May 28th Position 38:57.55N 68:55.75W

Symatchmaker
Thu 28 May 2009 18:11
At Sea - Day 11
 
Day`s run .. 123 miles.
 
The distance run over the last 24 hours was hampered by the ENE flow of the Gulf Stream. In actual fact our speed through the water was quite satisfactory.
 
During late evening we had strenghtening winds and the seas were very big and rolly. At about 11.30pm Matchmaker appeared to "stop" - our speed over the ground read 1.5 knots! - yet we had reefed sail up, and the water was rushing past the hull. It seemed we had entered head first into the Gulf Stream.  3 - 5 knots against us and then.... the wind just dropped - like someone hit the "Off Button" - The sails were tricky to control - and the boat became like a random paper cup in a raging river. We packed away all sails and started the engine. Still tricky to control - it was as if the propellor had fallen off !
 
We altered course to the North to cut across this invisable river of water. 40 miles later the escaltor stopped, we had popped out the other end, and our normal speed through the water resumed. By dawn the sea was again flat and normal with a South Easterly breeze setting in to waft us along again in a steady fashion towards our objective.
 
We eventually worked it out, nothing was wrong with the propeller and boat speed, but in fact there was a big shift in the Ocean's current - where the cold sea meets the warm to create the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is not a normal current, it is in fact a narrow and clearly defined river of warm water that rushes north  and east - it is the source of our mild winters in the UK and the reason Palm trees can grow in sheltered areas in Western Isles of Scotland. It is one of the major engines in the Earths weather system. 
 
For Matchmaker crew it was an awesome and humbling experience.
 
Our little atom on the Atlantic sea continues North East. We are currently sailing smoothly and comfortably at 7 knots. We are nicely on course for Newport and expect to get in on Saturday morning - we will take the last few hours slow  - because we do not want to enter a strange area in the dark - our appraoch will be a Dawn arrival to the shipping lanes and a mid - morning arrival at Newport Shipyard - where we have reserved a berth.
 
Highlights;
  1. Strong evening winds
  2. Ate Mick's Mahi Mahi
  3. Sunset and Sky of the voyage so far
  4. Gulf Stream rolla-coaster ride
  5. Caught another 8 kilo Mahi mahi ( with Rudolph )
  6. Sighted dolphins
 

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