34:03.3N 049:03.4W Midday (BST) Fix 24 May 2010 Rain Rain Go Away Come On Mother's Washing Day
Oboe D'Amore's Web Diary
Nigel Backwith
Mon 24 May 2010 12:43
2010
View our progress on Google Earth at: http://blog.mailasail.com/oboe
GPS Position: 34:03.3N 049:03.4W
Sea Miles (previous 24 Hours): 141nMs
Sea Miles to date: 2,007nMs
Present Course Over Ground: 139°M
Present Boat Speed 5.4kts
Average Boat Speed (previous 24 hours): 5.9kts
Average Boat Speed to date: 6.3kts
***Velocity Made Good (VMG) to date: 3.8kts ***
Estimated GPS Position in 24 hours time: 33:33N 048:10W
Sea State: Calm
Wind Speed and Direction: 12kts NE
Barometric Pressure: 1019mB
(VMG - An accurate measure of the average velocity achieved to date along
our chosen rhumb line from Antigua to Dartmouth, UK)
All's well aboard Oboe after a cold night with the crew all wrapped up in
full "oilies". Oboe worked her upwind magic, slamming into waves and beating
into headwinds of 15kts. The incessant rain has at last blown away. Last
night the moon emerged looking thoroughly fed up and cast a half-hearted
beam on the waters, to be replaced by a sun with a look of determination on
its face this morning. We are still sailing SE, making good easting while
at the same time dropping gently southwards to dip below the storm brewing
north of Bermuda and launching itself towards us.
Interpreting weather forecasts put out daily by the US Military has become a
central theme to the day. At 0500 boat time Nigel fetches the synoptic and
wind vector charts from a remote database via satellite email and displays
it on Ying's bright pink laptop that adorns the chart table. "Bit girlie
isn't it?" Nigel is taunted occasionally, but it doesn't get a response. He
analyses the data, compares it with earlier projections, asks for a second
opinion from any crew awake enough to care and sends his conclusions to Dave
Lloyd via email. Dave, otherwise known as Ryan's dad, has a vested interest
in keeping us safe as he has "precious cargo on board". He has more
comprehensive forecasts available to him and he is a bit of a whizz when it
comes to their interpretation. Sometime during our morning we receive an
SMS message on our satellite phone with his agreement or otherwise to our
course plans. If he needs to elaborate he sends an email and if it all gets
too complex we can simply talk on the phone: "You sound as if you are next
door!" Good isn't it - yes we have a phone on board. "Hello Dave, how's it
going?" "Fine, just got back from the pub. Lovely day here sitting out
sipping cider." Then we get down to business. I just received today's SMS
from Dave and he concurs with our plans for today and our views of upcoming
weather. This is how we try to keep safely away from danger and why right
now we are not pointing straight at the Azores.
Lecture over! Must hang out wet clothes on the rail, make a cup of coffee
and join the watch-keepers sunbathing on the foredeck....
Nigel
Date: 24 May 2010