Yacht Cerulean Atlantic Adventure

Log:958 DTW 166; BTW 039deg 47deg 45'N 009deg 10'W COG: 060 SOG:4.6 Wind SW f3; baro 1016 Status: Sailing; dead run; Port tack; poled out genoa to Starboard

Boat time 12:00 (UT)

We'll rant and we'll roar like true British Sailors All o'er the salt sea for we've soundings in the Channel of ol' England From Ushant to Scilly It's forty five leagues

Well not quite got sounding in the Channel of ol' England yet, but just 20 odd Nautical Miles from the edge of the continental shelf and thus leaving the Atlantic Ocean and entering the English Channel at 'Litte Sole Bank, and thus into sea area 'Sole' as we leave sea area 'Fitzroy' (formerly known as Finisterre) if you listen to the BBC 'Shipping Forecast' you will be familiar to to these names, but may not know where they actually are, well the I can tell you Little Sole Bank is about 160NM SW of Land's End. We have just crossed the 4000m contour 20NM back and nearly on the 3000m contour, then a another 20NM and then sea will shelve from 3000m to 200m over a distance of 20nm which is quite a step shelf, (have to be careful that things don't fall of it's that steep, who built a shelf like that, Slarty Bartfast know doubt). Fortunately the wind has died down to a SW f4 this morning and the sea state is 'slight', thus it hopefully will not be too rough as we cross the shelf into shallower water, I've heard tell that in these parts that in a gale the seas can be quite steep here as the North Atlantic swell breaks over the shelving sea bed.

We actually have blue sky at the moment probably 3/8ths cloud cover, and the temperature has risen from 16 to 18 deg C, oilskins off and hanging in the locker, just one pair of socks on and no jumper...almost but not quite like sailing in the Caribbean . Earlier this morning we had a nominal NW force 3 but gusting up to force 5-6 in the many rain squalls that past through. The wind has now gone round to the southwest force 4 10-12 Knots of wind, we have poled out the genoa and are on a 'run' with a fayre wynd and a kynd sea...back to this old 'trade wind' sailing again.

The wind has now picked up to 12-15kts and we are rolling like from side to side...proper trade wind sailing, stuff flying around everywhere. Suppose I better get back on deck

Bye for now.

Richard, Alison and Richard S yacht Cerulean of Penryn

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