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Katherine Ann Westabout

09 April 2016 | Stanley
23 March 2016 | 100 miles West of Cape Horn
23 March 2016 | Diego Ramirez
23 March 2016 | 45 Miles NE Diego Ramirez
20 March 2016 | 50 miles East of Cape Horn
13 March 2016 | 100 miles North of West Falklands
12 March 2016 | 550 miles NNE Cape Horn
10 March 2016 | 700 miles NNE Cape Horn
09 March 2016 | Same Old Sunny
09 March 2016 | The Chilly South Atlantic
09 March 2016 | 300 miles off the Argentina Coast
08 March 2016 | About 800 miles NNE Cape Horn
05 March 2016 | 1000 miles NNE Cape Horn
29 February 2016 | 400 miles East of Montivideo
16 February 2016 | 110 miles East of Bahia, Brazil
08 February 2016 | Just Passed St Peter and St Paul Rocks
29 January 2016 | 140 miles WNW of Cape Verde, Cape Verde Islands
26 January 2016 | Crossed Cancer
26 January 2016 | Crossing Cancer
20 January 2016 | 280 miles South of Horta
Recent Blog Posts
09 April 2016 | Stanley

Stanley

Well quite a lot has happened since my last post and you will have to bear with me over any discrepancies which may arise as this is written from memory over some tumultuous times.

23 March 2016 | 100 miles West of Cape Horn

Photo Cape Horn Lighthouse

Here is a photo of Cape Horn Lighthouse. I don't think it is very clear as there is a limit to the number of pixels that IridiumGo will handle, there was a lot of spray and it was blowing 35 knots with big swells. But at least it shows I have been there; although PhotoShop could produce a much more convincing image I'm sure. Hunkered down for what I expect to be a day or two of strong Northwesterly winds which is basically the direction I want to go. If the triple reefed main becomes uncomfortable I might even try the Jordan Series Drogue though I believe retrieving it can be a real pain. --------------010504020902000606010900--

23 March 2016 | Diego Ramirez

Cape Horn cont

In the early morning the breeze backed and had me again heading directly for Diego Ramirez and caught me napping in strengthening winds which required dousing the jib as anything over 30 knots the yacht is not easily controlled. Better conditions, jib up, sailing well now the wind is increasing and [...]

River Plate Winds

29 February 2016 | 400 miles East of Montivideo
Some years back when a guest at a nice little yacht club at Buenos Aires on the River Plate I was advised by a wise old sage " The majority of the winds on the River Plate are headwinds". Now at the time I thought he was saying this with tongue in cheek but now I'm not so sure. Here I am well off the mouth of the River Plate estuary and his words ring true. No matter which way I turn ( actually I only have two choices, left or right ) there she is is bang on the nose. And to add to this the strength got up over 20 knots! After a month of balmy breezes this called for drastic action so rummaged round in the sail locker and came up with a nice new RED storm sail and hanked it on. Needless to say in this wind strength it just sat there for show and did no useful work. I did convince myself that this was a necessary part of good housekeeping and put it back where it belonged, but really it did go to show me up as a fair weather sailor. And to prove the point in doing this I d onned my full set of heavy weather gear and once back inside brewed up a hot cocoa. This with the temperature plummeting to 24C! Shakes his head. I'm sort of a bit off the coast seeking an elusive South going current but realise this rumour goes hand in hand with the other forecasts hereabouts of an El Dorado and a River Of Silver. So here I am scampering back to hug the shore of the Silver Coast and hopefully dodge the little lows that seem to be spinning off at the drop of a hat and get some nice light following winds which I have proven to be able to handle very well thank you very much. Also with the temperature and me going South did a stocktake of hot water bottles and methylated spirits ( can't say meths anymore as Customs would be right on my case ) and both are adequate. The temperature Down There is 4C at the moment. I know I will be able to handle it. That doesn't mean to say I will be able to enjoy it.
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