Day 20 - Bermuda to Guernsey

Stravaig'n the Blue
Mon 13 Jun 2022 20:49
Position: 46:20.1 N 017:02.5 W
Position timestamp: Monday 13 June 2022 14:00 (UTC)
Distance travelled in last 24 hours: 116 NM (average speed 4.8 knots)
Reduction in distance to destination: 79 NM
Shortest distance to destination: 612 NM (great circle)

Another slow day, beating into the 10-12 knot wind from the north-east. Only 116 miles sailed and a reduction of only 79 miles in the distance to Guernsey.

After breakfast, we studied the latest weather forecast. Little change in the wind direction and a slight reduction in the wind speed over the next three days. Then a confused situation on Thursday / Friday with light and variable winds. All of that translated into us getting into Guernsey at least a week from now, on day 27 or 28, three of four days later than originally planned. Neither of us was enamoured with that as a plan so we took the decision to motor our way out of the problem.

By my calculations we had 120 hours (ie 5 days) of diesel left in the tank and a further 10 hours of diesel in jerry cans. With a little over 600 miles to go, this would be more than enough to get us all of the way to Guernsey if we had to motor all of the way.

We also decided that we would motor-sail in a north-easterly direction, towards the centre of the high pressure ridge where the winds should be lighter and the seas flatter - no point in motoring into more wind and bigger seas than is necessary. We should get there later this afternoon at which point we will drop the sails and start motoring directly towards Guernsey. Our ETA into Saint Peter Port is early on Saturday (day 25).

All is well.

Allan