End of Day 7 - Beaufort NC towards Antigua

These Blog entries are edited versions of the messages we sent back as we completed the passage. They were sent by radio using a laptop that controls a modem and the HF/SSB radio, using the SailMail system. We sent the messages daily to Charlotte and she then forwarded them on to a list of family members.

2359hrs (AST, 4 hrs behind GMT) 5 Dec 2018

Dear All,

Today was a whole lot quieter day than yesterday.  The wind has been light at 7-10 knots, the sea was reasonably flat with small waves and barely a metre of swell and so BV just sailed herself along at a gentle 6 knots during the daytime.  With the watermaker back on form we could shower again and the ship's rig for the day has been swimming costumes and flip flops.

The next 24 hours is potentially going to be slow because we are now in the band of light winds running just north of the easterly Trade Winds.  When we hit the top of the Trade Winds we will need to tack and it should then be a fast last four hundred miles to Antigua.  Whilst we have been going progressively more slowly late this afternoon, (now just 3.5 -4.5 knots) the counter current that we have had for most of the passage so far seems to have gone.  Initially we had 1-1.5 knots against us which was due to our angle through the Gulf Stream and since then we seem to have had about 0.5kt against us. Now we actually have about 0.5 knots with us which is nice given our slow speed.

I slept off watch for most of the afternoon whereas Nicky used the time much more profitably checking all of the fresh fruit and vegetables that we have and organising them so that we use the ripest first.  She washed all of the fruit and vegetables in a dilute Milton solution before we left Beaufort which helps a lot in keeping everything fresh but, as they say, "just one bad apple spoils the barrel", so it is worth doing regular checks.  She also used the last of the dorado to make a lovely Mediterranean style dish for dinner and even found time for some blog work too, as have I in my 2000-2359 watch, and so we should have some of the November backlog to post when we next hook up to the internet.

The sunset was very orange and I think I saw the elusive green flash just as the sun dipped below the horizon.

It's now just past sunset and the last of the wind has died away so we have switched on the 'iron topsail' to keep us moving overnight.  We have adjusted our turning point very slightly based upon the latest weather forecast and that we are motoring.  The new track is 160 degrees which will put us north of Antigua when we get to the top of the Trade Wind belt, which now looks to be at about 24 degrees north. Between now and then lets hope that the wind builds just enough to sail again or it will be a tedious 120 mile motor to get to the turning point.

And, a final PS just as we hit midnight: the wind has built again but from the south.  So, we are back under sail but tracking about 125 degrees Magnetic vs 160 degrees Magnetic under power.  It's not what we were expecting but we have made 25nm of southing under power and are now back to making more easting than southing.  Let's see what the next 24hrs bring.

Love to all,

Reg and Nicky

Passage statistics:

Position at midday 5 Dec: N26 19 W63 29
Position at midnight 5 Dec: N25 25 W62 38
Midday to midday distance: 170 nautical miles
Midnight to midnight distance: 151 nautical miles
Total miles covered:  991 nautical miles
Approximate distance to go (direct line): 502 nautical miles

End of Day 7 Beaufort in North Carolina to Antigua