Home run

30th June 2010. 06.40. 37deg 57N 41deg 07W Pressure 1028. Day 24
Nice bright sunny morning again. Wind perked up a little and veered a bit more south during the night. Will pole out and head a little more north goosewinged in a minute. Ship passed to the north of me, watched him change course about 5 miles away on AIS to give a bit more room, nice to know they care. I called up on vhf to say thanks. 2nd person I´ve spoken to in 3 1/2 weeks. Made good enough speed in 24 hours up to 6am, 120 miles. Not the heady heights of recently but good enough.
07.10. That´s better, poled out, gybed main to starboard and now running dead downwind nice and peacefully. Some dolphins came to help, hello boys and girls!! Love ´em!

12.30 Wind up a bit, 2nd reef in main. Days run of 127Nm. 440 to go.

Sun´s out.

29th June 2010 06.00. Day 23. 38deg 7N 43deg 46W. Pressure 1027mb.

Very high pressure but still a nice breeze from SW so I´ll keep quiet about it and enjoy while it lasts. Weatherfax show a nasty low coming across north of here in about a day, tempting to get a little higher north to keep away from the top of the Azores high but that low looks a bit mean and moody so I´ll stay at this latitude and see how it goes. If I head south might loose wind altogether which would be good for washing but dull for sailing. We shall see. Low looks like it will hammer Ireland and sw UK in couple of days, glad I won´t be up there then. Seas down from last few days but on the starboard quarter (back right of the boat ye lubbers) so still bit rolly but I barely notice it now. Apart from when coffee goes flying across the boat followed buy some swear words.

12.00. Clocks forward, 143 miles in 23 hours. Still going strong. Lovely day, blue sea with nice breeze and lot of white horses, sunny and cool with the breeze. No longer drinking 2 litres of water every day like the tropics. Some 70´s Stanley Clarke playing LOUD! Been stuck inside for days, great to sit outside again even if there is a touch of spray coming aboard now and then. 563 miles to go to Flores. 4 days 4 hours at this speed but won´t think too much about when, pressure way up so could loose the wind at any second. But may celebrate with one of the last 2 tins of fruit. Ah, the luxury of it all.

East we go some more

14.30 28th June 2010. 37deg 53N 45deg 36W. Pressure 1024.
Breezy night, put in second reef in main again at some point in the middle of the night. WInd down now to high teens, back to 1 reef in main and more jib rolled out. Lots current, hit over 9kts over the ground a little while ago. Should put the ships time forward an hour, we are sailing into the future. Every 15 deg east is an hour ahead. Pressure way up but still enough wind. Must be the low above and the high below both adding their bit. 680 miles to go. Getting a bit bored now, into week 4 and been stuck below for days now. Not so bad now but when the wind gets up every once in a while a wave will hit the side of the cockpit and fill it up a bit, not the perfect spot to be sitting reading a book! Still, not long now. No bits of boat broken yet, fingers crossed.

Not much sunbathing around here

18.36. 26th Wind died down to well under 20kt, shook reef out of main and let out big chunk of jib. Still sailing good. Breeze seems to have set up a lovely current of couple of knots, yippee! Quickly go we. 145Nm run til noon today, might get even better if this keeps up, sitting at between 7.5 & 8kt over the ground. Still rolling a bit but much more comfortable. Long may it continue. Might stay around this latitude for the time being, don´t really want to go north looking for more wind just in case I find it.

27th June 2010 12.30 37deg 51n 49deg 7w.
Still windy, another cold front passing through. But days run of 168 miles WOOHOO. That´s best ever or at least equal best. 143 miles without current which is a fine days run on it´s own. Hopefully tomorrow seas will go down a bit, been life in a washing machine for a while now. 850 miles to Flores. A few more daily runs like this and we´ll be there. Fresh fruit! A beer, been three weeks now!
17.00  Just downloaded grib, looks like another 3 days or so of 20Kt winds. But in the right direction so can´t complain too much. Weatherfax shows nastiness not too far north, glad I´m not up there, this is choppy enough thank you very much.

Along the almost 38th parallel

18.00. Nice evening. Sunset gets later as the latitude gets higher. Much cooler now, still teeshirt off during the day but not the blazing furnace sun that is the tropics. Just put a reef in the main and rolled up a bit of the foresail.Not that there´s that much wind, not even high teens in the gusts. After so long without wind the boat felt a little like a horse in spring getting a first gallop in a field after a winter inside, racing ahead. But chill, horsey, let´s not break anything. Long way to go yet.
Music for airports by Brian Eno playing: Endless sea around the boat. Slow sunset. Cool breeze. Hard to imagine everything else. Cars, cities, weekly cycles of work and weekend. Laptop says it´s thursday today. That means nothing.
Maybe soup for supper later on. There´s one sweet potato left, should use it up.

25th June 2010 07.15. 37deg32N 56deg 20W. Just hardend up a bit into the wind to head more to the west, about 080deg. Nice wind, boat rollying badly overnight but calmed down a bit now with the wind more side on to the sails. Almost chilly last night, nearly needed more than a teeshirt at dawn. Do I own such a thing? Must be in a locker somewhere.

11.00. Breeze getting up a bit. Hove to and derigged the pole. Flying along at over 7kt over the ground now with a southerly wind. Go, girl, go. GPS just shown 1500 miles just leaving Antigua.

12.00 Days run 135Nm. Not bad but could do better. Ground speed up near 8kts now. Wind about 20kts, just took 2nd reef in main and rolled bit more of the jib in. The old girl does like a bit of wind in her sails even if the skipper does get knocked about a bit. Might be glad I fitted that 3rd reefing line in Grenada. Nice to know it´s there anyway. Still a rolly boat much happier with 2nd reef. Should have done it a few hours ago. Sorry boat, must try harder!

26th June 2010 10.15 37deg39N 52deg 56W 23deg c outside.

Wind still up. Gusting mid 20´s. 2 reefs in main and jib rolled in all the way safe and sound. Sailing nice just with main and staysail. Snug strong rig. Waves, tyhe begger ones maybe 10´ Some spray and top of an occasional wave makes it into the cockpit but not much. Boat still rolly with waves coming in at 45 deg to starboard of the stern. Rocky rolly. But very quiet down below. Occasionall thhhummpp as a wave hits the side of the boat and lands in the cockpit, then a little shake and the boat carries on. Down below, classical music and a crime thriller. Seems like a sunday for some reason. Sailing fast, though. 6 to 7kts. Worth a bit of rolling for that. Boats seems dry, little leak in main cabin hatch and some coming in the anchor hawse pipe but minor. Both will be sorted in the next refit being planned. Along with so many other things. New port holes looking forward so I don´t have to leave the cabin for a look around. New hard sprayhood.

Still there is wind.

20.00. Not a ship for well over a week then one right up close. Pacific Dream, looks like a container ship, seems like coming a bit close on AIS so i turn right and slow down, let it pass in front. I called up on VHF, he had me on radar for a while and i had him on AIS so all good.
Crumbs, all going on tonight. Couple flashes lightning way off to the west, radar shows a squall 7 miles away which matches up with the length of time for the thunder to arrive so some sail down and change course to let it go in front, assuming it goes in same direction as wind. . Seems to be passing way out in front. Best place for it, not nice, thunder at sea.

24th June 2010. 06.45 36deg 27n 58deg 39w. Water temp 23deg C, air temp air temp 24degC. Pressure 1021mb.
Beautiful morning, Clear with a few fluffy cumulus clouds around, visability seems good. Blue sea with quite a few white horses, about a mid F4 wind. Boat flying along peacefully @ 6.5kt. Perfect. Had to happen sooner or later. Should be in Flores in 8 or 10 days if this keeps up. Which it might not, but looking good for next couple of days anyway. I hope.
12.00 Days run 153 nautical miles! That´s more like it. Though there was some considerable help from the current. Cloudy again, very light shower passing overhead. Think I´ll stay in and read a book. Again.

Sailing at last.

22/6 16.30. Yuck. Wind almost completely died and boat rolling in the swell. Sails slatting away horribly so took in 2 reefs in the main, rolled up the jib and sheeted in staysail. Quieter now but still rolling. Speed under 1kt. Aint gonna let me go easy, is it.

18.40. Wing and wing again. Still rolling like a fairground ride. Not very nice. First one way, the mainsail will loose the wind and crack! as it fills again then same thing happens the the jib as the boat rolls the other way. This happens every few seconds continually. But it´s either that or take them down and still roll but go nowhere. Boat speed 2kt, not going anywhere very fast but at least moving.

19.00. Enough, can´t take that anymore. Jib rolled nearly all the way in and sheeted tight, main sheeted in tight with 2 reefs. Gps shows less than 1kt, adverse current. Wonderful. Just what I need.

23rd June 2010. 34d 27n 60deg 26w. Pressure 1023.
04.00. At last, doing what the boat was made to do. Sailing. 6Kt apparent wind from west. Just tacked the headsail, the rolling was too much. With the sails both out on the same side of the boat the rolling is still there but much less. Now sailing course 030deg but that pesky current pushing the course round to 010 and losing 0.5kt boatspeed. The pilot charts show some eddies in the current around here but couple of degrees further north shopuld be back in the east setting current of at least 0.5kt all the way to the Azores. But still doing 4kt over the ground in the right direction so a happy crew onboard this morning. Back to bed it is then, one that isn´t rolling around quite so much. :) :)

09.00 Now we´re rockin! Wing and wing again but not rolling quite so bad. 5kt plus boat speed & gps so current calmed down for the moment. Seas seem tiny bit less, maybe due to less wind over current. It the wind blows in oppisite direction to the current or tide the sea can get really annoyed and choppy. Course just over 50deg true. Todays thinking is get up to about 38N and turn right there, head due east towards Flores in Azores. Only another 1450 miles to go. Done 1205 miles so far though rather slowly. Boat sailing nice and quiet now with more wind in the sails. Apart from Neil Young blasting out of the speakers of course :)

12.00 June 2010 34deg 57N 60deg 02W. Water temp 25deg C, air temp 24deg C Pressure 1023
Days run 85 Nm, but 75 on the log so overall some help from the current. Cloudy now and even some very light rain. Almost chilly after so long in the tropics. Sailing nicely though still rolling but there you go, you can´t have everything.

15.30  Look at that!! Sitting at 7.5kts. Hit over 8 a moment ago, go, girl, go!  Dead downwind at 60deg.

Slowly north again.

20th June 2010. 18.21. Engine off before long, sunset not far off. All afternoon there has been not a cloud in sight. Pressure now 1024 after being up to 1025 mid afternoon. Tiny breeze from NW but at least the boat will steer herself now. No fish, but a few artic terns flying round the boat now and again, beautiful birds, dancing on the wind with big long white tails . Other than that not much to say, progress down to the whims of the gods of wind soon. Now at 33deg 23n so surely there must be a bit of breeze up here soon. When will be will be, I wonder. Next time I´ll buy more powdered milk, getting rather fond of fresh yoghurt. Been out for more than two weeks now. Seen only 3 or 4 ships, no other yachts or fishing boats. Just deep blue sea and blue sky. Not even half way yet. Little bit daunting, but only if you think about it. What shall i have for to eat tonight then, I´ll think about that instead. Likely to be something not involving fresh fish but containing rice.
22nd June 2010 07.00. 33deg 41n 60deg 35w. Air temp 26deg sea temp 24.2deg. Pressurre 1024mb.
Just poled out the foresail, running wing and wing now. That is main sail all the way out to starboard and the genoa out to port with a pole between the mast and the sail to stop it flapping about. Doing just under 3kt just the wrong side of north, 355deg. But just oh so quiet. Covered a world shattering 12 miles last night. But that´s 12 diesel free miles and better than going backwards. Might have a clean up today, tidy the chart table and maybe finally do something with those wires at the back of the vhf radio. Only been like that for a couple of years. Or maybe just read a book. Must be due a day off :) First some coffee and the last half of that orange with some yoghurt.
12.00 Wind went round to the west so just tacked the headsail, heading 018deg at 3kt. Run to noon was 63 miles. Slowly slowly again. Made what I thought was going to be roti but they turned out more like pitta bread. Easy though. Ready made mix bought in Trinidad, just add a little water, leave for 10 minutes, roll out and fry dry and hot. Next step will be make a big pot of chick pea curry and snacks will be easy from here on in. Chick peas soaking in readiness. Plenty indian spices from Trini in the cupboard as well. Yummy. Again not a cloud in the sky, pressure up one to 1025 so lucky to even have that tiny bit of breeze. Right, back to the book. Too hot to sit in cockpit, relaxing in cabin today.
23cm of fuel left, that´s enough for couple days motoring anyway if needed, I´ll keep that in reserve so no more engine apart from maybe an hour here or there to charge batteries. Solar panels seem to be keeping on top of that though not enough juice to have laptop running as well.

20th June 18.50 .Wind it comes, wind it goes.

At last, had enough and turned the engine off. Silence again.Tiny little hint of a breeze just sprung up, 3 maybe 4 kt, just enough to move the boat about 1kt and with a bit a tweaking of sheets (that´s the bits of string attached to the sails and used to adjust the angle of them, you lubbers), the boat even goes in the rightish direction. 43deg at 2kt with the current helping. Hope that keeps up overnight, another 15 odd miles will help the cause. Once upon a time I had a windmeter at the top of the mast, little 3 cup job. But gradually the cups got knocked off. So now to measure windspeed I have a little hand held thing, always feel just a bit like the statue of liberty standing in the cockpit holding it aloft. Anyway, that´s how I know quite accurately that the wind is indeed hardly blowing at all. Maybe soon, grib just downloaded via satphone shows wind up ahead. Probably just teasing though.
Wonder what´s for dinner tonight. Not fresh fish, this much I know.
21.30. Ah, lovely breeze strenghtened up to about 6kt, enough to push the boat at nearly 4kt and feel like we´re actually sailing. And enough force in the sails to stop them slatting from side to side every time a little swell comes through. A clear starry sky as well so it might be a bit of real wind, not the stuff that clouds make. Please, please!
21st June 07.30. 32deg 40N 60deg 44W. Air temp 26c, sea temp 25.5c
Well, it was good while it lasted. Did 35 miles on GPS overnight. 37 on log so must have been a tiny adverse current going on. But wind died this morning so noisy engine on again. Could be last day of engine if I want to keep a few days fuel in reserve, which would be the wise thing to do. Now motoring into slight headwind at just under 4kt. Barometer up to 24mb. Still, nice sunny day. Fresh yoghurt made overnight and half of last orange for breakfast. Feeling rather healthy.
Will catch a fish today? Answers on a txt to 881631646270 here http://messaging.iridium.com/... The winner will receive...... er, nothing :)

20th June 10.00. Fishy escapes again

Just lost another perfect grillsized fish. Flip flip splish splash goes the
fish, off off goes the hook. Oh well, so it goes. Squall went through
earlier as well, high tech water catching time. This is how.. 1 reef in the
main and lift the topping lift a bit so the boom goes up and the sail goes a
bit baggy. At the mast tie a funnel under the boom going into an empty 5l
water container, the water goes down the sail, runs along the little sort of
trough made in the sail by the reef, through the funnel into the water
bottle. Just got about 3 litres lovely fresh drinking in a short shower. I
must look exceptionally sophisticated walking around the deck naked in the
rain with bits of string and funnels. Such is the life of an ocean sailor.
Wind even lighter now and gone round slightly to the south which
unfortunately means chief helmsman Commander Aries the windvane has having a
few problems keeping course. Another day tied to the tiller, that would be a
bit dull. Though seems to have settled down about 335deg, wrong side of
north but better than steering by hand. Last nights´weatherfax showed more
of the same, massive high pressure right across southern part of north
Atlantic, if I can just sneak up to the top edge of that.... Winds blow
clockwise round highs in the northern hemisphere, anticlock around lows. But
who knows, today I motor.
12.00. Days run 61 miles. Slowly slowly but north we go.

19 June 2010. 18.30, Fishey lives.

Bugger, just lost a fish. Not sure what but it lives to swim another day. And at last engine off for the day, ears ringing. Noisy blimmin thing. And so we shall drift at about 1.5kn for the night, no doubt to turn on the engine again tomorrow. Think I´ll stop motoring when the fuel gets down to 25cm. Then it´s down to the gods of wind. 36cm at the moment down from 41cm this morning. So that´s about another 120 miles motoring, or 2 degrees latitude which would take us up to 33deg N. Will that be enough to find some wind? Hope so. It must be there somewhere. Weatherfax hour soon. See what they´ve got to say about the possible future.

20th June. Day 14. 06.30 Hmm. Wefax say more of the same. Massive high pressure system right over Atlantic. What can a poor skipper do. Motor a bit further north then wait it out I suppose. Can´t stay like that forever.......     can it??

This link might work to today's weatherfax. Can´t remember what area it is though.   http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax/PJEA11.TIF

So coffee time then fire up the mighty Bukh (diesel engine) and listen to a few podcasts or loud led Zeppelin. Who cares what the neighbors think.

19th June 2010. 12.00. Day 13

30deg 40n, 61deg 23w. Guess what, no wind. Motoring slowly north but passed
30 degrees north. At least some indication of progress. Charts indicated a
cold front up ahead, and there is some high level cloud about, bit hazy in
front but that´s about it. Some rain might be quite nice. Have a shower and
top up with nice fresh rainwater to drink. Ah, dream on, why not. Dug out an
old trailing log this morning to check the calibration of the inboard one.
Main one was over reading a little, reset now. Good thing is I know for sure
that the little bit of current that does exist and has gone round to being
setting north again, in my favour. Thanks, current, I need all the help I
can get. Days run 74Nm. Not much but some. What I would give right now to
check into a holiday inn, order some room service and a bottle of wine and
come back when there´s some wind. Pressure up again, now 1024mb. High
pressure looks like it stretches from Azores all the way across the atlantic
to Florida. With me in the middle. Oh, well, never mind. Dorado for lunch
now, yummy.

18th June 2010. 20.45

One day at a time. Weatherfax hints at maybe a tiny bit more wind tomorrow
but I´ll wait and see. For those new to weatherfax... It´s charts broadcast
over shortwave which you can pick up with a world band short wave receiver.
Plug the headphone output into the mic socket of the laptop and you can
receive (slowly) a variety of weather charts from different locations. New
Orleans is the favourite at the moment, good reception (at night anyway) and
does 24h, 48h and 72h forecasts showing expected wind speed and pressure
charts. All very useful if a little frustrating these past few days. But at
least now there is some wind, less than 5kn over the deck but enough to
slowly move the boat in roughly the right direction. And there might be the
same tomorrow or even a tiny bit more. Who knows. Though north isn´t
actually the way to the Azores, but you need to get up near 40degN to pick
up the stronger westerlies to zoom across. Hopefully. Got miles to go yet
and already been out for ages, crossing from Cape Verde to Brazil only took
16 days. I´ll be lucky to get much past Bermuda in that time at this rate.
But hey ho, what can you do. Eat some sushi and read and play with the
sextant. Still at least 10 miles out every time with the sextant, must be
the sun. It´s in the wrong place. Probably.

18th June 2010. 13.00

Well, 2 good things. Daily run up to 101 Nm which is slow by many peoples
standards but racing along compared to recent progress. Though there seems
to be about 1/2kn current against us instead of with us as it was up until
last night. And caught a fish!! Seaweed seemed to be much scarcer so the
line went back in and just reeled in a lovely grill sized Dorado perfect for
dinner tonight. Yummy! Squabbling shearwaters fighting over the leftovers
from gutting. Children, please! Engine off, sailing slow. 3kn over the
ground. But quiet and peaceful.

18th June 2010. 10.00

Just caught the edge of a squall, lovely shower on deck. Nice feeling clean.
Shame the squall took int wind with it. Engine on again. But the wind is
such that the windvane just keeps course so at least not tied to the tiller.
Pressure back up to 1023. Where exactly did I pick up that high pressure
magnet on the boat. Seems to work though, where the boat goes so does the
high.

18th June 2010, Day 12

06.15. 29 05N 61 34W. Sea temp 28degC, air temp 27 degC. A little breeze
all night long, sailed average 4kn all night. Nicey nicey! Might have a
whole day without being lashed to the tiller and the noisy engine on.
Whatever will I do with the free time?? Might think about making some bread.
Think about it anyway. Tried once before ages ago and seem to remember it
coming out at least edible. Closest I´ve got recently was mixing up some
flour and water (and a little anchovy paste!) to use as bait for fishing off
the dinghy. Not quite the same but can´t be that different. Anyway, another
beautiful day, boat sailing very calmly north at about 4kn. All is well with
the world. I read in one of the pilot books that we have been crossing close
to the eastern edge of the sargasso sea. So that´s what all the floating
seaweed is about. Playing havoc with the fishing, the lures get covered in
seaweed straight away so trolling for fish has been postponed for the time
being. Number of fish being caught seems unaffected by this drastic action.

17th June 2010. 21.00.

Another day motoring but at least now sailing slowly. 42cm diesel left. That
means I haven´t used that much and have a fair bit left. Very light wind
from west which suggests maybe clearing the top of the high pressure ridge.
Oh please let it be so! Right now sailing north at just under 3Kn. Might
give Bermuda a miss.

Thought long and hard about pros and cons, timings etc but in the end won at
solitare on the laptop. If I´d lost would have to go to Bermuda....
Probably. Tan coming on nicely. Sleepy now. Night night.

17th June 2010. 12.00

Days run 81 miles. Pressure up a point, suggest´s that high is overtaking
me. Bermuda, hmmm. Might turn left just a little and see what happens.
Certainly haven´t enough diesel to motor another 6 or 700 miles which is
what it´s looking like at the moment. We´ll see.

17th June 2010. 07.30. Day 11

Looks like another day on the helm. Weatherfax shows the high pressure ridge
moving north as I head north. Tiny breeze from SE so gained about 15 miles
overnight. Starting to consider calling in at Bermuda for a break. It´s not
that many miles out of the way. There´s 49cm diesel in the tank, can´t
remember exactly how much that is but must be 3 or 4 hundred miles anyway.
Enough to reach westerlies? Who knows.

Just looked in a mirror! That reflection is, er, interesting. Bad hair day
or what. Right, love to stay and chat but got work to do. :)

16th June 2010. 19.30

Nearly 13 hours at the helm & 70 miles further north. More than enough for 1
day. Must get that electric autopilot fixed! Still no wind. Small squalls
around which makes for an absolutely stunning sunset. Soup and sleep now.

16th June 2010. 12.00.

Motoring. Pressure 1023mb. That´s up 2 points since this morning, it´s meant
to be going down! But north we go. Slight breeze from the west, maybe the
mythical westerlies do exist and will arrive soon. You never know.

16th June 2010. 06.45. Day 10

Tiny breeze from the south but boat moving very slowly. Right then, sunblock
on, mp3 player on, engine on, baseball cap and sunglasses on, teeshirt off.
Handcuffed to the tiller for the next while.

15th June 2010. 21.00.

Still becalmed. Latest weatherfaxes who a stationary ridge of high pressure
right across atlantic with me in the middle. Time to motor tomorrow
methinks. A few degrees north hopefully will get into the westerlies. That
means handcuffed to the tiller. Electric autopilot stopped working ages ago.
Wind vane, as the name suggests, needs some wind to steer the boat. So it
goes.

15th June 2010. 17.00.

Wind died again. Not a breath. Boring.

15th June 2010. 15.30.

Back on port tack with both sail out to starboard, about 3.5Kn heading
roughly 10deg. So can´t complain really. No rolling now. 15 miles out with
sextant sight, far from exact but close enough to find an island or at least
a continent. Might not throw the gps overboard just yet though...

15th June 2010. 12.30.

Better days run, still only 56 miles but most of that since middle of the
night. Wind veering round to south west so will tack the foresail round to
starboard before long. that should help stop the rolling as well, dead
downwind is always a rolly affair. Wind more on the beam might get a bit
more boat speed also. Beansprouts coming on nicely, need to make more
yoghurt already. Yoghurt yummy! I didn´t do too well provisioning, out of
soy beans to sprout (mung are my favourite) so might have to be lentils.
Seem to have plenty of everything else though. Enough tins of tuna and
tomato paste to open a small corner shop. Fruit nearly gone, apple and
yoghurt with cumin for mid morning snack, couple of apples left and one
orange. But in fairness, the Caribbean isn´t the greatest place on earth to
provision, most fruit and veg seems to be imported.

Been playing around with sextant this morning, is it cheating to use GPS to
get the time?

15th June 2010. 09.00.

Squall just went over the boat, nothing like a wash in the rain to make you
feel good.

15th June 2010. 06.00.

Beautiful wind. Please stay! Wind from the south 5kn apparent and boat
heading north at 4kn. Jib poled out to port and mainsail to starboard with
preventer on. What that means, nonsailors, is that there is a pole sticking
out to the left of the boat with the rope to the headsail through the end of
it. This keeps the headsail spread out and stops in flapping around as the
boat rolls. The mainsail is sticking out the right hand side of the boat
with a rope from the back end of the sail to the front of the boat pulling
the rear of the sail forward. This keeps the mainsial behaving it´s self and
stops it shooting across to the other side to the boat as the boat rolls.
When that happens it´s called a gybe and is noisy, scary and goes BANG! Work
of the devil, to be avoided at all costs.

But right now sailing beautiful. Please stay like this forever! Or could
this just be yet another teasing nautical lesson on tolerance and
acceptance. We´ll see.

15th June 2010. 03.00. Day 9

Just woke to slight chuckle of wavelets on the hull. Little breeze from the
south. Shook out reefs, heading north at 2.5kn and heading back to bed.

14th June 2010. 15.00

Just got couple of weatherfax forecasts. Not much wind anytime soon. Good
job I´m not in a hurry!

14th June 2010.

12.00 25deg 4´N, 62deg 11´W. Still moving, racing along at 2.3kn. 35 Nm days
run, 20 of that from the current but at least we´re moving. Wind 3.5kn
apparent from SSW, boat heading 075deg. Which is probably about 5 or 6knots
of wind. Better than no wind. Got weatherfax working with shortwave radio
and laptop, clean image from Boston of current surface analysis, looks like
a weak trough over us at the moment, a few clouds about but that´s it. Will
get 24h and 48h forecasts later when they are broadcast and try New Orleans
as well. Might give up on downloading grib files with satphone, uses up too
much expensive airtime minutes and I find weatherfaxes give a better big
picture of what´s going on anyway. The gribs seem not very accurate when the
winds are as light as this. probably a lot of it´s local anyway.

Is it lunchtime yet? What shall we have, mmm, lets see, what about trigger
fish! Again. Last one and doubt if I could catch any with the boat moving.
Though might try some triggerfish skin on a lure. I´ve watched dorado come
and look at a lure then swim away before, maybe with some bait on there they
could be persuaded to come to dinner. And triggerfish skin is really tough,
like leather so should stay on the hook. Dream on,eh :)

14th June 2010. 05.30. Day 8

Moving again, even if only slowly. Little breeze from south set in, sailing
040deg about 3Kn. Hope it stays for a while.

13th June 2010. 16.30

At last some wind. From the wrong direction but at least the boat is moving.
Though possible short lived. Looks like a squall way up ahead so might be
just from that. Wind from northish, I´m sailing east. We´ll see what
happens.
Ha, that was short lived. 10 minutes then nothing again. So it goes.

13th June 2010. 12.30

Not a massive days run yesterday. 20 miles on gps, 4 on log and I´m about 6
miles away from where I was this time yesterday. Mostly current though
occasionally a tiniest hint of breeze will push the boat a little. Most of
the movement is from the current though. Thankfully pushing us north at
about 1Kn. Finally gave up about 3am this morning and put the 3rd reef in
the main to stop it slatting. Just have triple reefed main and staysail up
now, as much for some shade on deck as for any forward motion. Total
silence. In between the very quiet now slatting on the main of staysail and
slight click wires in the mast the silence is total. Or would be if I didn´t
have Anouska Shankar cranked up on the stereo. Caught another trigger fish
this morning. Almost too easy. Little hook ( for a little mouth), piece of
cheese as bait and 2 minutes later another fishey. That´s 2 in the fridge,
one for lunch today and tomorrow. Rice today methinks. Still got plenty
onions, some spuds, sweet spuds and tomatoes left. 1 banana to go which
better go today before it melts. Had a coffee famine scare yesterday but
found another packet, phew!
Recieved a whole 2 txts (ta Matt & big sis!) so the sat phone does seem to
work. Hurrah. Civilisation still exists. Out here you never quite know if
someone, somewhere maybe pushed the "End civilisation, don´t push unless you
really mean it!!" button.
Just made another batch of yoghurt. Easy. 1 and a bit cups powdered milk
with 3 cups water, heat to 80degC and let cool to about 40degC. Add couple
of tablespoons of live yoghurt, leave in a dark warm place. Easy where I am.
Come back half a day later and start eating. Some soya beans soaking for
beansprouts as well. My, what a busy morning.
Looks like will be becalmed for another day anyway according to the grib
files, will download another in a minute, see if it´s any different. But no
matter, might get more wind in a week or 2 than I want so I´ll enjoy this
while it lasts. Feels a bit like being on holiday. No need to do anything.

12th June 2010. 18.00

Still flat calm. Wired up short wave radio receiver to use normal
radio/cassette aerial, much better reception. Picked up Herb (atlantic short
wave weather router) but all the boats he was talking to were much further
north so no weather gems from him. Gribs show little wind here for tomorrow
at least, maybe longer. Think I´ll stay here then! Haven´t even considered
motoring. It´s nice here. No rush. Caught another triggerfish and still have
tiny bit tuna left, fresh fish for tea tonight and lunch tomorrow. Oh happy
days.

12th June 2010. 11.30

Now that was incredible. Flat calm now, not a breath of wind. Boat not
moving at all so I went for a swim off the back and a bit of a scrub. Water
is over 4Km deep here. Still some shearwaters paddling around, one came over
to me and let me stroke its´ back! Then I swam over to another one and it
let me pick it up, just for a moment. It squirmed a bit so I let it go
straight away but how amazing!!!!! When you are in the water it´s impossible
to describe the deep blue colour. Almost painful it´s so blue. And my
friends the shearwaters swimming with me. A memory for ever.

12th June 2010. 08.30.

Fish for breakfast. Up with the sun a 05.30 and the boat is barely moving.
2Kn but in the right direction for now so I´ll put up with the slatting
sails and leave them up for the moment. Caught 2 trigger fish. Saw them
swimming around the boat so used some of the last of the tuna as bait and
hey presto, couple more fish for me. One in the fridge and 1 in the tummy!
Just a pity it isn´t possible to catch some fresh fruit and veg as well, but
then who would ever leave offshore? Shearwaters back and squabbling once
more over the scraps. Children, please. Behave.
I wonder if anyone actually reads this? Txt now whoever you are!! Just
scroll up to the top of the page, click on the iridium link, put in the
number and write something warm and witty. Do it now! Or not. I´m feeling
very content out here either way.

11th June 2010. 18.00

It is completely utterly peaceful out here tonight. Sun just going down.
Fish in the fridge for tomorrow and belly full of sushi with cous cous for
late lunch. I have 4 friends. Great shearwaters. They´ve been following
since yesterday, think they´re the same ones but who knows. They will fly
ahead of the boat about 100´ and land, paddle out of the way as the boat
goes past then when about couple hundred feet behind repeat the procedure.
As the boat goes past they duck they´re heads underwater looking for
something. All day they do this apart from when I threw some sushi leftovers
overboard. Such a squabble over that! But so peaceful tonight. Straus
playing on mp3 player. In my mind I can see the shearwaters waltzing on the
water dancing around the boat. They look like they´re wearing dinner jackets
already. Waltz away friendly shearwaters. Hope they stay for a while. It´s
nice to have friends round for tea.

11th June 2010. 09.30

Sea temp 29 degC, air temp 27degC. 23deg 35´ N 61deg 59´W.
My friends the Shearwaters have left me. Saw one at dawn then nothing. But
that´s OK, maybe they´ll come back, maybe not. Either way it´s fine. Just
the way it is. Nothing now but the boat, almost cloudless sky above and
empty dark blue sea below. Two things of note will happen today. 1. We will
officially leave the tropics at 23deg 26´N. Actually, that´s happened
already, we´re at 23deg 35´ north so have just passed the tropic of cancer.
This is as far north as the sun makes it in the northern summer on June 21st
before heading south again. The other thing has happen already as well, we
are north of the sun again. But only just and no more. At noon the
declination of the sun will be 23deg 05´north. Which means at local noon it
will almost directly overhead. Hot hot hot.
Wind has died a little more. Boat speed around 3Kn. Sea calm. The boat rolls
gently on a long low swell from the east. I´m used to the boat now so don´t
notice the motion but can see the rolling from movement of the shadows from
the (soon to be overhead )sun. Seems to be a long slight swell from
northeast as well. Hard to see but something is there from a far off wind.

10th June 2010. 09.24

Uneventful night. Ship passed a few miles ahead around 4am heading south
west. Another about an hour ago behind going north east. We´ve just crossed
the rhum line between Straits of Gibraltar and the mono passage (between
Puetro Rica and Dominican Republic) so maybe they´ve either come from or are
going to the med. Quicker than me wherever it is. Wind has a touch more
north in it, course around 350deg which is not in the exact right direction
but no too badly wrong either. And the good news is I caught almost 2 fish.
At the same time! Hand line went then seconds later the rod. There´s a nice
size tuna in the fridge now from the hand line, the rod had a big Mahi Mahi
which was close to the boat after about 15 minutes but one final leap and
wriggle dislodged the hook so he lives to fight another day. It was too big
for me anyway, even in the fridge it would have gone off so is good that he
got away, beautiful neon blue and green leaping through the air. But sushi
for lunch and tuna stew for dinner tonight. Excellent. Yum yum with wasabi.

9th June 2010 00.30

Wind up a bit so reefed foresail. Boat bit calmer but still a little like a
slow motion tumble dryer. Back to bed.
12.00. Position 20deg 33´N, 61deg 29´W. Days run=118Nm. Not too bad for
light wind. Wind still holding up, little bit south of east. Course north
with a little touch of east. Not much going on, saw pod of Minke whales
yesterday and some dolphins. Little dark tern landed on the radar last night
and hitched a lift until dawn. A few shearwaters around showing some
interest in the fishing lures. Which is more than can be said of the fish.
Though I did loose a lure this morning so something is out there. Some
seaweed floating around which is odd, nearest land to windward is Africa and
sea is well over 1000m deep here. Wonder where the sargasso sea is? No idea,
where´s Mr Google when you need him. I´m slowly slipping back into offshore
frame of mind. Hours slip by, eat when hungry, sleep a lot. Nice that there
is no traffic or fishing boats or land to get in the way. Boat very well
behaved though rolling a bit in a 6 to 8´swell from the east. I could point
a bit higher but after the sailmaker in St Lucia said "Ain´t no way dat sail
gonna git a europe" I´m treating the foresail with kid gloves. There is a
smaller spare in the forepeak but would be nice to get another couple
thousand miles out of this one. We´ll see.

8th June 2010. 18:52

18.52. Perfect. Sun just set. Lovely sail along the bottom of Antigua then
up the west side. Sea slight and wind about F3. Lovely sailing. Now getting
into night mode which involves taking sunglasses off and hanging head torch
round neck instead. Will pass Barbuda overnight then open ocean. Hope the
wind stays like this. You never know!

8th June 2010 12.30.

Wind still good. pressure rising a little, 1020mB now, up a few mB from last
night. May well mean we´re sailing into some high pressure which was on the
last forecast. Less wind if that happens but so what. Not exactly in too
much of a rush. Hot hot hot. Sea is 30.5degC, air 30deg outside and 33deg
inside. Might have a day off today then! A few clouds around but mainly blue
sky, deep blue sea and nothing else. Haven´t seen any traffic since last
night when there were a couple of fishing boats on the horizon and a
freighter way behind. An empty ocean. Nice.

7th June 2010. 14.30.

Time to go. Last few EC dollars spent, dinghy onboard, everything tied down.
I hope. Up anchor and lets go!!

29Th May 07.00.

Anchored in English Harbour, Antigua. Open to the south and very rare south
winds at the moment so bit rolly. Never mind. Will try to fix all leaks and
some other bits which need fixing here then try again.

27th May 17.44

Finally underway. Sailed halfway to St Lucia this morning and back to
Martinique gaining all of about 3 miles to windward. The current, seas and
wind all deny any eastward travel. Finally motorsailed tacking quite close
inshore to Martinique and now heading about 10deg leaving Martinique to
disappear into the haze. Bye bye Caribbean.

Wet boat. Not nice. Bilges half full from bow living under water too much
and sea coming in hawse pipe for anchor chain. Leaky porthole in forepeak so
that´s getting soaked now as well. Enough. Antigua under 100 miles away, I´m
off there to make a dry boat!

26th May 2010.

Left Rodney bay about 1pm ish. Not quite the dawn as planned. Wind little
south of east. Choices were to tack out of the channel between St Lucia and
Martinique in the dark against wind and current, or spend the night a little
anchorage in the south of Martinique. Anchorage won. Won´t bother to go
ashore, don´t think. Very pretty, though. French island, even the trees look
well dressed. Will good nights sleep tonight and try again tomorrow.
Probably.

Paddy's New Blog

There seems to be a user interface error with Paddy’s regular website and uploading his scribblings while he sails back across the Atlantic. In the interim, you can follow his progress on this temporary blog, which, I am sure, he will then transfer to the www.conachair.co.uk website, once he sets his damp feet back on dry land.