36:29.866n 50:38.848w

Distance to home:  2350 miles

Distance run today:  103 miles  

Course 051

We’re sailing again!

There is no chance of being becalmed for a week this time around! Anything over 100 miles a day is OK in our books…

Domestic

It’s a week today since we left Bermuda and what a pleasant week it has been! Although it got off to a choppy start, that has soon been forgotten and the vibe on board is good!

Last night we enjoyed the second instalment of the chicken curry made earlier in the week and it was all the better for it! We progressed from a plain parata to a garlic naan to accompany it!

After dinner entertainment revolved once again around the Rummy Championships, yes you heard, its official now with a Excel spreadsheet and countless formulas and statistics to assess how each player is scoring! As it stands after 30 games Jez is in the lead by only 6 points with a score of 908 followed closely by Wills with 914. Tim has redeemed himself with a winning streak of four games in a row last night to narrow the margin with his score of 1072, which happens to be about how many miles away from Horta, Azores we are!

The quiz book made an appearance last night as well, with us limping through another 3 rounds. Jez seems more knowledgeable on the arts and Ancient Greek than he is on economics! But it fills our evenings nonetheless.

Yesterday we attempted to double our chances by trawling two fishing rods off the stern but still no luck! Today one rod was out early this morning but only one as we also have the towed turbine out the other side of the stern booming in the amps to the batteries as ever!

Sailing

Yesterday afternoon we enjoyed some spinnaker sailing as we tried to eek as much out of the wind as possible. As dusk fell the wind died and we thought we would be in for a night of motoring again but before the watches started the breeze kicked in from the South/South West and we were able to sail with full main and genoa all night pushing along at 4-5 knots.

This morning we have returned to the Spinnaker with full main sail in order to have as much sail area as possible….

Weather forecasting is a bit challenging for this part of the trip.  We want to stay out of the big winds associated with lows as they pass from SW to NE but not fall too far into the Azores High with it’s light winds.  We got it slightly wrong over the last day or so and the winds have been in the right direction but too light. 

When we link over the Iridium phone at 18.00 hrs and the blog goes out, we will download a GRIB file that will give us pressure and wind predictions for the next 72 hours for the North Atlantic.  We shall have another go at being in the right place to catch the ideal winds homewards.  

Natural History

The odd ‘pasty’ continues to grab our attention and we are trying to get close enough to hook one into the cockpit just out of curiosity to see what a Portuguese Man of War has to offer below the surface…

Today’s responses  

Mum (Jan) – Are you travelling home today? If so, hope you get home safe and hope the house is still in one piece after the ‘earthquake’!! Loads of Love xxxx

Gran (Jen) - Thanks for the score and glad you had a nice meal, when is Sue off to Canada?

Em – Nice text, made me laugh.  You have seen blogs like yesterday’s before but we are doing OK and you don’t need to add another week. Glue might be in shed door on the right.

Rowles Kids – Whatever Auntie Katie says, we don’t want anything that squeaks,clucks or coo’s.  Have a good time.

Stu – thanks for the Giro updates and good ride to your team in the Victoria . "Come On "

Good news on the Shrimpers front.  Jez will see some of you next season then.

Bye for now

~Sadie~