Crossing the Atlantic Ocean (Day 11)

To say that BV has had a good wash down would be a major understatement. We've seen more rain in the last 24 hrs than we have experienced over the last 4 years in the Med put together, despite some pretty impressive thunderstorms there on occasion. Overnight Nicky was on for the middle night watch (0001-0400) during which there was a line of squalls and heavy rain showers that overtook us, each time hitting BV with torrential rain. Close to these rain clouds the winds varied between 15 and 30 knots and so, at midnight we took in the 3rd reef in the mainsail. BV was therefore either racing along or feeling a little slow. From 0400 we were clear of the heavy rain but the variable winds remained until dawn.

For the first 12 hours we continued to have problems with weed clogging up the DuoGen and so had to lift it every 20 minutes or so to clean off the seaweed that stopped the prop from turning properly and hence greatly reducing or stopping the battery charge rate. Fortunately during the afternoon we seemed to have left the really weedy area behind us and that chore seems to have largely gone away.

The afternoon also brought glorious weather. The wind direction, combined with the fact that we had sailed to north of track during the night, meant that we have been able to sail directly towards Barbados. The blue skies have been covered with patches of cumulus cloud but no rain and the sea has had a modest 2.5 metre swell. Add in the deep blue colour of the sea, a gentle 15 knot wind and you get pretty idyllic trade winds sailing.

Nicky took some sunsights today and plotted us as just 2 miles away from our actual midday position. My challenge for tomorrow is to see if I can beat that.

We passed the 600 miles to go point today and the 3/4 of the way across point is coming up quickly. The forecast has slightly stronger winds from now on and so we should see our daily runs improve.

Idyllic trade winds sailing    

That's all for now. Hope you haven't been blown away by storm 'Eleanor'. Nicky’s Dad reported 75 knot winds back at home in Guernsey.

Position at 0001 Thu 4 Jan: N14 50 W050 38
Distance run 1159 - 1159 local time: 144 nm
Distance run 2359 - 2359 local time: 148nm
Distance run so far: 1553 nm
Distance to waypoint (just N of Barbados): 530 nm

End of Day 11 position