32’47.6N 014’14.9W course 196′ speed 6,4
Today we got a little breeze! Sadly, with that little breeze came a nasty sea state! Shaking us again, making our mizzen flap around, like there was no wind at all. Just before lunch we tried sailing, but were unsuccessful. We have had a little mishap with our traveler and had to rig our jib in a different way. So I send Joel out to the front of the jibboom to rig a different block, and of course, as he does, he took some spectacular footage of Tecla racing along under sail and engine.
With mizzen and staysail set, we were able to keep a speed of around 6.8 knots average, which would have gotten us to Tenerife before dark! But since the wind has dropped, we are down to 6,2/6,4 and so will arrive in cover of night time if the wind doesn’t pick up again. Our weather report is saying that until we are nearly at Tenerife, this is very unlikely. BUT no head winds either!! I will take a late arrival over headwinds any day!
Our big ocean is ‘rolly’ but the surface of the water looks almost oily. Stars are reflecting in the water with bright light shimmers. The water itself is also alive with light as the luminescent algae bounce around and sparkle as they move. It is a beautiful night! We thought we might get rain, as Pieternelleke, our little bird friend, had decided to go inside again for the evening. And although the air is moist and the previous watch had some thick low hanging cloud cover, the rain never came and our little bird went outside again when we had dinner. Too much movement in her sleeping quarters.
Distance to Tenerife is 285 miles. We are passing the Madeira group at 100 miles distance. After this there are the Selvagem Islands and then we may be able to see El Teide from a long distance, if the weather is fair. Which is should be! Lets see who spots the top of the mountain first! For Floris, Soete and Jasmijn this is known territory as they all sailed School at Sea once and had to climb the Teide as part of an excursion. They know how hight it is. And they know what it looks like. I think it will be one of them seeing first.
All is well on board,
Jet
