Great expectations fulfilled
Moorglade's Voyage
Ted Wilson
Thu 2 Dec 2010 14:14
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Our position is 15:20.64N 21:47.28W
24 hour Run Log trip
(through the water) Not
available as the log stopped but now fixed.
24 hour Run
GPS
(overground)
135.3Nm
Midday wind and weather Force 4 Clear sky hot sun Sea
state: Some
swell from west with small but steep following waves.
Temperature: 33C Our expectations of fast downwind sailing have been
fulfilled in the last 24hours. Yesterday morning the cruising chute
was set with the tack poled out to windward like a spinnaker along with the
mainsail as we were sailing on a broad reach. After lunch as the wind
strengthened and veered to the NE the sail plan was changed. We took down the
mainsail and set the cruising chute as a headsail with the tack down to the bow
and the clew ploled out to port. Our genoa was poled out to starboard. We
contiued on a dead run through the night with our course becoming more
westerly as the wind continued to veer. We are now running toward a
waypoint about 20 miles off Praia on Ilha de Santiago.
Although the wind has moderated a bit now, during
the night we had up to 15 knts over the deck giving us some fast surfing down
the waves (9.5Knts was best G.S. noted)
During my 8 till 10 watch I felt this was what we
had come for. Moorglade was creaming along with a big phosphorescent bow wave
down both sides and a bright wake, the flying fish scattering as we went,
providing their own phosphorescent display.
Moonrise was not until much later but the early
night was completely cloudless like the day had been so there was a full
hemisphere of bright stars. Wafting up from the galley was the aroma of baking
bread, John had prepared the dough earlier. (yes I did remember to take it
out)
This morning is another cloudless hot day so the
blue sunshade ( the one Pam made) is rigged over the currently redundant boom to
keep the watchkeeper cool. Domestic chores continue. At these
speeds,electricity and therefore water is plentiful thanks to the duogen
and watermaker, so we have been doing some washing and showers for all
later.
Long may these conditions continue!
EJW
PS we had an email from Remedios, they are going
well now having passed 40W. They are taking a more northern track to
Florida.
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