Blog 35
DolceVita
Greg Gregory
Sun 7 Dec 2014 10:50
Sun 7th December 2014
Local Time 0940 (GMT-3).
Position 18:03.63N 56:54.98W
Nautical Miles covered:- 2310 at 0720 GMT
Hi Folks,
We had the most variable winds yesterday since we left Santa Cruz.
We had been sailing along on a close fetch/reach on port when the wind suddenly veered and we were headed well off course north of our intended heading.
For the first time we had to put in a tack onto starboard which we held for a short while until the wind came back and we were back onto port close hauled on our correct heading 264 degrees for Antigua.
This wind held for the remainder of the day and into the evening and increased in strength, so, good progress was made:- a total 145nm through the water for the day.
TC had kindly offered to cook our tuna steaks (fish caught yesterday as reported in blog). This he achieved under extreme conditions of an unkind wave pattern, and increasing wind speeds, with Dolce Vita rocking and rolling and TC being thrown from one side of the galley to the other. At around 6pm we all sat out on deck and enjoyed a substantial meal with many grateful thanks to TC’s perseverance.
During the night the winds decreased and when the cloud allowed we were treated to near daylight from a full moon. To compliment this we had a very colourful display of lightning all around for several hours.
This morning we have winds of 6 - 8 knots so progress is slow. Although we have under 180nm to go to Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua, arrival time Monday, as all sailors will know, is very dependent on the wind.
TJ
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