As forecast the High moved north as evidenced by a small drop in the barometer. At 08:00 the wind had shifted more to the NE, pushing Taonui onto a heading of 95 - 105. So tacked over to port and started bashing directly into the waves left by the old wind. From noon yesterday until 08:00 I had made good 99 miles. In the next four hours I made good only three miles as I headed 345 which 75 degrees off the required course. Nothing for it!!. No point in heading east as this would just keep me in the NE winds and end up with a long grind to windward up the French coast and across the Bay of Biscay.
The noon position was 42.04N and 21.37W, 102 miles made good out of 115 sailed. 830 miles to Falmouth. By 16:00 the wind had shifted further east and am now heading almost due north, heading for the centre of the High, 360 miles to the north. There should be light east winds around the southern side of the centre.
I'm plotting noon positions on the same chart used in May, 2000 when I was sailing north from the Falklands and stopped briefly in San Miguel, Azores en route to Falmouth. From there it was a flying broad reach in strong SW, giving daily runs of 160 - 180 miles and a fast, exciting 7 1/2 day trip. Not this time. Pity.
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