Off to Isle of Flores

The Travels of Running Tide
Mick Norman
Sun 29 Jun 2014 15:18
Our position at 12 00 on 29 June is 39:02.3N 032:40.9W . We have about 73 nm to run to Flores in the Azores and we have completed 81 nm in the last day. Fifteen full days completed.
 
28 June – After receiving the weather forecast we had a little bit of thinking to do. The forecast showed favourable winds for the next two days but then light winds on the nose for the next 24 hours.  That would not be very good for progress and could have last for more than 24 hours. We had 273 nm to go to Horta therefore we would have to deal with these head winds, but only 154 nm to go on a slightly different course to reach Flores. The 154 nm is do-able in the two days with the winds forecast therefore we set our sails for Flores. We can clear into the Azores there and stay until weather conditions improve before moving onto Horta or what ever we decide to do.
 
29 June – Sailing through the night was steady under beautiful skies. Now in the morning the sun is out and there is a thin veil of cloud. The seas are calm with the very slightest of swell. The wind is about 10 kts on our tail. We are creaming across the water at about 4 kts and the only sound is the hiss as we pass through the water. The seas are deep blue and sparkling and we can see the horizon in all directions. The ocean seems vast yet our view of it is about 14 nm diameter, which is our view to the horizon. A very small part of this vast space. We have seen very few ships and certainly no yachts since many days back. There must be other yachts converging on Flores but they will have all followed different routes and will have different tails to tell.
 
We are hoping that the wind will be favourable for us over the next 24 hours. If so that will see us to Flores. The main harbour is called Vila das Lajes.