We are currently in position 09 47N 056 29W, saillng at 6 knots on a course of 320M. Our ground speed is 7.5 knots. The wind is E at 18-22 knots with a 1.5m sea and 2m NE swell. We are sailing under double-reefed main and single-furled yankee. Broken small cumulus. Our day's run was 149nm, our DMG was 177nm and we have 376nm to go - less than a Fremantle-Albany!
We've been enjoying very nice assistance from current over the last 24 hours. Our strategy of following an arc to stay in current - rather than taking the rhumb line - gave us a 20nm gain compared to the yacht closest ahead of us. Nice!
RTOFS Current GRIB - Zen Again at bottom right
Yesterday afternoon the winds were around 18-22 knots and we had a nice sail. The seas were relatively quiet. Late in the afternoon the winds built to 25+ knots and the seas built up too. The night was overcast and the seas very lumpy with spray coming over the whole boat frequently and occasionally green water. The ride was bumpy to say the least. But it was fast, with 6.5 knot boat speed and 8 knots, occasionally up to 10 knots, over the ground. The wind got close to 30 knots at times and seemed to be up and down all night. The almost-full moon shone through the thinner clouds with a nice halo at times..
Nicki heroically baked bread rolls during her night watch. Unfortunately she now has couple of small burns to prove just how bumpy it was. She discovered bread rolls are called rolls for a reason - they like to roll around and she chased them around a hot oven. Very nice rolls nonetheless!
This morning the wind has moderated a little and we've increased the yankee from triple-furled to single-furled.
Preparing for the Dawn Patrol
Overnight our "pet" noddy returned - as he had the previous night too - and he brought a friend. The two of them roosted aboard all night before once more heading off around dawn.
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