Bermuda to Flores, Azores 3, Strong winds and wet decks

36:20.21N 50:43.50W

15^th  June 2015

759 Miles from Bermuda

9862 Miles from Ramsgate by log.

            The crew remain disgustingly happy with there lot despite my best efforts and so I am considering a long slow keel hauling, that should sort them out. Adam has attacked our brass work with a bottle of lemon juice and a scouring pad and the results are frankly amazing. He seems keen to get everything all shiny so we will probably have to wear sunglasses below decks before long. Jen is busily completing her Yachtmaster theory course and so you wander through the saloon at your peril….Paul, Adamant, Steve Norma?, could you just have a look at this secondary port calculation for me?  It’s so much easier in the UK, www.easytide.com is the way forward I think. Knot tying practise, explanations on the intricacies of bilge pumps, sea cocks and spinnaker launching are all par for the course if you are careless enough to wander within Jens learning bubble, I was even cajoled into giving a 10 minute lecture on that most dangerous of beasts, the marine toilet. Norma has completed another picture and is busily sewing the flags of all nations onto a halyard for our return while Steve continues to fish……………and fish…………and….

I on the other hand when not sleeping or being all Master and Commanderish spend my days trying to think of something to put in these blogs.

The weather has turned in our favour. We have now been barrelling along for over 24 hours with a steady force 5-6 from the west. According to the GRIB files we should have good winds for the next three days, four if we can keep the speed up and stay in the low pressure zone for longer. Last night I was awakened at midnight by Jen as the wind was up, it was pouring with rain and she thought we needed a reef. Typically as I came on deck the wind reduced and so I made us both a nice cup of tea and awaited developments. I was just explaining my theory that all skipper decisions come better after a nice cup of tea when the wind blew up to 30 Knots and Spectra responded with 9.5 Knots through the water. Half finished tea or not it was time to reef and so we rolled half of the fore sail away. That reduced our speed back into the 7-8 knot bracket and all was well with the world apart from the rain of course. On the next shift not to be beaten Steve hit 9.7 Knots even with a reef in the main and half of the fore sail away, so as you can tell we have been making good progress at last.

Here are our daily 24 hour runs so far.

Day 1               74 miles            (15 hours)

Day 2               115 miles          (Part motoring)

Day 3               141 miles          (All motoring)

Day 4               116 miles          (Part Motoring)

Day 5               161 miles          (All sailing)

Day 6               172 miles          (All sailing)

We reached somewhat of a milestone last night when for the first time since the crossing of Biscay last year I pulled a pair of socks on to keep my tootsies warm, ah the Caribbean sun is already a fading memory. This morning I am glad to report that my feet are once again naked and out in the open for both the edification and delight of all who survey them as the sun is up and the skies are blue once again.

Wildlife: apart from a multitude of sea birds, has been a bit scarce to be honest, Adamant sighted a whale breaching in the far distance yesterday and we have had pods of spotted dolphin playing around the boat for very short periods on two occasions and that’s it really. The most prolific wildlife has been Portuguese Man-O-Wars which have been continuously floating by in sizes ranging from a 5 pence piece up to monsters that would fill a dinner plate.

Later in the day and not to be beaten by Steve I had a mini squall come through while I was on watch which launched all 20 tonnes of Spectra down the face of a wave in a shower of foam. After the old girl had settled herself down and got back on course I prised my fingers from the wheel and checked the speed dial which now had a new maximum speed registered of 10.7 Knots! Needless to say the second reef is now in the main and the crew have been absolutely forbidden to try and beat the new top speed while the Skipper had a sit down with a nice cup of tea to steady his nerves.

Last night the wind increased to force 8 for a few hours with heavy squally showers which was lets say less than pleasant for the on watch crew and not very nice for the off watch sleepers either. It has now settled into a steady force 7 Westerly with constant driving rain but still the crew remain all chipper and upbeat, there has even been laughter reported in the early hours for crying out loud. Spectra has handled the weather with her usual good grace and has carried us through with calm safe assurance, this boat is really made to be out here you know. Yesterday in a mid Atlantic force 7 I made a full Sunday roast for four plus a breaded salmon fillet for Adamant with all of the trimmings, Yorkshire puddings  and a hollandaise sauce, for afters I made a bread and butter pudding with custard for desert. What’s more we all managed to sit around the table to eat it without any ending up on the floor, try that in a lightweight modern cruiser.