Hip Hip Hooray!! We managed to sail for six hours yesterday,
and a sparkling sail it was too.
From Cascais heading south we motored in light airs, on the
nose, until that is we approached Cape Espichel,
which is west of Sesimbra. At this point a westing component came into
the wind and at the same time we altered course for Sines, which was south
east. 11 knots true wind and we were doing 8 to 8.5knots BTW at around 40 to 43
degrees apparent. The new Hood sails were most certainly proving themselves and
the drive from the new large Genoa,
was just awesome. We were healed over quite a bit so crew found it hard to
prepare lunch. But the sun was shining, a smooth sea and the boat was charging
along. One very happy skipper!!!
The wet weather has returned today, and we are pugged up
under the cockpit tent, which by now I had expected to pack away for the next
two years. Weather permitting we will head South then East around Cape St Vincent tomorrow. Then (hopefully) a downwind
sail from the forecast westerly winds for our run to Lagos.