Salamander - The Big Blue Hole

We've been using a series of wind prediction forecast models to help with our sailing strategy and decide which course to steer in order to benefit from the strongest winds. Salamander is 30 tonnes unladen and likely a good deal heavier with all the fuel, water and provisions on board. With all this weight we need the magic ingredient of wind to make us go. The more the merrier!

These wind predictions have led us to make a decision to head south, approximately 350 nautical miles further south than the rhumbline, in search of wind.

Last night we realised all wind searching had been in vain!

The wind charts are colour coded for strength of wind. Blue means little or no wind going through green, yellow, orange and red as the wind speed increases to 25kts.

We now had a very large blue area ahead of us, lying between us and our destination of St. Lucia. There is no way we could have predicted this and nothing we could have done differently that would have meant avoiding it.

The sails, now set on poles, started flapping as the wind speed dropped way below 10kts and the boat speed dropped below 3kts!

A meeting of all the crew was called and we all looked at the forecast. The options looked pretty bleak. Carry on and hope that the wind filled in, or the unthinkable, to put the engine on and motor to St. Lucia.

Chris put all these options to all of us and we put it to the vote.

Here we are 6 keen sailors, all determined to race to the end being asked to throw in the towel. Such an emotional moment, certainly for me. I'd come to race across the Atlantic in a sailing boat.

We took it in turns to reveal our decision and the result was a unanimous PUT THE ENGINE ON!!

There was no way we would have a chance of reaching St. Lucia in any sort of reasonable time frame and even motoring we have nearly a week to go!

If the wind should pick up, which appears unlikely, we can put up the sails again and enjoy ourselves.

I'm hoping that at the very least we can sail the last few miles so that we can cross the finish line with our sails up.

Not what any of us wanted but a harsh reality of sailing - we are completely dependent on having wind!

On the positive, we'll be able to meet with Mary the flag lady a little earlier now. I have a feeling that might also be quite emotional! Mary, here we come!!

Tim - Salamander Tour Manager and Guest Social Media Editor


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