Mon May 19 16.45 GMT 13.45 Berm 3452N 5948W Winds SSW 14. Seas 6ft Mainly sunny Quite cool Course 060T @ 7.2kts
If gentlemen never sail to weather, then since we left The Virgins we have been rogues, rascals and scallywags. But now, behold! For the first time we are sailing downwind! And 'tis a lovely feeling: the boat glides over, rather than slices through, the water; and with her soft rocking it is near impossible to stay awake! Unlike this morning, when we were wallowing around in light winds but still with a jostling sea state: not pretty with the sails slatting and the rigging banging; but it lasted only about 6 hours before the wind backed from N to W to SW. At 1100 when the wind freshened and moved some 30 degrees, we jibed from a course of NNW over to ENE.
The forecast now is excellent: we are supposed to keep these winds for a while as we sail at 060T up to 36N - should be there tomorrow afternoon. Then as the low which is about 600nm N East of us moves NE we should see South winds for several days: which means a beam reach on starboard tack, in warmer winds.
The sightings are few: a 200ft motoryacht came past us last night, and a freighter passed us 10 miles to the North, both bound for Gibraltar. In spite of the slowdown this morning waiting for the wind change, the first 48 hrs saw us cover 302nm. Our secret guesses as to when we will reach Flores are written and sealed in a Ziploc, and the the boat and crew are all happy.
Gentle Lady Nancy, with Gents John, Bob and Dave.
Tues May 20 10.30 Berm Time 3545N 5730W Wind W 6kts Seas 3ft Sunny and motoring to charge batteries and find useful wind (we hope).
Had good sailing until 8am then wind died. We just tried the Gennaker sail, but combination of waves and not enough wind would not allow it to set. So we are put-putting and charging batteries.
In 2014 Adventuress sailed to Europe. She made landfall in Muxia Spain; then England. After cruising the English South Coast, and the Channel Islands, she wintered at Woodbridge, England. The next three summers we cruised England, Holland, Norway, Denmark, France, Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. For the foreseeable future Adventuress will sail in Europe. UPDATE: it's October 2021 and we are sailing her back to the USA: Transat passage will be Nov/Dec: expect to be in Florida end of January.
