Position 023:12:2N 022:26:6W

 

There has been no let up in pace over the last 24 hours with us covering 167 miles, and the forecast looks like this will continue for at least the next 3-4 days. In the first 3 days at sea we have cover just under 500 miles, which is great start to what could be a fast passage. Last night Paul and Sheila clocked up a new top speed in a squall of 10.8 knots. The speedo has rarely shows less than 6.5 and is normally between 7 and 8.

We are goose winged and going dead downwind with 2 reefs in the main and the reefed genoa poled out to starboard. Just enough sail to keep going when the breeze drops off and not too much when it gets up to 30 knots.

 

JJ put out the fishing line for the first time this morning and within 15 minutes we had caught a 10 lb blue fin tuna, our first fish landed on Open Blue! So it’s sushi for lunch and Tuna steaks for dinner tonight.

Everyone is happy on board and getting used to the rather violent lurching motion that the sea state means we have to endure. Hopefully the waves will organise themselves into longer and smoother swells as we go further SW.

A low pressure is going to develop to the north west of us in the next few days, so we may take a bit more southerly course later today\tomorrow, just to make sure it doesn’t effect us.

 

We’re not exactly sure where we are in relation to the rest of the fleet, we have only seen 2 other boats in the last day or so and they both give us time, so today’s boat position email will be analysed to see where the competition are.

We’re pretty sure Fabiola are well ahead of us as they had a stonking first 24 hours.

 

Paul is cooking today so we have just had cheese and beans on toast for lunch after our tuna sashimi (which was amazing!).

 

Cheerio from Open Blue