01’34.2N 028’08.8W course 225′ speed 4,5
The past 24 hours, we have been sailing beautifully. But, we have been working hard to get more South in our course. It seems like we got the South East winds early, already around the 7th degree North, and so we have had to fight tooth and nail, to keep going South. Of course at first we had our sheets out a little further to keep the speed up, thinking we would loose the wind in the doldrums, and make south any way. But since yesterday, the sneaking suspicion has set in, that we may not get becalmed at all.. and so now, we have to make sure we do not sail East too far, as we will encounter numerous little islands and end up on the North coast of Brazil when we get hit by that west running equatorial current!
During the day we have had splendid weather. Nice sailing, with small variations in the wind and over all sunny weather. Now during the night, we are surrounded by squalls again. Yesterday they had some lightning in them, today they seem a little more benign. They move very slowly compared to yesterday. In our weather report we can not really find any change, it says we should have about 12 knots of wind from direction 104′, so East South East. But in reality our sails start flapping when we get to a course anywhere between 190 and 185, so it feels like the wind is more likely to come from 130′. I know it seems a small difference, but out here, it is all the difference! It’s the difference between Fernando the Noronhos or just south of that. Its the difference between North Brazil or East Brazil. Its the difference between 4 knots close hauled and 6 knots close reach..
During the day Soete en Jasmijn had a bake off. Starting off with Coconut macarons warm from the oven at 15:30 and finishing with a still warm lemon tart for dessert. The lemon tart was made after a recipe of Jamie Oliver, with a cook book about Italian food. So what else do you put in a crust of a lemon tart, then wine! Who needs water or milk or yoghurt, if you can use wine!
And the tart was delicious! What a treat!!! We can not find our scales, we have only one sort of sugar on board and ricotta was exchanged for cream cheese, but other then that, this recipe was absolutely perfect!! Or maybe the execution was!
The celectial navigators had a small set back today, 34 miles off.. so we are still a while away before taping off the GPS screens. Maybe tomorrow some new hands can give it a try. We will also get back to our other presentations, on sail directions, knots, possibly on some of our amazing sailing areas like South Georgia etc.
just under 100 miles left to the Equator on our course line.. Maybe we will cross it tomorrow in the evening, see if Neptune has time to swing by.. and grand our pollywogs the way into the realm of shellbacks.
All is well on board.
Jet
