Day 2

Here we are again. It has been a while since I had the chance and time to write something. After the record breaking day one, day two was looking good as well, with winds in the high 20’s low 30’s until early afternoon.

We have just passed Lowestoft, where we had to pass thru some shallow waters with sand banks left and right. We first got some rain which was welcome after all the salt but with the rain came more wind.

Sailing under two reefs and genoa no3 we got 40 knots of wind, actually too much for these sails and sea conditions – the sea was bad being surrounded by such shallow waters. we had no time to chance sails however, and in the end we got through this squall OK – no damage to the sails except a small whole in the tack of genoa 3.

Our friends on Selene are still laying very close to us and had more problems – sailing without a foresail for quite a while.

In the end we covered again about 200 nm which is very good. All the crew are OK except your author who has some problems with his stomage. I knew I should not eat sandwiches with salmon or is it the detox from stress??? Could be both I suppose. Anyhow I sleep everey minute outside my watch duties.

Day 3

The day brought light winds. Although we started with 19 knots of breeze, this died away during the morning already to a light 12, then 7 and later only 5 knots of wind. The sun came out, however, which was good for our mood – we even used some suncream for the first time on this trip.

Temperatures are low though. The water temp is only 17 degrees celcius and outside is not much warmer. We are even wearing thermo layers during the day, sometimes two sometimes three!

Because of the calmer weather we can clean up the boat a little, dry out some of the clothes, and Joost and Floris prepare us warm baguets with bacon and eggs! Not a bad day, just not a lot of miles which after two great days is feeling a bid odd.

We finished day 3 with no wind at all. During the evening the last bit of breeze went East just like the small low we’re riding on the back in a notherly direction. We are starting to think about getting to our most northerly point Muckle Flugga although this is still hundreds of miles away.

Going to bed now, all sails are down and we are drifting north in an oily flat sea on the current of this hour. I will dream about wind or will it be something different, let you know when I am back.

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