We are currently in position 03 39N 047 57W, saillng at 6 knots on a course of 335M. Our ground speed is 6.0-6.5 knots. The wind is NE at 20-25 knots with a 1.5m sea and 1.5m N swell. We are sailing under single-reefed main and double-furled yankee. Broken, occasionally scattered, small cumulus clouds. Our day's run was 139nm, our DMG was 144nm and we have 1145nm to go. That's our best DMG of the passage so far.
Current Flow (Zen Again at bottom-right)
We've had our first full 24 hours of good wind from a good direction. Around 20 knots mostly and from NNE to NE, giving us a beam reach. We've had our foot well off the accelerator, keeping the boat comfortable and moving along well. The sea state was quite uncomfortable yesterday afternoon and overnight. We think that had to do with the current which was sometimes with us and sometimes across our course.
Last night we actually saw the moon for the first time in several nights. It's now a day or so after half-moon and it cast a nice light until it set around midnight. We spent most of the night under double-reefed main and double-furled yankee.
This morning we exchanged positions with the two yachts closest ahead of us. One is an Outbound 46 and the other a Westerly 40. Their range from us didn't change overnight which we're pleased with given we're a little 34! I think we found better current than them, although they may have had a more comfortable ride! None of us are racing - we still have a long way to go. Today we have the main single-reefed which is giving us a little more speed and a steadier ride. The seas seem less confused now and the current is reduced. I suspect we're in the outflow area of the Amazon since we've seen rubbish and weed in the water. The sea also looks and smells different!
We saw very few ships for a couple of days but they are back now. It's very obvious when you're in a shipping lane. Happily just about all the ships coming close see us on AIS and alter course well before we have to call them.
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