I'm glad to be in. At noon yesterday I was off the Manacles, 7 miles from Falmouth after a wonderful sail for the previous 24 hours. Wing and wing, two reefs in the main and 1/2 the genoa poled out, a full moon. glorious sailing, easy and comfortable. Lot's of ship traffic to keep me attentive the AIS and the radar. 156 miles noon-to-noon. For the trip; 1,297 miles sailed, 100 more that a direct course getting around the High. 10.3 days, an average of 126 miles a day.
Today is cold, raining and blowing with more of the same in the forecast. It's good to be tied to a dock.
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Monday, 27 May 2013
Day 9 May 27 Great sailing
Noon-to-noon 164 miles. Great downwind sailing. Taonui is so good at this. Three reefs in the main and 1/2 of the #2 genoa poled out, Albert loving it. At dawn a big frontal area passed over, lots of rain, and out the other side, as forecast the wind went from SW to NW. Very confused peaky seas tossing the boat around. Went W+W on the other tack, but now, noon, back onto a broad reach. Still violent tossing, but it is going down.
Noon position was 49 36N 8 59W with 149 miles to go to the Lizard and then 15 miles into Falmouth Harbour.
Noon position was 49 36N 8 59W with 149 miles to go to the Lizard and then 15 miles into Falmouth Harbour.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Day 8 May 26 Great winds from here to Falmouth
No wind for much of last night, but a 00:40 it came in again from the west. So Wing and wing again with the speed slowly building. By 11:00 the wind had shifted to the SW and Taonui was off on a broad reach making 6.8n 7.0 knots. Lovely smooth sailing. I'm now in UK Shipping Forecast waters ( only 11 hrs to noon as clocks lost a hour) and the forecast for my area, Sole, SW Force 4 veering NW. Looking at this morning's weather fax, it should hold in the NW on Monday. A deepening low approaching northern Scotland. High in Biscay. And the Atlantic High has gone north and east, reaching all the way to Nova Scotia.
Noon position 48.44N 12.55W, noon-to-noon (11 hrs) 125 miles, 309 to go.
Coryn flies to London on Monday and will be coming down to Falmouth on Friday morning.
Noon position 48.44N 12.55W, noon-to-noon (11 hrs) 125 miles, 309 to go.
Coryn flies to London on Monday and will be coming down to Falmouth on Friday morning.
Day 8 May 26 Great winds from here to Falmouth
No wind for much of last night, but a 00:40 it came in again from the west. So Wing and wing again with the speed slowly building. By 11:00 the wind had shifted to the SW and Taonui was off on a broad reach making 6.8n 7.0 knots. Lovely smooth sailing. I'm now in UK Shipping Forecast waters ( only 11 hrs to noon as clocks lost a hour) and the forecast for my area, Sole, SW Force 4 veering NW. Looking at this morning's weather fax, it should hold in the NW on Monday. A deepening low approaching northern Scotland. High in Biscay. And the Atlantic High has gone north and east, reaching all the way to Nova Scotia.
Noon position 48.44N 12.55W, noon-to-noon (11 hrs) 125 miles, 309 to go.
Coryn flies to London on Monday and will be coming down to Falmouth on Friday morning.
Noon position 48.44N 12.55W, noon-to-noon (11 hrs) 125 miles, 309 to go.
Coryn flies to London on Monday and will be coming down to Falmouth on Friday morning.
Day 8 May 26 Great winds from here to Falmouth
No wind for much of last night, but a 00:40 it came in again from the west. So Wing and wing again with the speed slowly building. By 11:00 the wind had shifted to the SW and Taonui was off on a broad reach making 6.8n 7.0 knots. Lovely smooth sailing. I'm now in UK Shipping Forecast waters ( only 11 hrs to noon as clocks lost a hour) and the forecast for my area, Sole, SW Force 4 veering NW. Looking at this morning's weather fax, it should hold in the NW on Monday. A deepening low approaching northern Scotland. High in Biscay. And the Atlantic High has gone north and east, reaching all the way to Nova Scotia.
Noon position 48.44N 12.55W, noon-to-noon (11 hrs) 125 miles, 309 to go.
Coryn flies to London on Monday and will be coming down to Falmouth on Friday morning.
Noon position 48.44N 12.55W, noon-to-noon (11 hrs) 125 miles, 309 to go.
Coryn flies to London on Monday and will be coming down to Falmouth on Friday morning.
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.
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.
Friday, 24 May 2013
Day May 24 Motoring across the High
Since noon yesterday the motor has been on pushing her along at 5.5 - 5.8 knots. Absolutely no wind. Oily clam. Painted ship upon a painted ocean. Noon position was 46 15 N 10.09W, Noon-to-noon 135 miles, to go 585. Barometer slowly falling. GRIB forecasts show good N-NW winds for tomorrow.
Several ships passed by today heading for the Channel.
Had a visitor this morning. Going on deck at 06:00 I nearly put my hand a little bird, a little bundle of black and white feathers on the coaming of the companionway...600 miles from land. I cleared out the egg crate that I had strapped down in the forecabin holding fruit etc. and put a large black plastic bag over it. Carefully I took him in my hand. Just two little peeps as he was startled awaken. He weighed nothing. In the crate he perched for a while on a cabbage leaf and maybe had some water from a blow. No interest in a partly rotten orange or in some muesli. No chance of him becoming a vegan and I didn't have any insects. He was a House Martin. Very similar to our Purple Martin. By noon he had died. They always do. At least he didn't die falling into the ocean.
The sad end to my visiting Martin is that when I threw him overboard he landed on the cabbage leaf that I threw with him. He floated away in the wake on his little green boat.
Several ships passed by today heading for the Channel.
Had a visitor this morning. Going on deck at 06:00 I nearly put my hand a little bird, a little bundle of black and white feathers on the coaming of the companionway...600 miles from land. I cleared out the egg crate that I had strapped down in the forecabin holding fruit etc. and put a large black plastic bag over it. Carefully I took him in my hand. Just two little peeps as he was startled awaken. He weighed nothing. In the crate he perched for a while on a cabbage leaf and maybe had some water from a blow. No interest in a partly rotten orange or in some muesli. No chance of him becoming a vegan and I didn't have any insects. He was a House Martin. Very similar to our Purple Martin. By noon he had died. They always do. At least he didn't die falling into the ocean.
The sad end to my visiting Martin is that when I threw him overboard he landed on the cabbage leaf that I threw with him. He floated away in the wake on his little green boat.
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