10’51.5N 029’05.8W course 335′ speed 5,5kn
Weather reports, they are a strange factor in a sailors life. When you are waiting for the new weather report, the grip file, they give you anxiety, the anticipation and the ‘need’ for information makes you nervous. And then when the new report is there it can go two ways. You walk outside completely content, sailing the same course, same speed, same seastate as before, but now you know the wind is going to be alright way and thus, its better. The sails seem to work harder and the waves dont bother you that much. Or it can be the wrong sort of report, which depicts struggles up ahead. In that case you may sit behind your computer for half an hour, trying to interpret your weather report differently, draw in your courseline, think off all the different outcomes and then life of a sailor can go two ways again.. If you succeed in finding that edge to the weather report, that at first sight looked bad, but you have twisted it to meet your needs, you may walk outside content and again the wind, speed, direction and seastate are the best thing ever. Or you may not succeed and spend another half hour coming up with plans for the next week.. and just hoping, this weather report may still change.. Because in the end, nothing is as changeable as the weather.. right?
I have gone through all these fases by now. I have been exhilarated with the weather report just 4 days ago, perfect wind on our courseline, as predicted, possibly even a short cut on the South of the Azores and South West winds will blow us into the English Channel.. But since two days.. the weather report is showing something very different. Yesterday I succeeded in twisting the weather report thus, that we are still in for a perfect half circle to the South side of the Azores.. but since today.. I have not been able to see any way around a massive low that seems to be spilling more and more and more North East, relentless, no East, no perfect half circle, just a struggle to make North to the South West corner of the Azores and then get a big wind gap..
Ach well, we shall take the wind as it comes! Lets make the most of the next 3 days, any further on, the weather report may still change very much.. or so I hope.
And so today we were on our close hauled sail, which, most of the time, was pretty amazing. The wind increased a little over the evening and Joels watch was doing 7 knots. But then the wind died out and we had to start the engine to keep our sails filled and our course in the right direction. It wont be for too long, hopefully sunlight will bring wind again. But we have little time to waste with this weather forecast and so, a little noisier and a little more rolly, we are heading in the right direction.
All is well on board, but if you could send a different weather report, that would be much appreciated. Jet
