Day 19 - Bermuda to Guernsey

Stravaig'n the Blue
Mon 13 Jun 2022 12:19
Position: 45:18.1 N 018:25.9 W
Position timestamp: Sunday 12 June 2022 14:00 (UTC)
Distance travelled in last 24 hours: 130 NM (average speed 5.4 knots)
Reduction in distance to destination: 100 NM
Shortest distance to destination: 691 NM (great circle)

True to forecast, the wind started picking up again on Saturday evening and by 2am this morning there was sufficient wind for us to switch off the engine and start sailing again,

The wind is from the north-east which is where we are heading. We are therefore having to beat (zig-zag) our way towards our destination. In theory, beating towards a windward destination will add a minimum of 40% (41.4% to be precise) to the distance you have to travel (assuming that each tack is exactly 90 degrees to the other). In the real world, because of leeway (the wind blowing the boat sideways) and other factors, the additional distance is more likely to be at least 50%. Or to put it another way, speed towards destination is reduced by a third. So progress is slow but we are getting there.

After today’s mid-afternoon visit from the dolphins and the Manx Shearwaters I started fishing again and, in short order, we were welcoming a 6kg Albacore tuna on board. He didn’t return our welcome. Landing a fish that size has its challenges but the real challenge is preparing the fish while the boat is under way. Fortunately, just after landing it, the wind and the seas eased a little which allowed Linda to spend the best part of two hours wielding very sharp knives, beheading, gutting, filleting, skinning and cutting the Albacore into meal-sized portions, 3.2kg in total, the equivalent of 20 cans.

We dug out the soy sauce and wasabi and enjoyed an ultra-fresh, melt-in-your-mouth tuna sashimi starter at dinner this evening. Tuna ceviche is rumoured to be on the menu tomorrow and a Spanish recipe tuna and pepper stew later in the week.

All is well.

Allan