Thursday 16th April to Saturday 18th Days 8-10 1631 Nm to go!

Lowena
Michael & Amanda Dyer
Tue 5 May 2009 10:19
The wind slowly veered so we are now heading for the Azores!
We saw two ships also heading our way. The wind is increasing as we
average 5.5knots today. I've looked at the gribs and there is a weather
system with a cold front approaching. The wind is increasing. It looks
like if we stay south of 30 degrees north we should only get force 5-6
20-25 knots of wind. A line squall passed from east to west and with it
began a strong wind. We put the second reef in the main before dark and
are averaging 5.8 knots through the night. The plan is to keep heading
east with little north so to keep below the strongest winds forecast of
35knots. One ship passed in the night.

Day 9. This morning we have 1523 Nm to Horta. The wind is still
increasing and the barometer has fallen to 1008mb. At 1030 with the
seas building and gusts up to 30k we put in the third reef. We are still
doing 6 knots. Looking at the gribs, the wind will be its strongest
today and a little less tomorrow, then down to 10k on Sunday. We are
averaging 6.5 k today. Saw two more ships, one heading to Europe one to
Caribbean.
As I sit here the wind has dropped to its lowest today and we are now
only making 5.3k. At 1600 we shook out the third reef. This is easier
said than done. The lazy jack caught around the leach and Mike went
forward to slaken them while I winched up the main. Now we are making
5k again. In the night we saw 2 more ships. Now averaging 4 ships per
day. The gas alarm went off at midnight. We pumped the bilge, then
started the engine to pump bilge but it wouldn't stop. After 10 mins
Mike took the fuse out of the alarm. The only thing we can put it down
to is water. I made some bread before dark and left some water in the
kettle. As the cooker is now not gimbled, as Lowena rolls the water
poured out of the kettle, down the back of the cooker onto the gas sensor.

Day 10. We have covered 125Nm in the last 24hrs! We have 1398Nm to go.
The thing I ignored today which I should have paid more attention to was
the red sky at dawn- shepherd's warning. The day started well, a bit
cloudy with 15k wind. After lunch the sky blackened to the north. Then
the wind and sea began to build quite fast. We had 2 reefs in main and
two in yankee which was fine except as the wind strengthened it veered
90 degrees or more and then the squall from hell hit us with winds
gusting 40 knots. Lowena stood up to her sail very well but when I
tried to furl in the yankee it wouldn't roll. So Mike put the third
reef in the main and after that the wind dropped completely!
It began to rain heavily. The total calm gave us time to inspect the
yankee furling system. Mike went forward. The spinaker halyard had
wrapped itself into the reefing gear. So out came the yankee while Mike
untwisted the halyard and took it back to the mast. Next up was the
main. We shook out the third reef. Then she was steering 170 degrees.
We gybed onto the other tack. Now steering 060 degrees doing 2knots.
Finally, the lazy jacks needed sorting. The rain continued to come down
in stair rods nearly all night. There was a few flashes of lightening
but fortunately it wasn't near. We made no progress untill 0200 when we
noticed we were going backwards. Mike gybed her over again and the
wind picked up and we made good progress until 0400 when the wind died
again. Mike donned his oilies and took to the cockpit to handsteer
under engine. (we have no autopilot) The wind gradually filled in at
0600 and we stopped motoring and steering 070 dgrees made 6.0 knots.