We are currently in position 45 40N 021 28W, saillng at 6.0 knots on a course of 040M. The wind is NNW at 15-18 knots with a 1m sea and long 1m swell. We are sailing under single-reefed main and double-furled yankee. Broken mid-level cloud with some sun! Our day's run was 115nm, our DMG was 103nm and we have 720nm to go.
Yesterday afternoon the wind remained very light until 1800 when a 6-8 knot S wind came in. This was the southerly preceeding a very weak front which went through overnight. The engine was turned off immediately and the silence after 13.5 hours motoring was a beautiful thing. We sailed along happily at about 4 knots, heading NE.
Sunset Last Night
By sunset at 2100 the wind had veered to the SW and we had gybed to head N. At midnight it was steady at 8 knots from the W and we were heading NE, broad reaching under full main and single-furled yankee. It was a chilly night. The water temperature is 15 C and any winds with north in them are cold. Sea boots are on night and day, and clothing layers are increasing steadily! By 0600 we had a 10 knot NW wind and at 0800 we had to double-reef the main briefly as a 25 knot squall went through.
Since 0900 we've been under single-reefed main and double-furled yankee, beam reaching in a 15-18 knot NNW wind. The boat is loving it and tramping along at over 6 knots.
We hope we're through the worst of the light patches. If the weather outlook holds we should have a beam to broad reach for the rest of the passage. TIme will tell!
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