We are going slightly crazy out here. We have 180 miles to sail to Horta and 75 mile to sail to Flores. We are currently sailing a COG 39T at a speed of 3knots. I keep on recalculating and recalculating the fuel we think we have left in the tanks and I estimate we can motor for about 35 hours. ThatÂ's about 175 miles at five knots. Pretty close hey! What if I am wrong with my estimates? What if we canÂ't keep 5 knots due to any against current? The sensible thing to do would be to motor to Flores, refuel and motor to Horta. But quite frankly we donÂ't want to waist any time on Flores and we need to send Tam home on a plane asap. All we need is half a day of decent wind and we would be confident we could make it. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Going crazy! A week ago we thought we would be arriving in Horta today.
Saying all of that - today must be the nicest day out here sice leaving Bermuda. Sunny and warm, with dolphins too.
|
Comments [0]
Spent much of yesterday trying to sail as best as we could. We probably spent most of our time doing 3-4 knots under spinnaker. Eventually the wind totally dropped and we started the engine around 11pm. Its still running! The water is like a pond, barley a ripple to be seen. We are hoping it will be ideal whale watching weather.
If the forecast it correct we are looking like we will get around 5-10 knots from the east, which although not idea we will accept. The daily log has dropped from the 170 Â- 150 mile days we were having and the last two days were 110 and 106.
With trying to conserve fuel and the lack of wind I expect our ETA in Horta is most likely to be Tuesday now.
Will
|
Two bits of new for you today.
We have met our first sailing boat out here since leaving Bermuda. Sophia left Bermuda two days before us so we are quite pleased. However the wind has dropped as forecast and we are both ghosting along at about 3.5 knots. We have had a quick chat on the VHF and agree to meet up in Horta. I guess the two if us will be pretty close for the next few days. Sophia is heading for Norway after Horta!
Second bit of news is the wildlife. We have seen loads this morning. Two bats, a mouse, heaps of moths and a couple of spiders. Yes Â- Elmarleen is flying its kite for the first time in 11 months. The last time it went up was when I left Bermuda last year in early August! SailingÂ....no cruising short handed we often donÂ't bother with the kite as its more hassle than the increase in speed. If you want to leave the kite unattended and under wind vane, you have to leave the kite over sheeted, reducing its over all increase in speed. When cruising like this I hate to be a slave to trimming. 9/10 poling out the genoa can boost your speed a similar amount and can be left to its own devices.
Anyway, speed is decreasing by the minute better get on deck and tweak something.
Will
|
The difference between an omelette and scrambled egg.
What a fun morning we have had today. The wind has dropped and we are surrounded by fog drizzy. Visibility isnÂ't much at all. As conditions are the most comfortable we have had Tam opted for a cooked breakfast. Initially I was happy to have cereal but as soon as Tam started frying the bacon for her omelette I decided I wanted some too. Scrambled egg, bacon and beans for me please. Oh but what a discussion this started. I wont eat omelette and Tam was insisting that an omelette is exactly the same as my scrambled egg and bacon. Anyway, a few waves came along and eggs went on the floor, beans in the frying pan and Tams omelette ended up looking just like my bacon, beans and scrambled egg.
Making steady progress for Horta 525 miles to go. Hoping to stretch out the remaining wind we have for as long as possible as we only have enough diesel to motor 300 miles.
Its been a strange passage and neither of us have really enjoyed it. It is so different from last year. Its cool, its damp, its rolly. Our sun tans are fading! When sailing to Barbados it took three weeks yet we felt far more at home and enjoyed it a lot more. We are at a stage where Tam and I just want to get home now. Every mile, every minute seem to drag.
|
We woke up this morning to the sound of dolphins squeaking through the hull A pod of ten or so joined us for a few minutes. ItÂ's actually the first time we have seen any since leaving Martinique in early March. ItÂ's a nice way to be woken. Not much planned for the rest or the day. Thought I might go for a sail after lunch and if possible a hike around the deck. If not too tired after all that exercise we might pop out to dinner and go to the planetarium.
Making good progress for Horta 650 miles away. Currently doing about 6.5 knots directly for the island. Unfortunately this wind is only looking like it will last another 24 Â- 36 hours before it gets very light and variable before turning into a 5-10 knot easterly. Based on that I have no idea when we will arrive.
Currently running the engine to charge batteries and make some hot water. Tam is in need of a shower! I personally rather ferment for a little longer and am seeing if I can make it to Horta without another. Its rather strange, over the last few days the boat has started to smell and I have no idea why. Its almost like it follows me aroundÂ.weird hey?
Anyway enough of the crap. We are getting a little impatient here and are looking forward to a getting to Horta for some good food and a rest. Then it will be back to sea for another ten days to get Elmarleen home. If any of you are wondering if four Atlantic crossing in 13 months can wear you down and make you a little crazyÂ..yes absolutely. Not in any need to sail offshore again for atlast another couple or days.
|
Much better night last night. We both got the best sleep we have had for 2-3 days. Currently white sail reaching in about 20 knots doing 5-6 knots. Te last few days we have done 150, 170,150,170 mile days with yesterday being a 150 again. Only 820 miles to Horta which works out at about 6 and half days at this speed. Looks like the wind might drop a little closer to the Azores and we may struggle. Just opened the second packet of M&S Humbugs and five have gone already. So much for out two after dinner each night!
Dirk - thanks for MSM updates.
|
Much better night last night. We both got the best sleep we have had for 2-3 days. Currently white sail reaching in about 20 knots doing 5-6 knots. Te last few days we have done 150, 170,150,170 mile days with yesterday being a 150 again. Only 820 miles to Horta which works out at about 6 and half days at this speed. Looks like the wind might drop a little closer to the Azores and we may struggle. Just opened the second packet of M&S Humbugs and five have gone already. So much for out two after dinner each night!
Dirk - thanks for MSM updates.
|
I donÂ't know if its just the fact that we are on the way home and there is no big carrot, well perhaps palm tree at the other end. I really donÂ't remember it being so uncomfortable any of the other crossings I have done on this boat. Sleep again last night was minimal as we rolled and pitch, furled up genoas and unfurled genoas. We arenÂ't doing anything differently, yet neither of us feel like reading, blogging, cooking a cake or anything, all we do is try to sleep.
Just checked the latest weather and I am hopeful we will be able to hold 140-150 mile days to within 400 miles of Horta. Then the forecast shows a distinct lack of wind. We have a range of about 450 miles motoring on Elmarleen but we will have used the best part of a third getting out of Bermuda and battery charging by then. We also donÂ't want to use the diesel as it means we will have to buy more in the Azores....
Anyway, I have sent Tam on deck in her nightie with the BBQ tongs to remove the dried squid stuck to the deck from last night. I keep on hearing, Â"yukÂ" and Â"thatÂ's revoltingÂ".
Should reach half way by later today.
|
Now we have thunder and lightening all around us!!! Oh what fun. Will keep sat phone on so please do keep us up to date with football.
|
Hello All,
A seven hour flight seems very attractive today! We are in safe but horribly uncomfortable seas. Yesterday we went from one reef in the main to try sail and three reefs in the main. The wind dropped later in the day so we shock most of it out again. During the night the wind built again and we put all the reefs back in. Still very uncomfortable we furled the genoa and went under two reefed mainsail all night. I would much rather have had no main sail and just a staysail but we decided to wait for that bigger change till this morning in day light.
Neither of us have had any sleep at all, okay at most an hour each. We dropped the mainsail and are now sailing at 7 knots under try sail only! Its not actually that windy, maybe gusting 30 knots but the seas a very confused and are spinning Elmarleen around and all over the place. It helps not having the main up but the odd wave still spins us 90 degree to where we want to go.
To top all of that its cold and wet. The boat is damp for the first time since leaving the uk. In the Caribbean it dried within a few minutes but this will take a lot longer than that. Humidity in the cabin is about 85%. Condensation dripping of the headlining and windows. Bed sheets feel damp and wet.
I have tried taking some photos and a video to try and show you what its like but I donÂ't think it will do it justice. Its like being in a rollercoast on a rainy day in the UK. On a more happy front we have been knocking off the miles really quickly. Doing no less than 150 mile days. Elmarleen and the windvane are also taking it in their stride.
Going to download the next grib and then try and get some sleep. We are taking turns in the smallest bunk and wedging our selves between pillows. Anything to stop us rolling and sliding around the bunk. Actually Tam looks like she is asleep now.
Will Tam Elmarleen
|
