer via satphone, but we were unable to establish a data connection.  Fortunately the voice was working so we called the Help Desk and were able to speak to a real live person.  It remains a technical mystery as to what was wrong, but we got it working again by about 6pm today.  When we got the weather, we didn’t like what we saw: big swell forecast to arrive in our area in a few days as a result of storm in the North Atlantic.  We weigh up the options and consider heading for the Cape Verde islands for shelter until the wave front has passed.  That’s the plan for now, but we will be monitoring the situation as it develops.

As for today at sea, it has been flat calm and no breeze, but the sun has been shining.  So a good day for cleaning up, doing laundry, making water, charging batteries, etc.  In order to make the miles to Cape Verde, we’ve decided to put on the engine again.  We’ll probably have to motor for 24 hours before the breeze fills in again.  At least it’s comfortable if not exactly what we were expecting.