I used the motor only 12 hours yesterday. While we only managed 62 miles DMG that is more miles per engine hour so far on this leg. Partly because of the shift in the current and partly because I used the wind from the squalls. I discovered that I can sail in front or along side of them for some time and even though we are not going in exactly the right direction it is progress. Previously I was just letting them pass by. There were 3 in the later afternoon/ early evening last night and this technique worked well. I reefed down to 3rd reef (smaller sail size) just in case they got too strong. None in the last couple of days have been as strong as the ones we experienced above the latitude of 5 degrees but you really don't know until they are on you.

In the photo you see the last of the 3. Not sure if the silky surface of the water can be made out. The black dot in the middle is the strobe hanging from the flag line. I veered to port and sailed along side this squall for nearly 2 hours making reasonable progress. I watched a horror movie at the same time. Was not a good idea out here on my own in a big ocean with a squall to my starboard. Did add to the effect though.

When the squalls seemed to have passed for the evening I decided it was time for a decent sleep so pulled in the jib, kept the main sail on 3rd reef and hove to (stopping the boat) to drift with the current. Setup guard zones with the radar and AIS and slept for 5 hours straight in the main saloon. (The guard zones are radar lines around the boat which if crossed by a ship or squall cause a painfully noisy alarm to sound. It is in the main saloon and there is no chance of sleeping through it. It hurts the ears). Fortunately there was no traffic and no squalls. At 4 I awoke, checked that everything was ok and went back for another 3 hours.

I wonft be able to get that sort of sleep once we get closer to land so it was a precious luxury. Most nights I get up once an hour, do a visual check 360 degrees for traffic and weather, check the radar, AIS, our course, the sails, motor RPM if we are motoring, that there are no lines hanging off the back of the boat and then go back to sleep. It takes less than a minute and Ifve been waking before the alarm goes off almost every time. I sleep with the sails reefed in case nasty weather approaches. It just means we are set for it even though it is not efficient sailing. When we are motoring I sail with the spreader lights on in addition to the navigation lights. If we are not motoring I use the battery powered strobe. Both light up the sails and I am sure are more visible to other ships than the navigation lights. This is because a ship passed us by within one mile on one of our first nights and he confirmed later on the radio he had not seen us.

I check once an hour because the radarfs effectiveness is just a bit beyond 24 nautical miles for the larger ships. Most cargo ships do 12 knots and the larger ones seem to do 15. We do about 5 so our speed of approach in a head on situation is probably no greater than 20 knots or 20 nautical miles in one hour. So prior to having a sleep if I check beyond 20 nautical miles I have at least one hour before one of the larger and faster ships can be within 4 miles of us in a head-on situation. Then I have time to do something about it.

We are now motoring along again at about 5 knots. No wind at all but current still somewhat in our favour. The sea is silky though with a slight swell. It is surprisingly cool and now wondering what to have for lunch. Getting sick of bananas.