The forecast low started making its presence felt, Barometer dropping, wind shifting to the west. By 0200 I had to tack and head west with the plan of sailing into the low and across to the favourable NW winds on its west side. It was a long bouncy, slammy night and for much of it Taonui was bent off to steer 300, 70 degrees away from the required course. However by 09:00 it all worked out. Into the centre of the low, sloppy huge seas, no wind. I motored, sailed, anything to keep some motion on. At 11:00 a squall went over, lovely cleaning rain, on the other side was NW wind and sunshine. So back on course, up down screwing around in the junked up seas, but driving forward. This should settle down in an hour or so and the wind will keep veering and eventually, tomorrow be an east wind south of an approaching cell of high pressure.
I count seven lows that I have had to deal with on this trip. There has been some lovely sailing in the NW wind at the back of the low, but for the most part it has been 1,400 miles hard on the wind. And that is what a pilot chart would have forecast. Which explains the low daily runs.
Noon position 42 01N 23 23W Noon-to-noon 80 miles. 260 miles to go. Wednesday afternoon, if Huey allows.
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