SundayWas promising myself a shower today - visions of sitting on hot deck, taking my time.... well, I got a shower OK - a heavy rainshower not long before sunset!!Saw
grey clouds but didn't heed warning until too late - had genoa on pole for far too long, and when wind backed madly I had to act in a hurry - in heavy rain!! Course
went from 245 to 180 as wind backed to WNW from NE.. had some work to do to sort everything out, ending on a close reach for quite a time! Got quite cold in wind.
Good news is it washed boat off.
Overnight
Kept being woken up by genoa flapping - tried to convince myself it could wait until daylight, but by 2am just had to act - put pole up again - peace & quiet at
last! At least full moon through thin cloud made it almost like daytime!! Big swell kept coming through now & then - disturbed night..
Mon morningWas heard by 'Jade' at sunrise (1320 GMT) on SSB - for first time well enough to chat. 'Wyntersea' are NE of me, within VHF range (~15mls apart) - saves SSB power!
According to Don A., the good 20-25 kn NE Trades have given way to 15kn for foreseeable future, & Doldrums are beginning to develop E of 130W, between 5-10N, which
is reason why I shall keep heading towards 5N,130W for time being
3p.m.Finally got cruising 'chute up - speed had been up & down around 4kn - now nearer 5kn - is it worth it, I ask myself??!! Probably is, if it stays up long enough....
Hot afternoon... just had a nap.
(5pm: Actually - speed up to around 6knots - so worth putting up the 'chute!)
7.15pm (0115 GMT) Think I should change my 'local' time... sun is not anywhere near horizon yet... will wait a bit longer. 'Chute flying well, but raincloud on
horizon off to port - changed course to try to stay well clear of it - will keep a good eye on it - maybe will need to take down 'chute for overnight...
8pm Yes - decided to take 'chute down - got difficult - wind was up & big grey clouds all over horizon ahead...!
Noontime position (1800GMT): 11deg 54' N; 114deg 02' W . 24hr distance run by log: 118 n.ml.
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