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Moorglade's Voyage
Ted Wilson
Sun 21 Jul 2013 16:13
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Our Position is 48:32.082N 10:27.542
Distance logged in last 24 hours 128
Nm
Distance to Start Point 285 Nm
The engine drones on and is likely to be doing so
for some time yet. We have had no help from the wind for the last 24 hours, so
the main has a single flattening reef and is sheeted amidships to damp down the
rolling. Yesterday afternoon and night we still had quite significant waves and
swell, but that has almost completely gone now, helping our speed. A fuel tank
top up from two of our cans, and an estimation of usage showed us to be burning
about 2.1 l/hr, so lots in reserve.
The weather has been at best overcast and at times
this morning foggy with visibility down to perhaps 100 m. Watchkeping has
sharpened up, with plenty of fishing boats about now we are on the continental
shelf, and the occasional freighter to keep us on our toes. Despite fairly
frequent CPA alarms we see nothing, but can monitor the situation on AIS and
radar.
The calm seas have helped whale spotting and
sightings have included a big one that swam by on the surface, a small speedy
one, and one that blew forwards when it surfaced. We wish we could identify
them all, but unfortunately my laminated whale identifying card can not be
found. The dolphins put on a good show in the fog this morning playing off
our bow, Richard took photos.
Eating improves with calm weather, and supplies are
still plentiful offering choice to the cook. We are not yet reduced to tins.
John still has a plentiful supply of Chip Ahoy biscuits and jars of peanuts. I
have improved my attitude to the 12 to 3 am watch by awarding myself a plain
chocolate kitkat at 02:00 hrs which, coupled with an hour of Bob Dylan's
Themetime Radio, makes the time pass. Watches are about to get a lot busier as
the English Channel approaches. We will be taking care, it would be a real
bummer to have sailed all round the Atlantic to get run down in your own back
yard.
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