Day 68 – Sunshine and Light Wind s

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 19 Feb 2022 15:38
Noon Position: 45 45.2 S 037 50.9 W
Course: E Speed: 2.5 knots
Wind: SW, F2 Sea: slight
Swell: SW 2 meters
Weather: mostly sunny, mild
Day’s Run: 118nm

After consultations with Sylph’s weather guru, we have agreed that our current latitude is a good parallel to maintain for the time being. As if in occurrence, yesterday Sylph gradually came round to an E;ly heading as the wind shifted into the WSW and I did not have to touch a thing.
However, after night of light breezes with barely enough wind to keep the mainsail from slatting, the wind has now faded to barely a zephyr and with the still moderate swell from the SW there has not been enough pressure in the sails to prevent Sylph from rolling and the mainsail from slatting and generally banging about. Consequently, I have spent most of the forenoon repairing a seam in the drifter, the stitching of which chafed through as the sail rubbed against the shrouds the last time I hoisted it. It was only a relatively small repair and the drifter is now set to port in the mainsail’s place. Hopefully we will keep enough breeze to prevent the drifter from chafing against the shrouds again.
While it would be nice to have a little more wind, I am not complaining, as long as there is enough to keep Sylph moving in roughly the right direction. I am sure it will increase to more than the desired amount soon enough. Meanwhile we make the most of the sunshine - charging batteries, continuing to dry stuff out, and with the sea water temperature a balmy 12 degrees, the crew has had an overdue scrubbing.
All is well.