Position at 12.00hrs on 30 May is 29:34.3N  076:35.3W and we have 639 nm to run to Bermuda.

 

29 May - We are out of the considerable shadow of the Bahamas and the current is back but no where as strong as before. The wind, what there is of it is more in our favour even so our course is altered by the current up to 35 degrees. So from the compass RT is pointing at say 80 degrees true (magnetic variation is about 6 degrees in these parts) and yet our track over the ground is 45 or 50 degrees true. Even so the sun is shining and the sea is blue and incredibly calm.

 

Eventually the wind disappears all together and the true effect of the current is evident and we move along on the conveyor at 2.2 kts at 20 degrees. We sit there for an hour or so until slowly a slight breeze returns, and we start to move under our own steam again bur slowly.

 

Tonight it was Pizza, no spuds or onions.

 

30 May -  Its just after midnight and we appear to be out of the current the speed is up and fingers crossed we will make some progress in the right direction.

 

Not to be, it has been a slow night, calm and starry. Progress has been in the right direction but slowly. 

 

Its morning and the wind has moved around a little so that we have freed off the sails. Our speed is still variable, between 1.9 and 3.3 kts. We could switch on the the engine but with over 600nm to run there doesn’t seem much point unless it would get us to another wind regime for instance. Before when we used the engine we needed to go east to get off the conveyor. The current here is zero as far as we can tell therefore even in these light winds we can choose our direction with out the influence of current. Unfortunately the forecast is for more of the same for the next few days.

 

We had a little chat to a French yacht passing us about a mile north of us. He was single handed and motor sailing. Coming from Cuba and heading for the Azores. Mind you he was using a lot of fuel and therefore we may catch up with him in Bermuda if he pulls in to refuel and stays a few days.

 

To pass the time I have been doing a spot of fishing we have seen tuna jumping in the vicinity and we have sea birds around us. I hope that they are not relying on me to catch the fish. When I retrieved the lure on one occasion there was a mahi mahi or dorado following it. Norm on seeing it expressed that we didn’t want to catch that, its a beautiful fish. For someone who regularly takes lambs to the slaughter literally and is quite partial to roast beef, burgers and fish he shows a suspect hunter gather instinct. I think if I do catch something I will have to conceal the fact and just serve it up along with the spuds and onions.