Day 5
We are sailing on the edge of a high pressure system. On my morning watch we shook all reefs and hoisted the Staysail. Beam reaching under full Mainsail, Yankee and Staysail Falken was cruising along at 9, 10 sometimes 11 knots. In the late afternoon the wind veered to a SWester Force 4 to 5 and we dropped the Staysail, eased the sheets and continued on a broad reach.
We are sailing on the edge of a high pressure system. On my morning watch, we shook all reefs and hoisted the staysail. Beam reaching under full mainsail, Yankee, and staysail, FALKEN was cruising along at 9, 10, sometimes 11 knots. In the late afternoon, the wind veered to a southwesterly Force 4 to 5, and we dropped the staysail, eased the sheets, and continued on a broad reach. It has been very pleasant sailing all day, and we crossed our halfway mark to Horta today—950 nm to go.
It looks like we found some favorable current as well, as our speed through the water is constantly about 1.5 knots slower than our SOG (speed over ground). As darkness fell, the wind veered further and it was time to set the pole, bring the Yankee to windward, and we are now sailing wing on wing. We might have to gybe in the early morning hours to maintain our course, but for now all is set.
The next few days will be interesting as we transition from the high pressure system into a low pressure with very light and shifty winds, plus rain and squalls in between.
Fair winds and a following sea,
Chris
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