Sunday Excellent speed continuing to be made - frequently seeing SOG just over 8kt and mostly in the 7-8kt range - making really good progress NE!
Monday 4am Usual position and weather report sent and updates downloaded - dawn beginning - wind and seas getting less - wind expected to become almost nothing in a day or so - High pressure system is moving E so its centre will be over us.
6am Definitely slowing down in less wind - making 6.4kt now, not over 7kt, as overnight. Full genoa, about to shake out 2nd reef in main.
6:30am Back up to 7kt with one reef in main. Found a big squid on deck while going to mast to free sail which had caught on a clutch while being hoisted. Back to bunk for more sleep...
11:40am Breakfasted at 9:30am - a very civilised hour!
We're still skirting the same High pressure system which is moving slowly E as we are - so we're staying in its easterly wind flow for several days but will run into light winds eventually - by tonight, probably. Then will be overtaken by yet another Low system - later on Thursday into Friday. We're trying to head NE to keep it below us at that time - but all depends on how well we can keep up speed...
Wonderfully peaceful sailing under partly blue sky, part thin, broken cloud layer - small, fluffy, white - cirrus, I think. Making 7.3-8kt with one reef in main and full genoa...excellent speed again! Wind was expected to lessen and seemed to for a time- but clearly it has come up again. Feeling thoroughly relaxed and enjoying the passage. The boat is moving so smoothly to the gushing of the water along her sides... sailing at its best!
Mornings are very good times. Much as I enjoy the radio contacts, it's also good to be alone with the vastness of the open sea and the sky. Time for relaxation and reflection... This is what ocean crossings are really about - away from the hustle and bustle - and stresses - of life back on shore.
Caught up on a lot of overdue email replies.
1900GMT (=1600LT) - end of Day 103. We made a fabulous 164 n.ml. DMG over the 24 hr period, measured in a straight line between the two 1900 GMT positions. WOW!
Total distance covered from Victoria, B.C., to end of Day 103 (by daily DMGs): 9,906 n.ml.
Distances (at 1900Z): Cape Horn LH: 1649 n.ml. to SW; Montevideo: 1076 n.ml to W; Buenos Aires: 1180 n.ml to W Rio de Janeiro: 1190 n.ml. to NNW; Cape Agulhas LH (SA): 2578 n.ml. to ENE
Position & weather report for 1900 GMT posted to Winlink.org and Shiptrak.org (using my US callsign KC2IOV):
TIME: 2019/01/14 19:00GMT LATITUDE: 39-07.57S LONGITUDE: 034-22.23W COURSE: 061T SPEED: 7.0kt
WIND_SPEED: 15kt WIND_DIR: WNW SWELL_DIR: NW SWELL_HT: 1.5 CLOUDS: 35%
BARO: 1018.7hPa TREND: 0 AIR_TEMP: 24.0C SEA_TEMP: 22.0C
COMMENT: Lovely bright sunny day with good wind and small seas..
