Pessimism Unfounded
Yesterdays pessimisms has so far proven to be unfounded. We did have the occasional shower but they were so light it was scarcely worth putting oilies on – all we had to do was go below for a cup of tea and it was dry again! The wind has behaved impeccably , gradually increasing and backing overnight so that we are now running with the wind on our quarter , currently no more than force 5. The night may have been overcast and pitch black but the sun is now out and life is good.
Just after dawn a French yacht called us up to say he could see us , and sure enough , there he was a couple of miles astern. She is a 1970’s ketch rigged Nicholson 49 who left France 21 years ago to do a circumnavigation , and after that was based in Martinique from where they explored the Western Caribbean over the years. His home port is St Martin on the I de Re , just north of La Rochelle so we are heading more or less the same way. It is nice to know its not just us and the whales out here!
Talking of whales , they are much harder to spot now that we have a significant sea running. Last night Bryony spotted some big “blows” on the horizon. They were much bigger than sperm whale blows – about 10 of them , followed by 10 more after 10 minutes. Looking at the books we think they were a big pod of fin whales preparing for a deep dive.
The weather is looking good , with about 3 more days of SW wind in a narrow band between here and the Channel. Unfortunately we will be less than halfway across the Bay of Biscay before they run out and they will probably then come from a Northerly direction . We have arranged to speak with our French friends on the VHF radio after today’s forecast so we can discuss tactics , and have our fingers firmly crossed that the winds become NW and not NE. Life on board is easy with 3 of us on board and our book store is being consumed at a great rate. I am getting some stick as I have picked up one of the girls chic-lit specials – and secretly enjoying it- but I am refusing to admit it to them!
So apart from some teasing , it is a harmonious crew who are passing 44 04N 19 57 W , 450 miles West of the NW tip of Spain and 2/5th ‘s of the way there – wherever “there” is!
All well