Saturday

I awoke listening to a Welsh meeting:  I could distinguish Sarah, the wife of a friend from college in the dream.  It is the blocks on the wind vane steering that squeak or cry.  The heavy rain lubricating them gave a welsh tone.

 

After a calm morning the wind got up steadily and sails came down.  3 reefs and the staysail through the night:  "Dancing along in the moonlight" I wrote in the log.

 

 

 

 

 

Here we are hurrying along with only the staysail set, main and genoa fully rolled away and the hatch shut tight to keep the sea out.

 

Photography is a bit exciting in conditions where the big seas come right across washing all the windows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a bit bumpy last night with one breaker knocking us flat enough to land carrots under my pillow.  The fresh veg is in an open vertical locker and about a quarter of the potatoes and carrots tried flying. 

 

There was a loud crashing noise as well:  You think of serious things, then I saw that one locker had opened and a stream of tins and jars were crossing the cabin.  But nothing broke so I put them all back.  We were running directly downwind with about 40 knots, a fresh gale, behind us and doing 5 knots with no sail up.  

 

The spray hood was the only wind catcher and that came down soon after, as some stitching to the rails started to part.  Work for a quiet day.

 

 

Wave photos are difficult to make as dramatic as they feel.

 

Wave systems from different directions combine to  give very occasional steep conical breaking crests.  We are in 5,000m depth, so it is no shallow water effect, but solid breaking water.

 

 

 

 

 

There have been no more dolphins or whales and very few birds.  The odd petrel or fulmar, but empty compared to northern waters.

 

We are averaging over 100 miles/day so are still on schedule.  The slower period near the US coast will probably be mirrored near the Azores as the 'Azores high' builds.