Dreaming of the Caribbean
Tripled
Fri 27 May 2011 08:01
38:24.9N 32:56.8W. Our speed is 5 knots and we are motoring into4roughly 17 knots of
headwinds (ENE), with 197 miles left to Horta.
Bang, bang, bang - the boat thuds up and down into the waves that are coming
at us straight on. Our speed suffers accordingly and, with the engine on low
revs, we are going very slowly!!! It seems as if everything is telling us
'turn around, go back to the Caribbean!' We would have a lovely sail in the
other direction with 15 knots from behind, and the sun and warmth of the
Caribbean already feels like a dream now. Europe, from what we've seen since
we crossed the half-way point has been cold, grey and drizzly. With
unfavourably winds. In fact, we've had unfavourable winds since we left
Turks & Caicos and headed to Bermuda. If even the winds don't want us to
leave the Caribbean why are we disobeying?! Instead we are battling on
towards Horta, with 200 miles to go - 200 miles that are ticking down
increasingly slowly. Any attempt to not be ploughing straight into the wind
results in us going a lot faster but in completely the wrong direction. We
did some maths and worked out it was faster in the long run to keep going
the direct route at this slow speed. Very frustrating though!!!
And the amount of clothes we are wearing, even during the day, is
unbelievably. When you think that on the crossing over we wore only bikinis
even at night! Now we are all wrapped up and wishing we had bought some more
winter clothes with us.
Tonight should, fingers crossed, be our last night at sea!