L'Eau Commotion Westabout

Day 105 6pm Friday 20th September 2019 ( UTC-2 )
Just as I was frying up a nice sized flying fish I noticed I had a fish on the line - a Mahi Mahi of about 1Kg which is an ideal size as it can all be eaten in a couple of days once freshly fried. Hard on the wind with one reef in the main and the storm staysail making about 5 1/2 knots with the Nor'easter at about 18. I should have the slightly larger staysail up but this rig is pretty comfortable and the memory of the couple of near knockdowns from two years ago is still fresh. Patrick, and Warren, where I am heading is the island of Hierro, the most South Westerly Of The Canaries. To complete a circumnavigation under the rules of the World Sail Speed Record Council you must cross all Meridians of Longitude at least once, but not all twice, travel a minimum great circle distance of 21,600 nautical miles and round one but only one turn point. Hierro fits the bill for a start from The Gold Coast Seaway with a nett distance of 21,755 miles. When in Katherine Ann I restarted from Sydney Heads the turn point had to be one of the Azores. I chose Horta on Ilha Faial but I think any of the Azores would have sufficed. Settling in for a solid slug to windward which should take around ten days with all forecasts showing the Trades blowing pretty well directly from Hierro though any lift will be keenly followed.