Webster - Log 8 - What a difference a day makes - part 2

Thursday 28th: Morning all...here we are after a gorgeous sunrise on a course of 255 with a lovely breeze blowing us in the right direction. But, like all good things they come to an end and by 11am the wind started to drop off again, so we cleaned the boat inside and out, washed the tea towels and generally did housekeeping. By noon the wind had gone completely! The grib files were suggesting wind after 12 hours or so to the west so we decided to invest some fuel budget in getting over to it. Having temporarily turned off the engine at 1300 for the SSB net we took the opportunity presented and myself, Carl and Albert dived over the side into a mill pond. The water was a lovely temperature. Set off again under engine and were surrounded by dolphins again.

Carl made a chicken stew for tea, very good too, made with half a bottle of white wine. It was tempting to drink the other half but we are a dry boat so it has been put away. I shall check later to see if it is still there later on tomorrow as I have put a crafty mark on the bottle!!!

Night has come and still flat calm. We have been motoring since lunchtime and still no wind. We can't carry on burning fuel. At 0330 changed course to 225 to cut the corner a bit towards Verdes just in case and the question of whether we ought to head there came up again. Other boats around us are clearly headed in that direction. A move south takes us more directly towards 15N where the trades are supposed to be forming; we are presently around 22N, some 420 nm north! It also takes us closer to Verdes so if the weather mid Atlantic is showing light spells which will require fuel we almost have no choice but to put in. Just hoping that the larger grib files requested do come through as SSB is not always that reliable for large data files; this will give us the big picture with any luck. A real life dilemma!

At long last the wind kicked in at 0500 from SE so engine off and sails up. Presently doing 6-7 knts on 220. We shall keep heading in this direction and take a decision later; as I said yesterday we are a load of girlies and allowed to change our minds. I used to be decisive but now I am not so sure........

Christmas in St Lucia feels a long way off at present.

Charlie - Webster