We are currently in position 15 44S 011 50W and saillng at 6 knots on a course of 270M. The wind is SE at 10-12 knots with a slight sea and a short 1.5m swell. We are sailing under full main and single-furled yankee. Scattered cumulus clouds. Our day's run was 145nm, our DMG (distance made good) was 115nm and we have 3550nm to go.
Heading west into the sunset last night
Another great day's sailing. The weather has been mostly sunny. We had only two clouds big enough to create light rain - not enough to collect or wash ourselves but enough to allow us to clean the cockpit. We wash down the cockpit teak with salt water every day but it's nice to have a little fresh water to clean the other surfaces.
Overnight we had winds up to 15 knots which gave us the better day's run. The wind gradually backed into the ESE overnight but returned to SE an hour or two ago. If it goes around to the E we will gybe since we'll no longer be on the leading gybe. We are basically sailing around the north side of the South Atlantic High so a backing wind is expected. However the position and shape of the High is constantly changing. I'm hoping we can stay on this gybe for a few more days.
We had no-one to talk to on the HF/SSB last night. I think those enroute to Ascension have arrived and no-one else has departed St Helena yet. Those further ahead have now passed the eastern tip of Brazil and are at least 1500nm away, which requires the HF signal to do two hops up to the ionosphere and back. I can hear people talking but can't make them out. We believe several yachts are leaving St Helena today so may have someone to chat to tonight.
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