Saturday 25 May 2013

Day 7 May 25 West winds at last!

Great down wind sailing. Last evening the barometer started a slow decline and at 01:00 the west wind started. What a pleasure to turn off the engine. Light at first, but within an hour up to 15 knots. Taonui came alive. Full main out to port, full #1 genoa poled out to st'b and she was off. 7.5 - 8 knots. Down below, snug in my bunk, I could listen to the lovely sound of little bubbles rushing along the hull....instead of the grind of the engine for the previous 36 hours. On deck a lovely moonlit night, cool, clean, bright.

Noon-to-noon was 151 miles leaving 434 miles to go. ( noon position was 47.57 N 15.48 W ). Around 10 AM it started to drizzle and then rain, proof positive that we are now in UK waters. It must have a weak front passing over as the wind switched more into the NNW and dropped to 10 knots. Still sailing Wing & Wing but on the port tack and speed down to 5 knots. I'm heading a bit north of the required course so as to avoid some of the heavy traffic heading into the Channel. Had a chat with big tanker last night. The Chemo Leo heading for Antwerp, only making 12 knots, while Taonui was making 8. So it took an age for him to get from the bottom to the top on the 24 miles covered by the radar screen.

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