Atlantic Ocean, 836NM SW of Las Palmas
We sailed through the night under the Parasailor, gybing along the course line. This way, we could keep a bit more sideways pressure on the sail, stabilising our going even further. With the four line system, the Parasailor can generally be gybed single-handedly from the cockpit, but in the dark there is some risk of sheets getting tangled, and so we elected to time the gybes to watch changes so we could do them together.
The seascape around us has remained quite similar, though now with reduced wave heights. Storm petrels swoop between the waves, occasional dolphins come to check us out, and every now and then, a school of flying fish takes to air in an attempt to avoid whatever dangers that lurk beneath the waters.
One thing that is new is that after a week offshore, we’re suddenly not alone. The 16m sailing yacht Dove has been catching up to us for a while, and after midnight, we could finally start seeing their masthead lights. Despite their longer waterline, they haven’t so far overtaken us. Assumedly, they’re keeping our pace in an attempt to time for an early morning arrival to Mindelo.
By noon watch the wind had picked enough that we switched from Parasailor to the white sails. This will give us easier options for slowing down or speeding up if we need to for a daylight landfall.
- Distance today: 103.6NM
- Lunch: pea soup
- Engine hours: 0
| Time |
Position |
Course |
Speed |
Log |
Weather |
Remarks |
| 26.12. 0:00 Z |
18°39'49"N
23°24'27"W
|
228°
|
4.2kt
|
8407.5NM
|
wind
10.9kt
22°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Bergie on watch
|
| 26.12. 1:00 Z |
18°37'37"N
23°27'42"W
|
262°
|
2.9kt
|
8411.3NM
|
wind
7.3kt
32°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 2:00 Z |
18°35'54"N
23°30'36"W
|
221°
|
4.2kt
|
8414.6NM
|
wind
9.7kt
16°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 3:00 Z |
18°34'9"N
23°34'7"W
|
230°
|
5.2kt
|
8418.4NM
|
wind
9.8kt
44°
sea state 3/10
clouds 6/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1018 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 4:00 Z |
18°31'34"N
23°37'35"W
|
211°
|
4.7kt
|
8422.6NM
|
wind
12.2kt
7°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 4:38 Z |
18°29'44"N
23°39'56"W
|
238°
|
3.5kt
|
8425.6NM
|
wind
8.6kt
19°
baro 1017 hPa
|
This 16m sailboat Dove will be passing us. Now at 6NM distance is can finally see their lights when standing up
|
| 26.12. 5:00 Z |
18°28'48"N
23°41'23"W
|
217°
|
4.3kt
|
8427.3NM
|
wind
9.2kt
41°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 5:27 Z |
18°27'40"N
23°43'18"W
|
238°
|
5.5kt
|
8429.4NM
|
wind
11.3kt
43°
baro 1017 hPa
|
A freighter is passing us port to port. Can see their lights at 11NM
|
| 26.12. 6:00 Z |
18°26'31"N
23°45'28"W
|
204°
|
3.7kt
|
8431.8NM
|
wind
9.8kt
72°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Suski on watch. Gybed to starboard tack with Bergie.
|
| 26.12. 7:00 Z |
18°23'20"N
23°48'38"W
|
231°
|
4.6kt
|
8436.2NM
|
wind
11.2kt
76°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 7:55 Z |
18°19'50"N
23°50'55"W
|
223°
|
5.6kt
|
8440.3NM
|
wind
13.1kt
61°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Regatta mode activated! We are creating a gap between us and the Dove. It's not the size but how much sails you have up!
|
| 26.12. 8:00 Z |
18°19'31"N
23°51'11"W
|
215°
|
5.1kt
|
8440.7NM
|
wind
12kt
86°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 8:05 Z |
18°19'12"N
23°51'26"W
|
207°
|
4kt
|
8441.1NM
|
wind
9.4kt
64°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Dove went from doing 4 knots to 8 knots. Apparently they are now also in the regatta and pulled up more sails with the rising sun.
|
| 26.12. 8:09 Z |
18°18'57"N
23°51'37"W
|
217°
|
4.7kt
|
8441.4NM
|
wind
12.8kt
68°
sea state 3/10
clouds 5/8
visibility 8/10
baro 1018 hPa
|
Sun is up
|
| 26.12. 9:00 Z |
18°16'3"N
23°53'56"W
|
226°
|
5kt
|
8445.1NM
|
wind
11.2kt
115°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 9:09 Z |
18°15'28"N
23°54'14"W
|
195°
|
5.2kt
|
8445.8NM
|
wind
17kt
74°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Dolphins!
|
| 26.12. 10:00 Z |
18°11'39"N
23°55'57"W
|
211°
|
4.9kt
|
8450NM
|
wind
12.3kt
72°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 10:18 Z |
18°10'18"N
23°56'31"W
|
181°
|
4.6kt
|
8451.4NM
|
wind
14.3kt
65°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Favorable current is back. 1.1 kn behind us.
|
| 26.12. 10:26 Z |
18°9'42"N
23°56'41"W
|
186°
|
3.8kt
|
8452.1NM
|
wind
12.3kt
66°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Double digits: 99 to go!
|
| 26.12. 11:00 Z |
18°7'24"N
23°58'1"W
|
205°
|
5.4kt
|
8454.7NM
|
wind
14kt
57°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 12:00 Z |
18°3'41"N
24°0'53"W
|
190°
|
4.5kt
|
8459.4NM
|
wind
17.1kt
65°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Bergie on watch
|
| 26.12. 12:06 Z |
18°3'21"N
24°1'2"W
|
205°
|
6.5kt
|
8459.7NM
|
wind
16.2kt
64°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Sails set: Main, Genoa 1 (20% furled)
|
| 26.12. 12:20 Z |
18°2'23"N
24°1'35"W
|
202°
|
4.9kt
|
8460.8NM
|
wind
13.9kt
87°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Autopilot deactivated, windvane steering
|
| 26.12. 12:55 Z |
17°59'54"N
24°2'36"W
|
217°
|
5.2kt
|
8463.5NM
|
wind
12.8kt
68°
baro 1018 hPa
|
Sails set: Main, Genoa 1
|
| 26.12. 13:00 Z |
17°59'33"N
24°2'48"W
|
218°
|
3.8kt
|
8463.9NM
|
wind
12.7kt
72°
sea state 3/10
clouds 3/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1018 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 13:58 Z |
17°55'44"N
24°4'51"W
|
232°
|
4.5kt
|
8468.3NM
|
wind
11.1kt
50°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Sails set: Main, Genoa 1 (20% furled). Poled out
|
| 26.12. 14:00 Z |
17°55'40"N
24°4'58"W
|
250°
|
3.4kt
|
8468.4NM
|
wind
12.5kt
105°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 15:00 Z |
17°52'24"N
24°8'9"W
|
243°
|
4.4kt
|
8473NM
|
wind
10.2kt
55°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 16:00 Z |
17°48'56"N
24°11'29"W
|
217°
|
6.2kt
|
8477.7NM
|
wind
17.4kt
66°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 17:00 Z |
17°45'22"N
24°14'50"W
|
229°
|
3.9kt
|
8482.5NM
|
wind
15.1kt
88°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 18:00 Z |
17°42'42"N
24°18'29"W
|
230°
|
6.3kt
|
8487NM
|
wind
14.7kt
69°
sea state 3/10
clouds 6/8
visibility 7/10
baro 1016 hPa
|
Suski on watch.
|
| 26.12. 18:50 Z |
17°39'15"N
24°20'31"W
|
198°
|
4.7kt
|
8491NM
|
wind
18kt
52°
baro 1016 hPa
|
Sails set: Main, Genoa 1 (40% furled)
|
| 26.12. 19:00 Z |
17°38'33"N
24°20'57"W
|
219°
|
5.1kt
|
8491.8NM
|
wind
17.1kt
65°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 19:54 Z |
17°35'38"N
24°23'38"W
|
214°
|
4.4kt
|
8495.7NM
|
wind
15.1kt
68°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Sails set: Main, Genoa 1 (20% furled)
|
| 26.12. 20:00 Z |
17°35'22"N
24°23'58"W
|
221°
|
4.3kt
|
8496.1NM
|
wind
14.9kt
92°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 21:00 Z |
17°32'4"N
24°26'57"W
|
209°
|
4.8kt
|
8500.6NM
|
wind
16.9kt
66°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 22:00 Z |
17°28'21"N
24°29'58"W
|
223°
|
3.8kt
|
8505.3NM
|
wind
11.7kt
74°
baro 1017 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 22:35 Z |
17°26'31"N
24°32'9"W
|
218°
|
4.8kt
|
8508.1NM
|
wind
13.8kt
77°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Faint glow of light pollution ahead!
|
| 26.12. 22:51 Z |
17°25'33"N
24°32'59"W
|
245°
|
4.4kt
|
8509.4NM
|
wind
14.8kt
90°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Sails set: Main, Genoa 1 (60% furled)
Time to start slowing down for daytime arrival.
|
| 26.12. 23:00 Z |
17°25'0"N
24°33'26"W
|
225°
|
4.8kt
|
8510.1NM
|
wind
16.4kt
83°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Hourly position log
|
| 26.12. 23:49 Z |
17°22'35"N
24°36'3"W
|
212°
|
4.3kt
|
8513.6NM
|
wind
15.7kt
94°
baro 1019 hPa
|
Sails set: Main
|