Great sailing yesterday with the masthead blue
symmetrical spinnaker doing 12-14 knots in 15/16 knots of wind and back to a
four hour watch system to look after the kite. A cloudy day making the Atlantic
look very grey and less need of hats, shirts and sunscreen but still warm. Life
on board in a nice routine now, though heating up the last of our pre prepared
meals was some what of a challenge in the increasing swell and thanks if not
already done to those who arrived early in Las Palmas and did all the cooking.
Yesterday we crossed the path of two other ARC yachts within a few hundred yards
and a French cruising yacht within half a mile.
Wind has been pretty consistent the last few
days from ENE and sailing on a true wind angle of between 140 and 165
degrees depending on the choice of sail on both gybes . Before
nightfall we dropped the spinnaker and continued going South to get well into
the trade winds and South of what is forecast to be an area of low wind to the
North of 20 Latitude and put up No 1 genoa from its resting
place on the foredeck boomed out!!.Having cracked that sailing to a bearing
rather than wind angle was the way to do it, we had great night under a starry
canopy. This morning we gybed on to starboard with same sail plan and are now
doing nearly 10 kts dead on the rumb line to St Lucia.
Having breakfasted on porridge Jonas is now sailing
a smooth course allowing Michael to be first on duty down below on
what we reckon will be a three hour job filling the watertank and water bottles
from the water maker.
Happy sailing on Board
Chris xxx