Azores Tudor Route

Wandering Dream
Steve Litson
Thu 5 May 2016 12:38
37:04:5N 059:15:4W
 
Thursday 5th May 2016
 
Wild and Windy
Now we’re surfing! The wind has picked up and blowing at a steady 20 – 25 knots off the starboard quarter.  The waves are coming from a similar direction and are about three metres high, large enough for us to surf down. The Auto pilot finds it difficult every now and then as a waves break on the beam and slews us around. Consequently, we are watching extra closely to check our heading is maintained. The occasional spray finds its way into the cockpit forcing us into foul weather gear. We are making good progress and in spite of the rolly motion we are all sleeping well enough, both pipe cots and the Captain’s bunk are being used, the fore cabin being too much like a lift.
 
Such a Cool Place for Wildlife
The Azores promises much in the way of aquatic life: Sperm; Fin; Bottlenose; Killer and Pilot whales. Plus Atlantic spotted; Common or Bottlenose; Short-beaked or saddleback, Striped; Risso’s or Grampus Dolphins. They are all there this time of year and just seeing one or two would be amazing, definitely worth keeping a good look out.
 
Freaky Bird
Yesterday, what I think was a shearwater passed us by several times, each time it would hover briefly off the stern looking to me, like it was thinking of landing on the solar panel, then deciding maybe not and landing in the sea. Jen was convinced that it was looking her in the eye and going to attack. It did this three times, before flying off into the distance.
 
Miles travelled in the last 24 hours: 150 miles
Miles to the Azores: 1590 miles