14 January 2023 | 38 45.642'N:0 15.249'E, Passing Denia
02 June 2022 | 38 20.362'N:0 29.043'W, Real Club de Regatas, Alicante,Spain
01 June 2022 | 36 34'N:2 37'W, 70 miles N of Melilla, Algeria
31 May 2022 | 36 14'N:4 41'W, 35 miles W of Gibraltar
30 May 2022 | 35 28'N:09 12'W, 170 miles W of Tangiers, Morocco
29 May 2022 | 34 48'N:12 14'W, 220 miles SW of Cape St Vincent, Portugal
28 May 2022 | 33 43.9'N:14 36'W, 115 nm NE of Madeira
27 May 2022 | 32 47'N:16 30'W, 15nm SE of Porto Santo
27 May 2022 | 32 44.478'N:16 42.722'W, Quinta do Lorde marina
25 May 2022 | 34 04'N:18 41'W, 106nm NW of Madeira
24 May 2022 | 35 30'N:22 29'W, 340 miles WNW of Madeira
23 May 2022 | 36 22'N:25 01'W, 33 miles S of Ilha de Santa Maria, Azores
22 May 2022 | 36 14'N:29 09'W, 90 miles WSW of Ilha de Santa Maria, Azores
21 May 2022 | 36 21'N:30 30'W, 720nm ENE of Madeira
20 May 2022 | 36 19'N:34 51'W, 300nm SW of the Azores
19 May 2022 | 36 08'N:36 47'W, 450nm SW of the Azores
18 May 2022 | 34 48'N:39 45'W, A week from Madeira
17 May 2022 | 32 54'N:45 07'W, Still in the middle of the Atlantic
17 May 2022 | 32 54'N:45 07'W, In the middle of the Atlantic
16 May 2022 | 32 14'N:45 49'W, 1450 miles west of Madeira
Out of Reach
22 May 2022 | 36 14'N:29 09'W, 90 miles WSW of Ilha de Santa Maria, Azores
MStA
We have just had some of the most idyllic conditions possible for an Atlantic crossing, with flat seas and a steady breeze enabling us to coast along at 7-8 knots with various spinnakers. This was interrupted for 12 hours of motoring overnight and came back identically for the whole of today, putting us 4 days from Madeira if all goes well.
The fish have remained doggedly out of reach without a single nibble despite evidence of their existence demonstrated by sighting four different pods of dolphins who played elegantly around the boat, culminating in one at dusk whose trails of phosphorescence left us mesmerised.
We have now started to reach the end of some of our supplies - nothing fundamental - but the last rites have now been performed on rum, Parmesan cheese, and any fresh or frozen meat, putting some of our culinary specialties out of reach. By contrast, the bread-making has risen to dizzier heights each day with apprentice George starting to challenge David for the title of artisan master-baker.
For a brief moment George looked at Zephyr as if she was out of reach as his ritual swim on a line behind the boat left him struggling to get back on board and we had to dump sails to collect him.
Finally we would like to share our sympathy for the many sailing boats that we have encountered on the passage - they have also felt Zephyr was out of reach as we seem to have sailed through them all.