This morning we left Funchal in Madeira and we can at last say that we are
bound for Antigua! We've had some pretty horrendous weather over the last
few weeks, most of it while we've been waiting it out on the dock, but some
of it unavoidably faced at sea with no other option for heading south. The
worst of that is now too behind us. Today the Rainbow crew exposed some
decidedly pale flesh to the sun that shone out of the blue sky over Madeira
and sunglasses made their first appearance in weeks, if not months! That
said, we still faced a stiff 30 knot gale and spray driving across the decks
as we left the island, but for the first time since leaving the Netherlands,
as we pointed Rainbow's long elegant bow southwest the wind was from behind
us. We're now making good progress under trisail and staysail and the engine
lies silent in Rainbow's belly.
That's it for now from a very pleased Rainbow crew. It's good to be sailing
in the trade winds!
Mike
