Atlantic Ocean, 649NM SW of Las Palmas
The Parasailor gave us a smooth ride throughout the night. As the moon rises quite late these days, we kept the “steaming light” on to keep the shape of the spinnaker visible.
At sunrise, we reached the totally calm patch. Parasailor went into its sock and deployment bag, and after a bit of drifting with just a poled out genoa, we started the engine.
We then made some Christmas video calls home. It is incredible that nowadays this is possible from the middle of an ocean!
In the afternoon, a slight westerly wind rose up, making it possible to sail slowly forward with an upwind configuration. This should keep picking up and turn northerly on Christmas day. Less than 300NM to go!
- Distance today: 93NM
- Lunch: Christmas porridge
- Engine hours: 6
| Time |
Position |
Course |
Speed |
Log |
Weather |
Remarks |
| 24.12. 0:00 Z |
20°39'3"N
21°6'51"W
|
253°
|
4.8kt
|
8227NM
|
wind
12.2kt
35°
sea state 4/10
clouds 0/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1017 hPa
|
Bergie on watch. Starry night.
|
| 24.12. 1:00 Z |
20°36'55"N
21°10'43"W
|
243°
|
5.5kt
|
8231.2NM
|
wind
11.3kt
52°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 1:03 Z |
20°36'51"N
21°10'55"W
|
243°
|
4.9kt
|
8231.4NM
|
wind
9.2kt
44°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Took up the hydrogenerator. Winds are low now, so it was just producing drag
|
| 24.12. 2:00 Z |
20°34'58"N
21°14'11"W
|
217°
|
3.7kt
|
8235.1NM
|
wind
9.8kt
39°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 2:22 Z |
20°34'12"N
21°15'19"W
|
239°
|
3.5kt
|
8236.4NM
|
wind
10kt
27°
sea state 4/10
clouds 2/8
baro 1016 hPa
|
Moon is coming up behind some clouds
|
| 24.12. 3:00 Z |
20°32'55"N
21°17'17"W
|
244°
|
2.7kt
|
8238.7NM
|
wind
7.9kt
21°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 4:00 Z |
20°30'39"N
21°20'14"W
|
240°
|
2.1kt
|
8242.3NM
|
wind
6.9kt
29°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 5:00 Z |
20°28'7"N
21°22'37"W
|
217°
|
2.1kt
|
8245.7NM
|
wind
7.6kt
5°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 5:13 Z |
20°27'36"N
21°23'0"W
|
225°
|
2.3kt
|
8246.4NM
|
wind
5.5kt
45°
baro 1014 hPa
|
Wind is starting to drop too low for sails. Let's see how that develops. Some 10h earlier than forecast
|
| 24.12. 6:00 Z |
20°26'11"N
21°24'29"W
|
197°
|
3.8kt
|
8248.4NM
|
wind
7.4kt
2°
baro 1014 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 7:00 Z |
20°24'46"N
21°26'30"W
|
240°
|
1.3kt
|
8250.8NM
|
wind
5.5kt
29°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 7:25 Z |
20°24'28"N
21°27'5"W
|
302°
|
2.4kt
|
8251.5NM
|
wind
8.2kt
9°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Sails set: Genoa 1 (20% furled)
|
| 24.12. 7:55 Z |
20°24'11"N
21°28'3"W
|
252°
|
2.7kt
|
8252.4NM
|
wind
7kt
26°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Sails set: Genoa 1
|
| 24.12. 7:58 Z |
20°24'7"N
21°28'6"W
|
177°
|
2.7kt
|
8252.5NM
|
wind
7.1kt
358°
sea state 3/10
clouds 2/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1015 hPa
|
Parasailor became too unruly to have up. Now I'm testing how long can I run with the genoa and autopilot in wind angle mode. Hopefully the sea state calms soon.
|
| 24.12. 7:59 Z |
20°24'5"N
21°28'8"W
|
230°
|
1.6kt
|
8252.6NM
|
wind
5.8kt
352°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Also, hello sun!
|
| 24.12. 8:00 Z |
20°24'4"N
21°28'9"W
|
231°
|
1.9kt
|
8252.6NM
|
wind
4.2kt
342°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 9:00 Z |
20°22'45"N
21°29'45"W
|
281°
|
1.7kt
|
8254.7NM
|
wind
5.3kt
33°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 10:00 Z |
20°21'55"N
21°31'25"W
|
250°
|
2.5kt
|
8256.5NM
|
wind
7.3kt
57°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 10:08 Z |
20°21'51"N
21°31'42"W
|
333°
|
0.8kt
|
8256.8NM
|
wind
5.3kt
49°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Sails down, motoring
|
| 24.12. 10:08 Z |
20°21'51"N
21°31'43"W
|
266°
|
1.6kt
|
8256.8NM
|
wind
5.5kt
80°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Autopilot deactivated
|
| 24.12. 10:09 Z |
20°21'51"N
21°31'43"W
|
268°
|
2.1kt
|
8256.8NM
|
wind
5.9kt
59°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Autopilot activated
|
| 24.12. 11:00 Z |
20°19'2"N
21°34'47"W
|
225°
|
5.1kt
|
8260.8NM
|
wind
5.3kt
152°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 12:00 Z |
20°15'32"N
21°38'11"W
|
214°
|
5.4kt
|
8265.6NM
|
wind
2.7kt
208°
sea state 4/10
clouds 1/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1016 hPa
|
Bergie on watch
|
| 24.12. 13:00 Z |
20°11'57"N
21°41'24"W
|
219°
|
3.8kt
|
8270.3NM
|
wind
1.1kt
206°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 13:36 Z |
20°9'48"N
21°43'20"W
|
229°
|
4.5kt
|
8273.1NM
|
wind
1.3kt
228°
sea state 4/10
clouds 4/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1014 hPa
|
Today is hot hot hot. 27°C in shade
|
| 24.12. 14:00 Z |
20°8'21"N
21°44'38"W
|
221°
|
4.6kt
|
8275NM
|
wind
0.9kt
231°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Some fish leaping high into the air near the boat
|
| 24.12. 14:29 Z |
20°6'38"N
21°46'16"W
|
225°
|
5.2kt
|
8277.3NM
|
wind
0.8kt
228°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Couple of dolphins, big ones, but they didn't linger long
|
| 24.12. 15:00 Z |
20°4'43"N
21°48'5"W
|
213°
|
5.4kt
|
8279.9NM
|
wind
2.9kt
256°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 15:16 Z |
20°3'43"N
21°48'59"W
|
225°
|
4.7kt
|
8281.2NM
|
wind
2.3kt
261°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Replaced the broken mast car. The new one is a very tight fit, maybe increasing friction hoisting/lowering the sail
|
| 24.12. 16:00 Z |
20°0'55"N
21°51'38"W
|
208°
|
5.6kt
|
8284.9NM
|
wind
1.3kt
231°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 16:23 Z |
19°59'37"N
21°53'1"W
|
223°
|
2.4kt
|
8286.8NM
|
wind
3.3kt
257°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Motor stopped, sailing with Main, Genoa 1
|
| 24.12. 17:00 Z |
19°58'20"N
21°53'43"W
|
201°
|
2.3kt
|
8288.2NM
|
wind
2.2kt
246°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 18:00 Z |
19°56'1"N
21°54'44"W
|
182°
|
2.3kt
|
8290.7NM
|
wind
5.4kt
311°
sea state 3/10
clouds 4/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1013 hPa
|
Suski on watch
|
| 24.12. 18:27 Z |
19°55'18"N
21°55'2"W
|
181°
|
1.2kt
|
8291.5NM
|
wind
3.8kt
274°
baro 1013 hPa
|
Sails down, motoring
|
| 24.12. 18:54 Z |
19°53'32"N
21°56'14"W
|
225°
|
5.4kt
|
8293.6NM
|
wind
1.2kt
238°
baro 1014 hPa
|
Sun has set.
|
| 24.12. 19:00 Z |
19°53'13"N
21°56'36"W
|
222°
|
4.6kt
|
8294.1NM
|
wind
3.2kt
223°
baro 1014 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 19:53 Z |
19°50'54"N
22°0'4"W
|
216°
|
2.4kt
|
8298.1NM
|
wind
4.6kt
258°
baro 1014 hPa
|
Motor stopped, sailing with Main, Genoa 1
|
| 24.12. 20:00 Z |
19°50'42"N
22°0'12"W
|
220°
|
1.7kt
|
8298.4NM
|
wind
2.8kt
263°
baro 1014 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 20:01 Z |
19°50'41"N
22°0'13"W
|
242°
|
1.5kt
|
8298.4NM
|
wind
2.8kt
261°
baro 1014 hPa
|
Sails down, motoring
|
| 24.12. 20:33 Z |
19°49'7"N
22°2'13"W
|
227°
|
2.8kt
|
8300.8NM
|
wind
6.8kt
279°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Motor stopped, sailing with Main, Genoa 1
|
| 24.12. 21:00 Z |
19°48'9"N
22°3'12"W
|
229°
|
3.1kt
|
8302.2NM
|
wind
7kt
296°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 22:00 Z |
19°46'35"N
22°4'54"W
|
224°
|
3.2kt
|
8304.4NM
|
wind
4.4kt
284°
baro 1015 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 24.12. 23:00 Z |
19°44'30"N
22°6'46"W
|
221°
|
3.5kt
|
8307.2NM
|
wind
6.4kt
276°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|