By mid-afternoon yesterday we were well and truly becalmed in the centre of the high pressure system. With the sun blazing down on the deck we took the opportunity
to go for a swim and have a wash. At the time we were in one of the shallower areas of the mid-Atlantic, a mere 2 600 metres deep. A few hours later and the depths
would be over 4 000 metres. You certainly can't stand in either place but psychologically you do feel a little happier knowing that it is 1.5 km shallower where you
are swimming! The water was crystal clear and beautifully warm.
After our swim the wind began to fill in again from behind us so we hoisted the masthead asymmetric spinnaker and enjoyed a few hours of pleasant reaching.
With all the technology we have aboard we are quite well informed about the weather in the Atlantic. Xtra-link and Vizada have partnered to provide the hardware and
services that the boat needs to be able to download weather data over the Fleet Broadband 250 satellite system and we are then able to overlay the data onto Adrena
weather routing software to calculate the optimum route to sail. So it came as no surprise when the wind suddenly shifted 180 degrees at sunset and left us beating
into a lumpy sea under main and #4 jib. Sometimes, even with all the technology at our disposal, nature conspires to beat us and so it was that the high pressure we
had taken so long to get through decided to dissipate and reform to our South West! This means that we are now faced with another few days of upwind sailing while
the system moves slowly south of us, eventually giving way to a low pressure system over the weekend.
This morning we had some drizzle and very uncomfortable seas but now it is sunny with a big westerly swell overlaid by south easterly wind waves. We have reefed the
mainsail and are making a reasonable speed towards the east.
Present position is 31*32 S, 027*44 W.
to go for a swim and have a wash. At the time we were in one of the shallower areas of the mid-Atlantic, a mere 2 600 metres deep. A few hours later and the depths
would be over 4 000 metres. You certainly can't stand in either place but psychologically you do feel a little happier knowing that it is 1.5 km shallower where you
are swimming! The water was crystal clear and beautifully warm.
After our swim the wind began to fill in again from behind us so we hoisted the masthead asymmetric spinnaker and enjoyed a few hours of pleasant reaching.
With all the technology we have aboard we are quite well informed about the weather in the Atlantic. Xtra-link and Vizada have partnered to provide the hardware and
services that the boat needs to be able to download weather data over the Fleet Broadband 250 satellite system and we are then able to overlay the data onto Adrena
weather routing software to calculate the optimum route to sail. So it came as no surprise when the wind suddenly shifted 180 degrees at sunset and left us beating
into a lumpy sea under main and #4 jib. Sometimes, even with all the technology at our disposal, nature conspires to beat us and so it was that the high pressure we
had taken so long to get through decided to dissipate and reform to our South West! This means that we are now faced with another few days of upwind sailing while
the system moves slowly south of us, eventually giving way to a low pressure system over the weekend.
This morning we had some drizzle and very uncomfortable seas but now it is sunny with a big westerly swell overlaid by south easterly wind waves. We have reefed the
mainsail and are making a reasonable speed towards the east.
Present position is 31*32 S, 027*44 W.
No comments:
Post a Comment