Day 4 - Bahamas to Bermuda

Stravaig'n the Blue
Thu 28 Apr 2022 18:39
Position: 31:14.1 N 070:55.6 W (565 NM east of the Brunswick, Georgia)
Position timestamp: Thursday 28 April 2022  09:00 (UTC-4 / EDT)
Distance travelled in last 24 hours: 128 NM at an average speed of 5.3 knots
Reduction in distance to destination: 109 NM
Remaining distance to destination: 327 NM (straight line)

The wind isn’t living up to its billing. Yesterday’s forecast had us in 15-20 knots of wind, initially from the north then backing north west over the next few days, all of the way to Bermuda on Saturday. That would have been ideal.

Instead, yesterday during the day, the wind was, somewhat unhelpfully, from the southwest at 10-14 knots. Then, just before 5pm, there was a short, sharp thunderstorm that saw us getting the sails reefed just in time after which the wind did go north as forecast. All was well overnight and we made good speed until day break when the wind started to drop. By lunch time it was below 10 knots. It has continued to drop - so the engine is on again.

To further hamper progress, there’s been an ocean current of about one knot against us. These currents can be quite significant. If the boat is doing six knots through the water and the water is moving in the opposite direction at one knot, the boat’s speed over the ground is only five knots. If the ocean current was one knot in the same direction as the boat is travelling, the boat’s speed over the ground will be seven knots, 40% faster. 

Today’s forecast does include the small calmer patch we are in (yesterday’s forecast didn’t). From the wee hours of Friday, things are looking good again. Fingers crossed for the wind to hold up and for the ocean currents to turn favourable.

The other evening we were joined by a pod of seven or eight dolphins. They entertained us for about 15 minutes, playing in our bow waves, before heading off, no doubt in search of their supper. Dolphins - always uplifting no matter how often we see them.

All is well.

Allan