2nd Day

NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Wed 6 May 2009 19:44
End of Day 2
 
36:01N  59:45W
2nd report of voyage
1530hrs 6th May 2009
 
The last twenty four hours has been just like the first. Every time we thought that the wind was going to die it recovered again.  We thus managed a very respectable 157 logged miles noon to noon, just the same as for the first 24.  However while the winds were kind the current was not and we spent all the night with the boat speed showing a healthy 7 plus knots and the ground speed, from the GPS, showing just over 5.  We had two knots plus of current against us.  However all bad things come to an end and just after dawn this stopped and for most of the day we have been close reaching with between 7 and 12 knots over the deck.  Good, easy, comfortable if not spectacular progress.
 
The forecast shows there to be some strong winds, albeit from the SW, building to the north of us due to a low  centred up in the 40s.  For this reason we have headed up a bit and are now more interested in going East and will probably stop the northward progress at about 37degrees.  No point in hunting strong winds.  Anyway we are expecting the wind to veer from the present S to SW sometime tomorrow.
 
The mate is asleep as I write.  She felt, justifiably, sorry for herself when just before lunch she was getting some tins out from under a floorboard and she managed to drop said board across her big toe.  There is now a nasty bruise and signs of blood under the nail.  She was very brave.  Apart from this all is well and morale is good on Nordlys.  We have a radio schedule twice a day with two German yachts, one English and an American friend in St Georges who passes on weather and routing information that his internet connection provides.  We are not lonely.
 
David and Annette