Position as of 11 40 on 29 May 29:02.9N 77:45.5W . We have 708nm to run to Bermuda, the sun is shining and we have a calm sea. Quite pleasant but slow progress.

 

Quote of the day from Norm “It would be nice to have something different from mash and onions” please note Pat. Tonight it will be mash and tinned peas plus onions I suppose as Norm is incapable of cooking spuds on their own.

 

28 May - At 1630 we finally stopped motor sailing after about 9 hours of running. The wind had freshened but more importantly we were off the conveyor. Whether this is a permanent feature or we are in the shadow of the Bahamas which are now well south of us only time will tell. We are now able to hold a sensible course, the wind have veered which is our favour and we are achieving a speed of up to 5.5kts. The lift of up to 30 degrees we were getting from the conveyor was really unwelcome in the circumstances. We will eventually have to cross the Antilles Current after a further 200nm but that is only 0.5 kts and may assist under the circumstances prevailing at the time.

 

29 May - Just at the moment its 02 00 on a starry night. Norm was just given a lightning display on his watch and now we have the stars and the Milky Way for company and beautiful efflorescence off the bow wave. We are doing 5kts and on course. What a difference from last night. Never get complacent it won’t last, but the forecast is in our favour for the next few days.

 

Its 11 00hrs and the wind is light about 5 Kts. We are doing 3.3Kts generally in the right direction. There is evidence of the return of the current but the wind is more in our favour. This morning we had a visitation from the US Coastguard in their cutter. We are 140nm off their shores but I guess they reckon they have jurisdiction for up to 200nm. They were pleasant enough asked where we were going and were we were from. It was good to chat. Norm and I thought it was strange that more chat doesn’t take place between passing boats. Like where and are you off too then, nice weather today, have a nice day, I like your ship is it new, etc, etc. Nothing is the norm.  We asked the Coastguard about our radar imagine, if it was good and if they had an up to date weather forecast for the next few days. Our radar imagine was good which is encouraging, probably how they found us, they didn’t have wind data but gave us max wave height and from what direction which are the things they are interested in I guess.