Easting

PASSEPARTOUT
Christopher & Nirit Slaney
Sun 8 Jul 2012 20:12
Easting.
Another night at sea sailing due east. If we were easting on the way to the Azores along Lat 30N, we are now sailing 090 to the Mediterranean along Lat 37N.
What does it mean? It means the Luna Rosa - our beautiful red moon - was almost full last night and appeared exactly above our bow.  This is kind of strange after becoming accustomed to looking west to watch the moon climb into the sky above the stern.
 
It also means that we have said farewell to our last Atlantic island for quite a while. Our circuit of the north Atlantic circle is coming to an end. By the end of next week, if all goes according to plan, Passepartout will be through the Straits of Gibraltar and into Mare Nostrum.
 
This afternoon we sat on deck and made a rough account of nautical miles we have sailed since we leaving the south of France twenty-two months ago; around 16,000! We then summarized the best beaches, favourite anchorage, friendliest harbour and most beautiful mooring spot.  
 
We also ticked off a list of what we would have done differently and what choices we felt were the right ones. Of course this discussion also took in the people we met, some were just passing by and others we hope - and plan - to meet up with again. Some sailing friends presently in the USA and the Caribbean are planning to cross the Atlantic next year, others have said they want to visit us in Israel and we look forward to showing them around.
 
But nothing is over yet. Only when we reach the Queensway Bay Marina in Gibraltar will we truly cross our wake and complete the circuit. Once into the Med we will still have several hundred miles before we lift Passepartout out for winter storage.
 
The Atlantic has been a fantastic experience, wonderful, fast sailing down long ocean swells with 20 knot trade winds on the beam. What more could one ask for?
 
The weather forecast shows a little less breeze in the coming twenty-four hours and then a real blow off Cape Sao Vicente as we close the Portuguese coast. Some things never seem to change no matter where we sail - our ETA in Portugal is in the hours of darkness!
 
Nirit