Day 1

Back at sea after a very enjoyable stop at St Helena and time for a rest after a week of non stop activity on land.

Light winds are forecast for the 700nm leg to Ascension Island, especially from Wednesday, so the spinnaker has been extracted from the forward sail locker and tied down on the back deck ready for action if needed!  We are expecting a four or five day passage depending on how light it gets. It seems the wind between Cape Town and St Helena is light also. We had an email this morning from some friends on that passage who reckon it will take them 18 days – twice our time!

We’ve had the genoa poled out from the start with winds improving to around 15knots once we cleared the island.  Seas flat but a bit of rolly swell. Grey day most of the day but a bit clearer in the night with a few stars making an appearance.  Easy first day – long may it last (and the wind so we don’t have to move the spinnaker from the back deck!)

Date and time:  7^th Feb 2016; 0700 GMT

24 hours distance:   175nm

Position: S13:54:9 W07:53:2