Heavy weather "14:22.98N 40:48.02W"
VulcanSpirit
Richard & Alison Brunstrom
Tue 7 Dec 2010 14:58
|
Well, we've found the easterly wind at last. We've
been steaming along at 7-8 knots since yesterday afternoon heading almost
straight at St Lucia. So we covered 158 miles in the 24 hours to 0900hrs
(1000UT/GMT) today.
But what I hadn't expected was the extensive
squalls that accompany the wind. I came on watch at 0600hrs and was promptly
soaked to the skin by rain and 30 knots of wind. Then the wind dropped
altogether, leaving us wallowing in the dark in big waves and pouring (warm)
rain. Then a few minutes later the wind returned and we were off like a train
again. And so it has been all morning. Usually these squalls are under
individual big dark clouds in a blue sky - but not today. We have leaden skies
with 100 percent cloud cover and an endless succession of belts of driving rain
accompanied by winds up to 40 knots. This is challenging
sailing.
|