Wed 8/8/12 – Day 2 and Not St Miguel! – 38:17N 24:40W

Watergaw
Alan Hannah/ Alison Taylor
Wed 8 Aug 2012 19:24

 

After a confused set of winds for most of the last 24 hours, necessitating a degree of “flexibility” in terms of course, we have settled for continuing to gybe downwind towards the Portuguese coast. The variability of strength and direction have obliged us to rig conservatively, which sometimes has meant that we have been crawling along before a spell of 25-30 knot winds reaffirms the strategy! It does mean, however, that we have not made as much progress towards our destination as we would have liked. Our first 24 hours gave us about 100 positive miles and another 25-30 irrelevant ones. Still, better than a slap in the belly with a wet fish as they say….

 

Speaking of wet fish or mammals at least, Ali had the joy of a close encounter with another whale which surfaced alongside en passant, followed by a dolphin dance. She took the decision not to waken me from my first decent sleep since departure, so she kept the pleasure to herself…..

 

Still, plenty of time for more at this pace!

 

Be good,

 

Watergaw