End of Day 2 Beaufort NC USA towards Guernsey

This Blog entry is an edited version of the message we sent back whilst we were on the passage.  The original, without pictures, was sent by radio with a laptop that controls a modem connected to the HF/SSB radio.  With that set up we can contact one of the SailMail stations to send the daily text message to my daughter Charlotte in Guernsey who then forwards it on to a list of family members.

2359hrs (EDT, GMT -4) Sat 30 May 2020

Dear All,

Drying our oilskins after wet nights on watch

Driving onwards

My watch this morning was much better than my watch before midnight which was distinctly wet and a bit concerning because of the lightning.  However, we got through that band of squalls and since then we have been sailing east as fast as we can.  There are 2 weather fronts coming and the further east we can get the better the chance we have of keeping clear of the stronger winds and the frontal rain and squalls.  

The first weather front slowly getting closer as it tracked off towards our 10 o’clock

As I write this (at 1400hrs) the line of squalls associated with the first front are sitting 6 miles to the west of us.  As we are scooting east at around 7 knots it is possible that we might just outrun them.  However, I'm not convinced so the radios, computers and mobile phones are going back into the oven.

 

BV is in the centre of the screen moving up the screen (at about 6kts on a heading of about 110degM) and the yellow represents very heavy rain (which is moving approx SW to NE).  There is 2nm between each ring. 
Yes, got very wet – again!

The worst of it passing us by with BV sitting in a
relatively clear ‘hole’ between the rain cells

Four hours later I can confirm that the rain squalls got us.  The sails were all reefed down in case of strong gusts which, of course, slowed us down and meant that we stayed in the rain for longer however, it was the safe thing to do.   As expected, it was very wet but we did manage to manoeuvre to stay on the edge of the worst of it and then ended up in a hole between two of the intense cells so overall we got off lightly and BV's sails and deck got a good fresh water wash.  

By 1800 we were able to start sailing again (the wind mostly disappeared underneath many of the rain cells).  The wind started off quite gently, at about 10-12knots from the southwest and then, over the course of Nicky's watch between 2000 and 2359, gradually built to around 18-20knots.  Still from the southwest, which is good - fast sailing, pretty much on a beam reach with the apparent wind being brought forward, but Georgina (the Hydrovane windvane self-steering) doesn't keep as good a course on this point of sailing.  So, it means that we need to make more adjustments to the sails or the amount of weather helm or to Georgina's set-up.  But it's fast and the miles are counting down.

Now that we are back at sea there is much less interference on the long-range HF/SSB radio.  Yesterday (Fri 29 May) we could just about hear the transatlantic yachts setting off from the eastern Caribbean islands and also those much further east and closer to the Azores.  Today, just 150nm further on the difference was marked and most of the transmissions were clear enough for us to work - something that hasn't been the case for us on this radio net (the OCC Atlantic West to East net) for a considerable time.  As a result, Nicky will be taking on net controller duties again.  We not sure which day(s) yet but as we continue east it'll get easier to hear all of the yachts and therefore provide a better service.

Love to all,

Reg and Nicky

Passage statistics:

Position at midday 30 May: N34 12 W73 39

Position at midnight 30 May: N34 00 W072 03

Midday to midday distance: 157 nautical miles (average 6.6 knots)

Midnight to midnight distance: 166 nautical miles (average 6.9 knots)

Total miles covered:  253 nautical miles

Approximate distance to go (GPS route to Guernsey): 3482 nautical miles

End of Day 2 Beaufort, North Carolina, USA towards Guernsey