Sailed Alderney

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 21 Aug 2009 12:52
Noon Position: 49 56.9 N 001 35.3 E
Course: West nor' west Speed: 7 knots
Wind: Southwest, fresh
Weather: Sunny, mild

At last we have got away from Alderney, a nice place but we are falling behind schedule, I was hoping to be crossing the Bay of Biscay by now, so will have to do a bit of catching up and miss out on some of the French coast. The wind has eased considerably since yesterday, but it is still a headwind and is certainly fresh enough, we have a reef in the mainsail and the jib is furled down to about 70 percent. We left just after 11 a.m. so as to catch the ebbing tide. We are currently in springs so the stream is running strong, as we were leaving Alderney astern the GPS showed 10 knots for a short while, not bad for old Sylph, obviously we were getting about three knots of tidal stream giving us a bit of a boost but that still means Sylph was touching close to seven knots up wind.

The tidal stream is still with us for now, it turns at about 5 p.m. The wind is forecast to ease overnight and swing into the south so that will be helpful, hopefully we will make some good ground over the next day or so.

All is well.

Bob Cat:

It seems we are out amongst it again. I hear that deck restrictions have been lifted, but there is no way I am going up there, even if it is sunny. In fact I've taken refuge in the quarter berth under the starboard cockpit seat, I feel much more secure back here and the motion is better. At least I will have some chance of getting something constructive accomplished back here .. Zzzzzzz.