Praia de Vitoria

I slowed down so as to arrive off the harbour after dawn. Even in the outer harbour there was a lot of surge. By the time I got lines and fenders ready on both sides of the boat it 8 AM local time and there were yatchies around who take my lines. The docks are full and visitors are rafted two out. It was great to be in. It had not been an easy trip. An average run of 106 mile per day, compared to the usual 135 miles/day. Far too much time spent hard on the wind tacking north and south into the SW wind on the top side of all those lows. That's how it can be. Just think I could find those same SW winds next year to go back to England.

Day 12 Careful what you ask fo

Shades of the Southern Ocean. Running before 35 knots of wind with just a quarter of the number 2 genoa. Big seas. Albert doing a superb job of holding course of 20 to 10 degrees off dead down wind, making 6.5 - 7 knots. Noon position 40 15N 26 05 W. Noon-to-noon run was 161 miles.

It was all going well until around 20:00 when the north wind at the back of the low started to increase. I dropped to three reefs in the main and four rolls in the genoa. Then the barometer began a more rapid ascent. By 22:00 it was getting out of hand so I took the main down, lashed it up onto the boom gallows. took the genoa down to about a quarter size, shut everything up went to bed. Not a lot of sleep. But not to worry. Great boat just kept tracking. A high is coming in behind the low so the wind will continue to veer, but not lighten. Only 101 miles to Terceira and it looks like I'll get here early in the morning. The entrance through the outer breakwater is 1/3 mile wide and well lit, so I'll go in, round up into the north quarter, anchor, and wait til dawn. Though I suspect that it may be too windy to go to the inner harbour.

Day 11 The Last Low....I hope

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.

Day 10 Easy Sailing

Yesterday's low is gone. Sailed across the front at 8 PM last night. Seas were very confused and lumpy. Initially very light wind, but gradually the expected NW wind strengthened and we off! On course and after an hour so the speed was up to six knots. And so it stayed all last night. Today, lighter winds and from W of SW but still able to make 210 - 215. So Easy sailing for now, full main and #1 genoa, dry decks (though very salty) and smooth seas. Perfect. The GRIB files show one last low to get past and the signs are showing in the upper clouds. It is forecast to take a different track, going SE, instead of NE so I'll go straight to it as so as There is a sign of the wind shift. After that it looks good, with a high forming to the north and east winds for the final leg. Noon position 43N 22W, noon-to-noon 110 miles (lost an hour), 340 miles to go.
Coryn has been keeping track of two Hurricanes, Leslie and Michael, and both seem to be staying safely to the west, so no worries there.

Day 9 Hard on the wind yet again

For the past three days a low has been hanging around to the NE of the Azores and it now has decided to move east. He could have waited! So last nigh around 02:00 the wind veered and built, the barometer dropped and before too long Taonui was hard on the wind struggling to make south and actually being bent off to a course of 165. Required course 230. I stuck it out until noon hoping to get south of the low. At noon I tacked over to head west with the plan of going through the bottom of the tightest part and out into the NW winds that are hopefully on the other side.

Just spoke a ship, the first that I've seen in days, the "Star Best" carrying containers filled with bananas from Columbia heading for Antwerp. He was this far north because of bad weather in the Mona Passage.

Noon to noon run was 113 miles, but only made good 101. 468 miles to go . Three days If the wind freed off.

Day 8 Broad Reaching

The motor was grinding along at 5 knots until around midnight when a light east wind appeared. The barometer had dropped a miniscule. We were on the other side of the High. Slowly the wind filled in and, with all sails up, Taonui's speed increased. By dawn it was up to four knots. By 10:00 we were charging along at 6 - 7 knots, one reef in the main and the #1 genoa bellowed out and pulling like a train. Only 14 or so knots of wind, but on a beam reach Taonui just loves it. 130 miles noon-to-noon, with 569 miles to go.

The forecast is for Hurricane Michael to turn north in a few days so no problem there, though I hope some poor sailor making an end of season Atlantic crossing doesn't get an unwanted surprise.

Day 7 Motoring across the High

Boring. Noisey. But nothing for it and the forecasts show no major movement in this semi-stationary blob over the next few days. Brings to mind the Rhyme the Ancient Mariner. Flat sea. No wind. But I suppose some might build in as I get over the top and find east - NE on the other side, but they will be light. Had a sad visit from a lost little bird this afternoon. A female Redstart with a lovely red rump. An insect eater. She didn't stay. The book shows migration from Europe to Spain and Africa each winter. GPS failure.

I'm keeping a watch on Hurricane Michael now at 29N 43W, 1,600 miles to the SW. It is said to be heading NE ( 45 +/-) As such it would clip the the western end of the Azores group of islands. Earlier this season Hurricane Gordon went over the top of the the eastern end of the Islands. Who ever heard of hurricanes in the Azores!!