We are currently in position 35 05N 049 43W, saillng at 5 knots on a course of 090M. The wind is NNE at 18-22 knots with a 2m left-over sea and 2m swell. We are sailing under single-reefed main and triple-furled yankee. Broken cumulus decreasing. Our day's run was 134nm, our DMG was 112nm and we have 1032nm to go.
Yesterday afternoon the wind gradually increased from the WNW, reaching 24-28 gusting over 30 late in the evening. By then we had an overcast sky and light rain showers. The wind then banged around to the N with moderate rain and gusty winds around 30 knots - frontal passage! For a while we were under double-reefed main and a tiny bit of yankee.
Today's GRIB with arc of front unusually clear
(the depression is heading east)
For the rest of the night we beam reached east in a gradually settling but initially very confused seaway. By dawn the wind was in the NNE and we were close reaching to maintain course. We had double-reefed main and triple-furled yankee flying.
This morning the wind has been up and down between 15 and 25 knots but is gradually decreasing overall. We've been gradually increasing sail. The seas are still quite uncomfortable and once in a while the boat drives through a nasty sea with water cascading aft in a torrent. ie We "cop the occasional greenie".
We're taking part in two HF/SSB nets at the moment. The main one is a group of six English-speaking boats, most going to the Azores. The two who are not have diverted to Bermuda. The other is a group of Dutch boats also heading for the Azores. They speak Dutch on their net but at the end I speak with one of them (La Luna) in English to exchange positions and weather info.
La Luna is a Beneteau 34 and I think we've got a bit of a cruiser's "race" thing going. Neither of us overtakes anyone very often since we're relatively small boats. T'will be interesting to see if we can catch them - they departed a day prior to us.
Trust all's well where you are.
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