Day 146 - Caribbean Passage - Day 20

Silk Sheets
Ben Shute & Fiona Kennelly
Mon 15 Dec 2008 19:39

Midnight we had made it as far as 16:41.53N 46:43.54W – Monday 15th of December, 2008.

 

Engine Time – 8.6 Hours

 

Well I could not believe it, it was about 6AM and the wind had dropped off to a light breeze of about 9 Knot’s, I do not know what it is but each morning the wind drops off to almost nothing. This is a real pain not only because we do not go anywhere but I tow the generator over night to keep the batteries topped up and in light winds it stopps being effective. It also slows us down by about 0.5 Knot so it sucks a little. Anyhow we are supposed to be out here in the trade wind belt I get a little disheartened and very very confused. All I can tell you is there are no such winds out where we have sailed. The trade winds are supposed to blow consistently from the North East however all we have been getting are squalls, storms and South East winds which are either to strong or to light. I am pretty sure the whole reason Fi and I decided not to sail into the med was because of the light and unreliable wind. Well so far not much different out here. Christmas on the water seems to becoming reality.

 

Up went the kite which always makes me happy and off we went at a steady 4Knot’s only to be totally becalmed around 10:30 when I had no other choice but to run the engine just to tick us over and keep the boat relatively steady in the water. That was pretty much it for the day, apart from me fishing but I fish every day. Anyhow I caught another Dolphin Fish. Fiona’s favorite so I was happy cause it means I get to eat fish another day. Why on earth did we provision so much food when all I have to do is drop in the line and presto a big fish jumps on the end of it.

 

Lucky Fiona saw another whale this time a big black one.

 

Special comments by Fiona:  These light winds are becoming very frustrating.  I just want to get to the other side and quickly!  I am starting to get a little “cabin fever”.  I enjoy the mornings and find I keep myself busy up until lunch time.  The afternoon’s seem to drag and there are only so many books one can read.  I miss running, ha, actually I also miss walking!  I’ve stopped asking how far to go now and just take each day as it comes. 

Oh, I was also “lucky” enough to see another whale this morning.  Ben and I were both in the cabin and as I came up, to our port side I saw this huge black whale surface.  I gave a little scream and by the time Ben came up he went down deep below not to be seen again.  Thank god!

 

Day 146

Traveling Direction – West

Wind Direction – South East East – light to none

Swell – Moderate

Average Speed –  4.4

Top Speed – 6.4 Knots Through the water

Distance Covered – 106.0 Nautical Miles

 

 

 

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