Monday 15 February 2016

St Helena Inbound Day 14

Hi everyone,
We are currently in position 17 00S 005 17W and saillng at 5.5 knots on a course of 000M.  The wind is SE at 12-14 knots with a 1m sea and 1m SW swell.  We are sailing under single-reefed main and single-furled yankee.  Scattered small cumulus clouds.  Our day's run was 139nm and we have 70nm to go.  Less than a Bunbury!

Just another South Atlantic sunset

Yesterday afternoon we had a great sail in sunny conditions.  Champagne sailing which persisted until the small hours of the morning when a cloud bank moved over.  The half moon cast spectacular light on the water.

This morning we gybed and are now heading directly for St Helena.  We have the reef in to slow the boat since (as usual) our ETA was 0300 in the morning.  We plan to arrive at first light tomorrow.

Since we expect to arrive in St Helena tomorrow morning I have handed over HF net control to another yacht which is a few days behind us.  The job has been handed on in this way for several weeks now, and should continue for some time yet.  No doubt there will be a separate net running for those heading for Ascension and the Caribbean.

We're really enjoying this passage.  On the whole it has been peaceful and relaxing, despite the often rolly conditions.  We knew it would be a downwind passage and planned to gybe to and fro - and we certainly did.  As a result this may be our longest passage (by the log and by ground miles covered) ever.  It will certainly be the longest duration, exceeding our Cocos-Keeling to Rodrigues passage by a day or so.

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