Position: 37'11.2"N 038'23.7"W
Distance Run from Start: 2006NM
Distance Made Good: 1557NM
Last 24 Hour Run: 164NM
Wind: NNW 28 Knots
A very good evening to you all from the washing machine that is Northern Child! A very bumpy day it's been indeed with the same big swell which started yesterday as well as a reasonably stiff breeze! The sailing has been fantastic though and we are bombing along at 9 knots on a beam reach pointing straight at the Azores.
Distance Run from Start: 2006NM
Distance Made Good: 1557NM
Last 24 Hour Run: 164NM
Wind: NNW 28 Knots
A very good evening to you all from the washing machine that is Northern Child! A very bumpy day it's been indeed with the same big swell which started yesterday as well as a reasonably stiff breeze! The sailing has been fantastic though and we are bombing along at 9 knots on a beam reach pointing straight at the Azores.
The rest of last night was a very damp night with spray coming over the deck and a few patches of rain. The sunrise was definitely a welcome sight with the prospect of warming up and being able to see the waves as they came at us which always helps when trying to steer as straight a course as the helmsman is able!
Throughout the morning most of the guys were getting some rest as the sun wasn't out in all its splendour as with previous days. Though the smell of the burgers which Tom was cooking for lunch soon roused us all out of bed and we all tucked in heartily to a nice big cheese burger with onions. Crisis was averted once the elusive bottle of brown sauce had been located much to skippers relief!
The afternoon was much the same though the sun did manage to break through the cloud layer which pleased everybody to no end, though we couldn't make the most of it as today oilies were being worn all day as it is so cold now!
For dinner Vladimir and Anthony made us a nice meal of pie and chips with some peas, though disaster struck as one of the pies was put on the side and managed to slide off the gimballed cooker all over the floor which took some clearing up, especially as the boat was bucking and pitching all over the place. Things were soon back under control though and though the portion was slightly smaller than originally intended, it was very nice just the same!
The evening brought with it a steadily increasing wind and a slightly larger swell, as well as a thick layer of cloud which coupled with an almost new moon, has made the visibility extremely poor, almost to the
extent of not being able to tell up from down and we can barely see the water over the side of the boat! Makes for some interesting steering, so unfortunately I have a long night ahead of me, more to be present for moral support than anything else! It can be pretty nerve wracking as you can well imagine, especially when one of the larger waves sweeps the boat up. Just before I came down to write to you we had a sustained gust of 35 knots which was interesting. Interesting for Tom in any event as he got spray all over his glasses and couldn't see a jot! He was happy to relinquish the helm at that stage, which I was very pleased about as it looked fun!
extent of not being able to tell up from down and we can barely see the water over the side of the boat! Makes for some interesting steering, so unfortunately I have a long night ahead of me, more to be present for moral support than anything else! It can be pretty nerve wracking as you can well imagine, especially when one of the larger waves sweeps the boat up. Just before I came down to write to you we had a sustained gust of 35 knots which was interesting. Interesting for Tom in any event as he got spray all over his glasses and couldn't see a jot! He was happy to relinquish the helm at that stage, which I was very pleased about as it looked fun!
For the rest of the evening and tomorrow the weather looks much the same until tomorrow night where the wind is supposed to die down considerably, perhaps we'll get a chance to go motor boating for the first time this trip! Will give us a chance to start on the ever increasing pre-Horta jobs list anyway!
Speak to you tomorrow,
All our love, Matt, Chris, Tom, Anthony, Vladimir and Dimitrii
