Position 33:30.37N 47:50.02W

 

 

The ship’s doctor:

 

Noon to noon run of only 120 miles – which reflected a somewhat frustrating day of variable and light winds with some motoring across occasionally glassy seas. All that has changed today!

 

When Stephen came up – again! (see last blog) – to relieve me on watch at midnight I had enjoyed a pleasant sail in 7 to 8 knots of breeze which showed signs of dying away. Sure enough within an hour we were becalmed and the engine was on. However, by 6 the wind had begun to fill from astern and by 7.30 the sails were up and the big spinnaker set. Since then it has continued to build and we have spent a glorious day in sunshine and cloud chasing the kite all over the ocean at speeds in excess of 8 knots. We had a slightly nervous lunch at the cockpit table with the autopilot threatening at any moment to miss a windward roll and send the selection of salads into the scuppers. In the event we completed the meal without mishap and as I write in late afternoon we are still doing in excess of 8 knots.

 

We have decided that this situation is a little boisterous for single-handed watch-keeping at night and plan to hand the kite and pole out the Genoa for the hours of darkness. Still today has been as good as it gets with fabulous downwind sailing – still in shorts and t-shirts – over a pretty flat sea. The temperature has dropped somewhat – the sea temperature was 31 degrees when we left and is now down to 25 degrees - and at night windproof jackets and trousers are required.

 

No more fish! The line has been out all day but nary a nibble have we had. We are probably travelling too fast – or at least that is what I am assured by the Sherborne boys who profess some expertise in the matter. My ignorance of all things fishing-related is total, having to my certain knowledge never properly caught a fish of any kind in my life – short of the odd mackerel that stumbled onto the line we used to trail between Lymington and Dartmouth many years ago.

 

We have today celebrated another landmark as there are now less than 1000 miles to go to the Azores.

 

Yours blowily

 

David. Stephen and Simon