Day 3

After lunch and a look at the daily grib file, we shook out a couple of reefs from the main and the genoa.  Reasonably pleasant conditions with wind around 20 knots and a smattering of sunshine during the afternoon.  Then came the big black cloud which brought us a little well needed rain.  Believe it or not come dinner time, just as I was starting in the galley, the wind and waves got up again – had to put the reefs back in for the night!

Unfortunately the swells are just at an awkward angle – just aft the beam - so we are doing quite a bit of rolling about.  Wind and seas kept up most of the night.  As per the grib file, the wind has dropped now to below 20 knots and the seas have flattened out a bit, but we still have a swell just aft the beam, though we’ve poled out the genoa and borne away a few degrees to better align with the swells.  The water must be getting a bit warmer – we’ve actually seen a few flying fish (unless of course there’s a cold water species!)

Doing a lot of lying around and sleeping, but hoping for more conducive conditions soon to have a shower and do some reading.

As usual we have an SSB radio schedule with other boats. The evening one doesn’t work due to too much interference, but the morning one is fine. There is one German boat (who we don’ know) about 140nm ahead who we have been catching at around 50nm per day, and another British boat (who we do know) who left CT a few hours after us, who are about 80nm behind us.

Date and Time: 22 January 12.00

24 hours distance: 204nm

Position:   S27:39:48 E008:48:866