FINNROSE 33:05.67N 16:10.84W

Finnrose
Thu 4 Oct 2012 11:01
We sighted Porto Santo at 8:00 am this morning. At least we assume it's Porto Santo; if not, we have made a terrible navigation error and discovered a new, previously unknown Atlantic island, in which case we claim it for Queen and country. Pretty sure it's Porto Santo though.

Not far to go now before we can put our feet on terra-firma again. We hope to be in the marina some time early this afternoon, and then it will be time to catch up on lost sleep, have a look around, and carry out loads more boat repair and maintenance tasks - the list is endless and not getting any shorter. But, never mind; we enjoy it really and it beats teaching or sitting in front of a computer for a living.

This has been how longest passage to date and a good test of the boat, it's systems, and our physical and mental aptitudes. Glad to say nothing has been found seriously wanting (apart from the usual things that break and fail on the boat - and they can be put right and 'perfected' during our stay in Madeira and later in the Canaries).

163 miles in the last 24 hours, 576 since we left Gib, and 2444 since we left Troon. Rather a good run in the last 24 hours due mainly to a fair wind whilst we had the cruising chute out and in the last few hours, since the wind died, the use of Mr. Perkins.