Antigua Inbound Day 18

Hi everyone,
At noon today we were at 15 11N 056 59W steering 320M, sailing under 1 reef and no furls at 5 knots.  The wind was 12G15 from the E.  Our noon to noon run by the log was 123nm.  300nm to Antigua.  Half a Sydney Hobart.

Dawn Today

Yesterday afternoon we continued under deep-reefed main and storm staysail until mid-evening.  By then the wind was easing and the sea state improving.  We swapped back to the yankee with 2 furls.  Overnight the clouds cleared to reveal a beautiful starscape.  In the early evening to the E we saw a spectacular full moon with Venus nearby.

One amusing event yesterday afternoon was Nic's life-jacket auto-inflating.  Gave her a surprise!  Probably due to the heavy shower she went through yesterday.  Replacement water-sensing cartridges added to the shopping list but we have plenty of spare gas cylinders.

Inflated!

Today the wind has gradually eased and veered into the ESE.  By noon we were under full yankee with a single reef in the main.  The wind is supposed to back into the ENE which will bring us back onto course for Antigua.

Trust all's well where you are!

Antigua Inbound Day 17

Hi everyone,
At noon today we were at 14 11N 055 05W steering 300M, sailing under 2 reefs and storm staysail at 5.5 knots.  The wind was 18G23 from the ENE.  Our noon to noon run by the log was 124nm.  420nm to Antigua.

Yesterday Afternoon

Yesterday afternoon the winds were settled at 20g25 with regular rain showers.  We changed down to the staysail and its been driving us along - with the trisail-sized double-reefed main - since then.  The rain showers continued well into the evening, graudally decreasing.  In the small hours of the morning we got to see a few stars in breaks in the clouds.

This morning we dodged a few rain showers.  By late morning there were very few coming through.  The sea state is the thing which makes these conditions unpleasant.  There's wind waves from the NE and longer swell from the N.  When you end up at an intersection of the two (crest or trough) it's seawater shower time!  The WindPilot is handling it very, very well.  We just have to hang on.

Weather Improving this Morning

The outlook is for winds to ease to 15g20 tomorrow.  The swell is increasing but hopefully with less wind wave action the ride will improve a little.  Despite the bumpy conditions Zen Again is making good progress even under much reduced sail.

Yesterday was shower day.  Nic got hers for free when a particularly heavy rain shower caught her out in the cockpit.  She stripped off and had a really good wash.  Mine was deferred to today when I did the seawater in a bucket thing.  The water's 29C so not chilly at all.

Trust all's well where you are.

Antigua Inbound Day 16

Hi everyone,
At noon today we were at 13 24N 053 02W steering 300M, sailing under 2 reefs and 3 furls at 5.5 knots.  The wind was 17G22 from the ENE.  Our noon to noon run by the log was 128nm.  550nm to Antigua.

First Sunset of the New Year

Yesterday afternoon winds were 10G15 from the NE.  Regular rain showers started to appear in the evening, bringing wind gusts up into the mid-20s.  We furled the yankee in and out as the winds came and went.  The rain squalls continued all night.  Only occasional glimpses of the stars in gaps betwen clouds.

By this morning the seas had built up to over 2m with several distinct wave trains.  They made for an uncomfortable ride but we were racking up the miles nicely.  At one stage we changed down to the storm jib / staysail which steadied things well.  It's a great little sail.  I suspect it'll see a lot of use over the next few days.  Below is a prediction for Friday.

ECMWF Prediction for Noon Friday

Trust all's well where you are.

Antigua Inbound Day 15

Hi everyone,
Party time!

At noon today we were at 12 34N 050 53W steering 290M, sailing under 2 reefs and no furls at 5 knots.  The wind was 13G17 from the E.  Our noon to noon run by the log was 118nm.  710nm to Antigua.

Auld Lang Syne on harmonica and eukele

Yesterday afternoon and night winds varied from NE to E and from 15G19 down to 13G17.  In the afternoon and early evening rain showers came through at intervals, some of them quite heavy.  Overnight the showers and cloud cleared away to leave a spectacular star display with no moon.

Each evening we run the SSB "Impromptu Net".  We tried to make last night's, being New Years Eve, a little special.  OCC svs Metzi and Hazel James had been asked to prepare a 'show' to mark the occasion.  We gave a rendition of Auld Lang Syne on my new harmonica witth Nic on the eukele.  Was that applause or static on the radio?  Each boat put on a great show.  Most crew members got a run with the microphone and good fun was had by all.

The Morning After

This morning we continued truckin' along directly towards Antigua.  Winds are lightish, just enough for the WindPilot vane gear.  Scattered rain showers about.  The SailnSea hydro-generator is earning its keep.  Still quite a lot of weed to contend with, requiring frequent 'shakes' of the SailnSea leg and boathook wipes of the WindPilot's water vane.

Happy New Year everyone!

Antigua Inbound Day 14

Hi everyone,
Return of the wind.  Huzzah!

At noon today we were at 11 54N 049 03W steering 300M, sailing under one reef and no furls at 5.5 knots.  The wind was 10G13 from the NE.  Our noon to noon run by the log was 102nm.  800nm to Antigua.

Hull Inspection

Yesterday afternoon the winds gradually filled in.  It took a while.  It wasn't until after midnight that we decided to put the first reef in the main.  Just as well because a rain squall had snuck up on us and I got a good rinse while reefing.  The Tides Marine SailTrack allows us to reef (with care) without rounding up.  Marvellous.

By this morning we had a more or less steady sailing breeze.  More or less around the rain showers which came through.  Two of them were real downpours with more wind before them and very little immediately after they passed.

Between the showers the weather is nice with periods of sunshine.  It has been quite cloudy for the last few days with a lot of mid and high level cloud.  In one sunny period I dunked our waterproof video camera over the side for our weekly hull check.  We're starting to grow barnacles but they're not too bad so far.

We should now be on a week-long leg direct to Antigua.  The wind should continue to build until the weekend and then start to ease again.  And it should be a fair wind from the NE.  Looking forward to some good daily runs under easy sail.

Trust all's well where you are.