“35:40.514N 50:29.666W”

We have taken the advice of our weather router and turned ESE for a few days to reduce the impact of two cold fronts bringing strong winds and squalls across the north of us.   This is the first time we’ve used a professional router for an ocean passage having previously made our own forecasts using GRIB weather files downloaded using the Satphone.  Weather routers aren’t cheap but already we are convinced they are worth every penny.   This trip from west to east across the Atlantic is outside the stable trade wind E to W passages to the Caribbean.  It is subject to many of the fast moving weather systems that bring bad weather to the UK so we hope to see the Azores High Pressure settle to the north of us at the end of next week to give us an easier end to this long passage.

 

The soft dynema eye at the end of the whisker pole broke with an enormous bang at about 3 am.  Claire was on watch and I jumped out of the bunk to see what had happened.   We had to secure the thrashing pole and genoa and wait for daylight to fix it which proved a challenge in 25 knots of wind on a rolling deck........this is the second time this has happened, last time it was also mid Atlantic but going the other way,   We also had a substantial shackle break on the boom kicker, not so dramatic but accompanied by another loud bang.......the mid Atlantic is tough on boats (and crew)!