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Starblazer - 11/02/2014 – Heading west



From our start in St Lucia all our track is westbound, with a southerly
component, so our heading towards the Galapagos is just a little west of
south west. Unfortunately the current is conspiring to send us close to
west! Let me explain. We point the yacht where we want to go, so long as
the wind permits, and make best speed through the water. The water isn’t a
stationary object like a road, it has currents which move at varying speeds
in varying directions so it carries the boat on a different course at a
different speed. The yacht’s log tells us speed through the water and the
compass gives us the heading, the wonderful GPS (who remembers Decca, Loran
or even Radio Direction Finders?) tells us the course and speed we are
making over the ground. The weather forecasters say there is about 1 knot
of current from NE, we have 3 knots from SE!

Yesterday’s log complained about the doldrums, however the wind filled in a
bit and, from 0945 Monday, we have been sailing. Our speed over the ground
has been between 6.8 and 8 knots but not in the right direction, instead
heading well north of our destination. The alternative, tacking, takes us
into the current and we would make about 2 knots south and east of where we
want to go. (We don’t like sailing at 2 knots!) During the evening’s SSB
rollcall many of the leading boats were complaining of a dying wind and
turning the engine back on. That will be our salvation, hopefully. When we
have to motor we can head in a direction that, taking the effect of the
current into account, will take us towards the Galapagos. We have 325 miles
to run at the moment (0745 Tuesday) and the forecast is for less wind today.
We have plenty of fuel to motor the rest of the way if needs be.

Fishing has continued unsuccessfully, John reeled the first strike over
halfway to the boat before there was a great splash and the line came back
minus the lure. The second bite also managed to escape before reaching the
boat, though this time the fish didn’t steal the lure! Just before I went
below to get the laptop to write this log I heard a big splash, a dolphin
was showing off. He was jumping 6-8 feet clear of the water, wagging his
tail then belly-flopping back in. He repeated this 7 or 8 times before he
swam away.

Dinner was spaghetti Bolognese followed by fresh fruit salad, we continue to
eat well.

Joyce

Postscript: for a more technical description see www.yachtstarblazer.co.uk


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