So we're back at sea again! Skipper briefing yesterday with Mark and Lyall - and today Mark successfully shepherded all 28 departing boats across the start line in Saint George's Harbour, complete with Diag. 2-1a. Predictably, the lighter and faster boats shot off like bats out of hell, with the heavier and slower boats slowly moving to the back of the ARC fleet. Ngahue IV definitely fits into the latter category. Nevertheless, we manage to happily trundle along at about 5 1/2 knots (even touching - oh so briefly - 7.1 knots when the wind got up a bit on a northeasterly course in search of stronger winds. Our Furuno autopilot continues to meander 30° off course to port and to starboard. So it's probably just as well that there is no one behind us anymore, as we zig-zag our way to the Azores. We've decided to add the word infernal to Furuno as our new name for the autopilot! Our Furuno sounder has packed up too, and the seawater temperature has now hit 99.9° with a star on the read-out. Certainly the sounder no longer showing our depth is annoying, as we nearly ran aground when waiting for a German catamaran to finally leave the fuel dock at St George's...
The mood is quiet and happy and we've soaked up the afternoon sun. Next stop Horta.