Position: 49:39:19N 08:13:16W

Well it’s been a quiet 24 hrs.  We have had the light from the moon for half the night, with it setting in a beautiful red orb at around 0100. The seas have been slight, which makes a nice change and is allowing us to motor at a reasonable speed.

This morning dawned sunny and calm, with winds of less than 8 kts, so we have been continually recalculating our fuel usage and requirements and I think we will just have enough, although we are taking our contingencies far lower than I would like.

David and I appear to have a developed a shared catchphrase of “just got to get on with it” which is used whenever there is any speculation of what we should do, which makes me smile as this is right up my street!  David was telling me some of his stories of his very varied life – he is a fascinating chap.  The other catchphrase that made me laugh was the business card of some debt collectors he’d met once – their card simply said “we don’t f*** about” – straight to the point, I might see if I can get my Accenture cards printed with the same.

I spent a few hours emptying the water jerries into the tank, then siphoning the fuel jerries into the fuel tank, then I had a shower – the first since, well, since Portugal a week last Thursday!  Very refreshing, and very luxurious to have a shower on passage!

I am getting quite excited – it feels like we are on the home straight now and we should get to Falmouth, barring mishaps, some point Tuesday afternoon.  Plan is to refuel and head straight on up-channel and I hope that we will be there by Thursday.

So one of the objectives of this leg for me was to decide whether or not I really liked ocean passages or not, and whether I could do this again.  I think it is worth me recording my feelings on it so that when I have lost my perspective on it, I can look back at this and try to influence myself based on how I felt when I was actually at sea. 

So… Yes I think I would like to do more, but not immediately and not too frequently.  I don’t think I could do ocean passages just for the sake of them – the destination has been more fun than the journey in this year off –  and I definitely think 5-10 day passages are a lot more fun than 20-30 day passages.  However, the important thing is who you do them with. The ideal would definitely be my family, alternatively good friends who you have absolute faith in their sailing abilities, so that you don’t worry when you are off-watch and get decent rest.

In terms of the Atlantic circuit, it is a long, long way to the Caribbean!  I know it sounds obvious but it is easy to think of the transat as just one long downwind schlep in the sun.  However it was a very long trip from the Canaries – too long for me – and the return leg is not to be trifled with.  I am very glad I wasn’t aboard for that 27-day marathon back to the Azores.  Whilst it would have been nice to have said that I had done it, 27 days is a long long time to spend in a small boat with people you don’t know well.  I would definitely go via the Cape Verdes on the way out next time.

The things to remember about ocean sailing that I forget when I am ashore, is the mix of boredom, fear, tiredness and frustration which is inevitable.  I also miss my family terribly – partially a factor of having spent so much time together before each of the ocean passages I expect, but it has hit me worse than I expected it to. 

It is a fantastic test of patience, given you are pitting yourself up against the weather which can hold you in its grip for as long as it wants.  The fear aspect is an odd one, as I have not had any worries about the boat, even in the worst weather, and it is just not a big deal to keep reducing sail until things become comfortable.  But I do worry about what is coming next.  David’s attitude when well out to sea is only to occasionally (every 2-3 days) look at a forecast, because there is little you can do to position yourself in a boat that’s only going to do 5kts and the forecasts just end up worrying you.  Tiredness is obvious, especially when double-handed, although it is just a case of being disciplined at going to sleep in your off-watches. 

In terms of the boat for ocean sailing, I have, over the course of the year, grown to trust Nutmeg – something which I definitely haven’t taken for granted.  David also seems to think she is an excellent boat which would be suited to sailing further.  Her motion is excellent in any sort of sea.  However she is limited in her upwind ability because of her weight and her long keel, and I have to say that I would love to sail a boat offshore which was a bit more tweakable.  But I suppose these are the costs for having a hull shape and load-carrying ability which allow you not to worry in 35 kts and 4-metre waves.

One thing which this has taught me is that I would not think too much of longer trips around the UK and France – for example sailing Nutmeg across to SW Ireland, or up to Scotland, or back round to Britanny.  I would also consider doing these single-handed.

Note to self – re-read this before you come up with your next sailing goal!

I’m writing this at 0200 UTC and I can see the light of Bishop Rock lighthouse, 17M to our NE.  The famous Bishop Rock lighthouse!

That’s all for now.