Playa Francesa, 275NM SE of Quinta do Lorde
Right after dinner the wind picked up, and we could finally sail again. First on a tentative wing-on-wing, and soon we put in the first reef and moved the staysail to the same side.
What followed was a fun fast 24h of sailing on a beam reach. Wind vane steered, and despite the large waves hitting us on the beam, the boat moved like on rails.
The cloudy night didn’t give many stargazing opportunities. But the full moon gave everything this quite surreal look, like the boat and the sea had stage lighting. Realisation hits: at 29°N we’re now closer to the Equator than to Shetlands.
Land was sighted in the beginning of the first afternoon watch. The first islands of the Canaries rose from the horizon. We reached La Graciosa in the evening, and dropped anchor to a bay between it and Lanzarote just as the sun set.
Now time for that well-deserved anleger. Kippis, Martina!
| Time |
Position |
Course |
Speed |
Log |
Weather |
Remarks |
| 17.10. 0:00 Z |
30°38'4"N
14°36'19"W
|
146°
|
5kt
|
7343.4NM
|
wind
12.9kt
23°
sea state 3/10
clouds 7/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1023 hPa
|
Watch change
|
| 17.10. 1:00 Z |
30°34'37"N
14°32'26"W
|
151°
|
4.6kt
|
7348.2NM
|
wind
13.8kt
21°
baro 1023 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 1:09 Z |
30°34'2"N
14°31'47"W
|
138°
|
6.6kt
|
7349NM
|
wind
19.8kt
21°
baro 1023 hPa
|
99NM to go
|
| 17.10. 1:22 Z |
30°32'58"N
14°31'10"W
|
167°
|
5.9kt
|
7350.2NM
|
wind
18.2kt
31°
baro 1023 hPa
|
Sails set: Main (1st reef), Staysail
|
| 17.10. 1:31 Z |
30°32'9"N
14°30'40"W
|
165°
|
6.3kt
|
7351.1NM
|
wind
17.4kt
32°
baro 1023 hPa
|
Watermaker 294ppm. Filled 6th canister, 50%
|
| 17.10. 2:00 Z |
30°29'42"N
14°29'21"W
|
157°
|
6.1kt
|
7353.9NM
|
wind
17.3kt
48°
sea state 3/10
clouds 3/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1023 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 2:41 Z |
30°26'22"N
14°26'56"W
|
143°
|
4.3kt
|
7357.8NM
|
wind
19.7kt
37°
baro 1023 hPa
|
We're entering a major shipping lane now. Vessels from South Africa, Uruguay, etc
|
| 17.10. 3:00 Z |
30°24'50"N
14°26'3"W
|
135°
|
6.3kt
|
7359.5NM
|
wind
19kt
48°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 3:14 Z |
30°23'40"N
14°25'24"W
|
155°
|
5.8kt
|
7360.8NM
|
wind
20.2kt
33°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Watermaker 324ppm. Filled 7th canister, 57%
|
| 17.10. 4:00 Z |
30°19'49"N
14°23'6"W
|
162°
|
6kt
|
7365.2NM
|
wind
17.1kt
26°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 4:53 Z |
30°15'28"N
14°19'52"W
|
153°
|
5.7kt
|
7370.4NM
|
wind
20.8kt
34°
baro 1023 hPa
|
Stopped watermaker, 278ppm
|
| 17.10. 5:00 Z |
30°14'54"N
14°19'25"W
|
141°
|
5.8kt
|
7371.1NM
|
wind
22.3kt
44°
sea state 4/10
clouds 1/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1023 hPa
|
The wind is starting to build some beam seas
|
| 17.10. 5:09 Z |
30°14'10"N
14°18'50"W
|
133°
|
6.6kt
|
7372NM
|
wind
21.7kt
27°
baro 1023 hPa
|
Again some music on channel 16
|
| 17.10. 6:00 Z |
30°9'55"N
14°15'29"W
|
144°
|
6kt
|
7377.1NM
|
wind
25.6kt
38°
sea state 4/10
clouds 2/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1024 hPa
|
The moon has set and the sun is about to rise. Finally some good old fast sailing!
|
| 17.10. 7:00 Z |
30°5'19"N
14°11'0"W
|
143°
|
7kt
|
7383.2NM
|
wind
24kt
16°
baro 1025 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 8:00 Z |
30°0'19"N
14°7'13"W
|
135°
|
5.9kt
|
7389.2NM
|
wind
22.3kt
24°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 9:00 Z |
29°55'36"N
14°3'27"W
|
156°
|
6.3kt
|
7395NM
|
wind
22kt
29°
baro 1026 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 10:00 Z |
29°51'18"N
13°59'20"W
|
130°
|
6.9kt
|
7400.7NM
|
wind
23.3kt
35°
baro 1026 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 11:00 Z |
29°46'25"N
13°55'47"W
|
150°
|
5.4kt
|
7406.6NM
|
wind
22.2kt
35°
baro 1026 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 12:00 Z |
29°41'25"N
13°52'17"W
|
143°
|
7.2kt
|
7412.5NM
|
wind
23.3kt
38°
sea state 4/10
clouds 3/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1025 hPa
|
Watch change, 35NM to go
|
| 17.10. 12:27 Z |
29°39'0"N
13°50'59"W
|
130°
|
5.6kt
|
7415.2NM
|
wind
22.2kt
42°
baro 1025 hPa
|
Land ahoy! There's a mountain in the horizon, dead ahead
|
| 17.10. 12:50 Z |
29°36'56"N
13°49'42"W
|
144°
|
5.7kt
|
7417.6NM
|
wind
21.5kt
36°
baro 1025 hPa
|
On radio "MCC Diana, following message received..."
Sounds like a relay for pan pan or mayday
|
| 17.10. 13:00 Z |
29°36'3"N
13°49'9"W
|
158°
|
8kt
|
7418.6NM
|
wind
22kt
29°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 13:42 Z |
29°32'20"N
13°47'39"W
|
161°
|
5.3kt
|
7422.6NM
|
wind
19.2kt
47°
baro 1024 hPa
|
First weather forecast from Canaries GC: F5-6 NE, seas increasing to 3m offshore
|
| 17.10. 14:00 Z |
29°30'50"N
13°47'0"W
|
163°
|
7.1kt
|
7424.2NM
|
wind
19.2kt
13°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 15:00 Z |
29°26'23"N
13°44'6"W
|
139°
|
4.7kt
|
7429.3NM
|
wind
21kt
42°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 16:00 Z |
29°22'13"N
13°41'5"W
|
149°
|
4kt
|
7434.3NM
|
wind
16.4kt
56°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 17:00 Z |
29°18'49"N
13°37'4"W
|
127°
|
6.1kt
|
7439.3NM
|
wind
20.8kt
37°
baro 1023 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 17:12 Z |
29°17'59"N
13°36'18"W
|
156°
|
5.7kt
|
7440.4NM
|
wind
21.7kt
31°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Autopilot activated
|
| 17.10. 18:00 Z |
29°13'44"N
13°33'44"W
|
149°
|
7kt
|
7445.2NM
|
wind
23.3kt
32°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 17.10. 18:04 Z |
29°13'21"N
13°33'25"W
|
138°
|
6.2kt
|
7445.7NM
|
wind
20.3kt
44°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Autopilot deactivated
|
| 17.10. 18:12 Z |
29°12'58"N
13°32'47"W
|
106°
|
3.5kt
|
7446.4NM
|
wind
10.8kt
50°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Sails down, motoring
|
| 17.10. 18:37 Z |
29°13'4"N
13°31'48"W
|
333°
|
0.7kt
|
7447.8NM
|
wind
17.1kt
27°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Anchored
|
| 17.10. 18:42 Z |
29°13'3"N
13°31'49"W
|
202°
|
0.2kt
|
7447.8NM
|
wind
14.8kt
30°
baro 1024 hPa
|
Stopped main engine
|